Netherlands ticketing system in the works - World Update - mass transit system - Brief Article

Railway Age, June, 2002

Six suppliers or consortia are working on a proposal for the design, delivery, and implementation of a national electronic mass transit ticketing system for the Netherlands.

They are:

* Accenture, Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway, Thales, and Vialis Verkeer & Mobiliteit, Netherlands.

* EDS International, Cubic Transportation Systems, and Siemens.

* ERG Transit Systems and Interpay Netherlands.

* Getronics Business Solutions and KPN Telecom, Netherlands, with Hitachi Europe.

* SchlumbergerSema.

* T-Systems ITS, Germany.

The companies will bid on a contract to be issued this year by Trans Link Systems, which hopes to introduce a smart transportation ticket that would be valid for all of the Netherlands' transportation modes, including metro, tram, bus, and rail. Trans Link, a consortium of Netherlands Railways, Connexxion, The Hague Tramways, Amsterdam Municipal Transport, and Rotterdam Electric Tram, hopes the ticketing system will enhance passenger comfort and service, improve safety conditions at stations, and help collect traffic data on a daily basis.

"The number one priority is customer convenience," said Trans Link Systems director Jeroen Kok. "We're not going to experiment with new technology, but apply methods of electronic payment which have proven successful elsewhere in the world."

Jan Janssen of Cubic Transportation Systems Ltd., said this "means public transportation in the Netherlands will enter into a new era," and that the Trans Link consortium "has a very strong basis, both at a national and international level."