Universal Transit Farecard Standards (UTFS)Task Force

Tom Parker (TF Chair), BART

Carol Wise (Operations Chair), COTA

Agapito Diaz (RMC Chair), ACS

Greg Garback (Spec. Ind. Liaison), WMATA

Chung-Chung Tam (Fin Mgmt Chair), CTA

Tom Peacock, APTA

Henry Rosen (Fare Media Chair), PATH

Dave Phelps, APTA

Rick Barrett (Fin Mgmt Vice Chair), Quattran

Leisa Moniz, Volpe

Joe Simonetti (Fare Media Vice Chair), Metavante

Tim Weisenberger, Volpe

Tom began by welcoming Greg Garback. Bob Bernard was not on the call. Tom stated that the purpose behind creating the position was to ensure that the work of the Task Force was not exclusive of the Smart Card Alliance and I-95 Corridor Coalition.

Greg expressed that he feels the UTFS program is making progress but that the opportunity is there to work with other institutions that have worked on clearing and settling and other back end functions. The SCA is a large scale, multi-discipline organization that has a knowledge base that is available to the task force to capture. The task force can distribute documents to the SCA for review and thereby broaden the program’s perspective. The overall idea is to work collaboratively with the SCA and their members to enrich the UTFS program. Greg stated that some outreach has already occurred. Agapito presented the program at the SCA conference in October. Agapito stated that there was interest from several attendees.

Tom Parker asked is Greg sees any crossed-purpose between the work of the UTFS program and the SCA. Greg replied that he sees them as complimentary, but that SCA is not a standards body.

Tim asked what Greg felt he needed from the leadership committee. Greg stated that he was crafting a work plan for the position and sees the relationship as a two-way information exchange.

Dave Phelps will send Greg the program by-laws.

Tim led the discussion by stating that the 2004 Fare Collection Workshop was fast approaching and that the RMC was finalizing the program. He felt that working meetings would be needed as the three work package teams all had significant deliverables due in late spring. This conference may be perfectly timed for them to meet and finalize these deliverables. He stated that face-to-face meetings may speed the completion of deliverables. He further stated that full-day meetings were needed, not just 1-2 hour sessions as held at past conferences. He asked the group what UTFS activities they would like to see at the conference.

Tom Parker stated that travel restrictions are in place at many agencies and that transit agency members have a much easier time getting travel approved if in conjunction with an APTA event.

The discussion focused on two distinct program needs:

1. A UTFS presentation that both informs the industry and serves as a recruitment tool.
2. Working meetings for those already participating in the program.

Agapito stated that the RMC has talked with Greg G. regarding a session engaging the financial industry. He felt that this could be an opportunity to present the program update.

Two ideas were offered for working meetings:

1. The Sunday before the conference begins
2. The Thursday/Friday following the conference
3. During the conference

Discussion ensued that this created a long travel week and that the RMC specifically kept the program to 3 days to avoid extended travel. It was also stated that members did not like to travel and meet on weekends.

Tom Parker asked Tim W. to poll the work package team sat the meetings in Oakland what their preference was regarding meetings at the workshop. Tim asked that the Committee Chairs to poll their committees on this matter as well.

Carol W. and Joe S. were currently meeting in Columbus to develop a work plan and an agenda for the Dec 1-2 Committee working meeting.

Henry stated the committee had met on Nov 12. The committee decided to follow the UTFS by-laws regarding voting eligibility and would have a meeting Friday, Nov 21 to allow members 2 meetings to establish voting eligibility prior to a vote on the "Trends" document.

Henry then discussed a meeting between Fare Media and Financial Management leaders as well as Rich Lobron and Bob Murray. Bob Murray is becoming the Co-Lead of the Systems Work Group. Rich Lobron will lead the Magnetic Fare Media Work Group. Rich is getting up-to-speed on the work group’s deliverables and a meeting is expected for early December.

Tam stated that the committee approved the Business Process Work Group document. Tam asked for clarification of the approval process at the Task Force level. Dave Phelps stated that it is Tam’s choice whether

1. Tam informs the leadership committee that the document is ready for distribution and asks for their endorsement, or
2. Requests a formal task force ballot.

Tam requested the first option and formally motioned for approval of the document. Rick Barrett seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

The document will be submitted to APTA for final edit and distribution.

The Work Package 4 RFP closed on Nov 12. Leisa Moniz will coordinate a meeting of the evaluation committee to begin the evaluation of the responses.

Joe S. asked the timeframe for the entire RFP process, since he and Carol were considering contracting for work in the Operations Committee.

Tam stated that the SOW took approximately 2 months to develop, but that Operations Committee could reduce that time by using the WP4 SOW as a template. The timeline discussed:

SOW development: 1-2 months

RFP publication: 3 weeks

Response Evaluation: 2 weeks

Award: 2-4 weeks

Carol and Joe were currently meeting in Columbus to develop a work plan and an agenda for the Dec1-2 Committee working meeting to be held at Metavante offices in suburban Chicago. The meeting will seek to refine the work plan, and develop a moving-forward strategy for the committee. Eight people will attend including 6 transit agency reps.

Dave drafted a letter for Tom Margro, Rail CEO Chair encouraging peers to return ballots. That letter was sent earlier in the week and already communications from delinquent balloters had been received and ballots were now being returned. The letter asked for a Thanksgiving deadline and Dave was confident that this was achievable.

Dave is beginning to develop a comment resolution form for the IP Policy. This is a work in progress as ballots are returned.

Dave asked for comments to the "IP 101" training he distributed. He said that he had received very few. Tim stated that he was a little overwhelmed by the number of interconnected files. He suggested gathering the files in correct order in a zip file. It was suggested that Dave attempt to send only the most important file(s) to review first. He agreed.

Rick Barrett asked about the "boilerplate" info that Dave developed. He thought the idea was a one-page document that would be attached to all UTFS deliverables and would contain:

1. The UTFS Mission Statement and Guiding Principals
2. A document type description (Standard, Guideline/Best Practice, Specification, Research/White Paper)
3. A reference to the IP Policy

Dave stated that the program Guiding Principles would make it more that one page and the group agreed the Mission Statement alone was sufficient.