ITS (SMARTCARD): SIGNIFICANT CONTRACT AWARDED
Railway Procurement Agency has announced that the contract to operate the Integrated Ticketing Scheme (ITS) has been awarded to Hewlett-Packard Ireland. The contract will provide a number of key services required to operate and administer the scheme. HP Ireland will be responsible for customer support services including provision of a telephone customer support helpdesk, back office business processing, an ITS website, and the supply of smart cards. They will also be responsible for the provision & management of a smart card point-of-sale network so customers can buy smart cards, top them up, and buy a range of products in retail outlets. The point-of-sale service is being provided by Payzone as a sub-contractor to HP and will be available at over 400 retail outlets across Dublin.
The Integrated Ticketing Scheme will provide a pay-as-you-go system on re-usable smart cards as well as holding weekly, monthly and annual tickets for regular commuters on Dublin Bus, Luas, Irish Rail, Bus Éireann and privately operated services. The Integrated Ticketing Scheme is undergoing rigorous testing this year prior to a phased roll out, in line with international best practice. In addition to staff testing of the systems, the intensive testing program will include piloting ITS in a “live” customer environment.
This is a significant milestone in the delivery of the ITS project. Project Director, Tim Gaston expressed satisfaction with this major development. “We are delighted to be able to announce the award of this contract to HP. They have a proven track record, and I’m looking forward to working together with them to deliver ITS for public transport users in Dublin”, said Gaston; “this contract builds on the good work already underway through IBM Ireland who are providing the back office computer systems to support the scheme.”
David O’Callaghan, Chairman of the Integrated Ticketing Project Board, which oversees the project also welcomed this significant development. “The introduction of integrated smart cards will be one of the most important developments in public transport in Ireland and the award of this contract goes a considerable way to achieving that”, said O’Callaghan.
Click here to view or download ITS (SMARTCARD) Significant Contract Awarded 22nd April 2010 Press Release
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