Photo by lorigoldbergMetro has selected the company that will replace its current fare system with one that allows for payment through “chip-enabled credit cards, federal government ID cards and mobile phones,” as well as SmarTrips.
The $184 million contract was awarded to consulting and technology firm Accenture, which will launch a pilot program of the new system in “10 Metrorail stations, aboard 50 branded-route Metrobuses, and in two parking lots” later this year. “Additionally, 2,000 Metro riders will be selected to participate in the pilot program to test the performance and reliability of the new system,” according to a release.
“While Metro pioneered the tap and go system we currently use, by today’s standards that system is cumbersome and the technology is not sustainable,” Metro General Manager and CEO Richard Sarles said in a release. “The new technology will provide more flexibility for accounts, better reliability for riders, and real choices for customers to use bank-issued payment cards, credit cards, ID cards, or mobile phones to pay their Metro fares.”