APTA: Universal Transit Farecard Standards (UTFS)Task Force

Task Force Leadership Conference Call Minutes

From January 8, 2004:

Participants:

Tom Parker (TF Chair), BART	Greg Garback (Spec. Ind. Liaison), WMATA
Henry Rosen (Fare Media Chair), PATH	Ed Pollan (RMC Vice Chair), LTK Engineering
Rick Barrett (Fin Mgmt Vice Chair), Quattran	Dave Phelps, APTA
Chung Chung Tam (Fin Mgmt Chair), CTA	Leisa Moniz, Volpe
Carol Wise (Operations Chair), COTA	Tim Weisenberger, Volpe
Joe Simonetti (Fare Media Vice Chair), Metavante

Goals and Objectives:

Tom Parker stated that the goals for the call were to get Committee reports, to get an update on the IP Policy, to cover any UTFS activities at the APTA Bus Conference in May, follow up on the Government’s Interagency Advisory Board, and finally to briefly talk about the rail CEO presentation at the GM Seminar on Jan 29 in Santa Monica. Joe Simonetti added that he saw confusion as to when UTFS meeting will be at the Fare Collection Workshop in Brooklyn in March.

2004 APTA Fare Collection Workshop

The Fare Collection Workshop preliminary schedule incorrectly listed UTFS working meetings on Sunday. While the schedule had gone out for printing, Dave Phelps said attempts will be made to stop it and make corrections. The group agreed that there should be no mention of the UTFS working meetings as they occurred after the workshop.

Joe stated that he thought the group agreed that any working meeting would be held on the Thursday following the conference, but the preliminary schedule had them blocked for Sunday. The group agreed this was incorrect and that there should be no mention of the UTFS meetings as they were after the workshop. Dave Phelps checked on the status of the schedule. Dave reported that the schedule had gone to the printer, but they would attempt to stop it and make appropriate changes.

Committee Reports

Fare Media Committee- Henry Rosen

The Fare Media Committee next meets on Jan 12. The "Trends" document will be discussed and hopefully go out for electronic ballot. The "Farecard Procurement Procedures" document has been posted to the web site for committee review. A TCIP coordination meeting will be held later in the day at 3:30 PM Eastern.

The next Fare media Committee meeting will be Jan 12. The "Trends" document will be discussed and hopefully go out for electronic ballot. The "Farecard Procurement Procedures" document has been posted to the web site for committee review. Rich Lobron and the work group are editing the Magnetic Fare Media docs. TCIP coordination will also be a topic for the meeting. A TCIP coordination conference call will be held at 3:30PM Eastern today.

Financial Management Committee- Chung Chung Tam

Tam stated that the work package teams are meeting on Feb 10-12 in Chicago. The schedule is:

WP3- Feb 10

WP1- Feb 11

WP4- Feb 12

The WP4 research study was awarded to Booz Allen. The contract is awaiting Bill Millar’s signature before work begins.

Tam reported that the Work package teams will be meeting in Chicago on Feb 10-12. WP3 meets on the 10^th, WP1 meets on the 11^th and WP4 meets on the 12^th. This alignment is to allow easier overlaps between the groups’ members. The WP4 Research study has been awarded to Booz Allen. The contract is awaiting Bill Millar’s signature, which should happen quickly..

Rick Barrett asked Dave Phelps about the final edit of the "System Business Issues" document. Dave stated that he had not completed it, but would attempt to do so asap.

TCIP is holding a meeting on Jan 21 in Annapolis, MD at ARINC offices. APTA will send an email to the UTFS members regarding the meeting.

Operations Committee: Carol Wise

The Committee is finalizing a work plan and a statement of work for a consulting project.

Additionally, the Committee developed a Steering Committee and it must determine what work the steering committee will do and what work a consultant will do. Additional recruitment is needed to work on the 9 identified tasks.

Carol stated that the Committee was working on a review of the work plan and a statement of work for consulting services. A committee call is scheduled for Jan 9. Carol provided Tom Parker an update on the Dec 1-2 working meetings in Chicago (please see the Dec11 Meeting minutes for the results of this meeting). Carol stated that the committee had created a steering committee and that they have to determine what work that steering committee will do and what work a consultant will do. The committee has identified 9 tasks, but they all will not be accomplished in 2004. Members must be recruited to work on those tasks.

IP Policy, Training and Implementation Schedule

The IP Policy is still in Task force ballot. Not enough votes are in to establish a quorum. APTA will send a list of outstanding voters to the TF leadership and divide the list among the leaders to call to encourage return of the ballot.

The one negative vote with comment received is still unresolved. APTA continues to work the issue.

An IP training Webinar is scheduled for Jan 16 from 1:30-3:00 PM Eastern Time. Anyone not able to make the call will be allowed to sit on the dress rehearsal call on the 9^th.

IP policy implementation schedule is:

1. Dave will disseminate schedule on the IP training Webinar.

2. On Feb 2 (immediately following Rail CEO meeting), APTA will electronically send a letter on APTA letterhead to the entire task force stating:

IP Policy is in effect on an interim basis,
A Letter of Acknowledgement must be submitted by 5 PM Eastern time Mar 3, 2004,
Members will not be allowed to participate after this date unless a signed LOA is submitted

3. APTA will send the letter over Tom Margro’s signature.

Dave Phelps reported that the IP Policy was still in ballot stage and that there were still not enough votes in to establish a quorum. APTA has begun to call agencies personally. Additionally, APTA and Tim W. developed a list of outstanding votes and the list will be divided among TF leaders to call. That list is being finalized and will be distributed asap. The current ballot results are unchanged with one negative vote with comment. APTA has tried to resolve the issues and have made a proposal to the voting organization, but it was rejected. The issue will continue to be worked.

The IP Policy training Webinar was scheduled for Jan 16 1:30- 3:00PM Eastern Time. Those not able to attend can attend the dress rehearsal on Jan 9.

IP training does not address an implementation schedule. The implementation schedule as discussed will be:

1. Dave will disseminate the schedule during the training Webinar

2. On Feb 2 (immediately following Rail CEO meeting), APTA will electronically send a letter on APTA letterhead to the entire task force stating:

IP Policy is in effect on an interim basis,
A Letter of Acknowledgement must be submitted by 5 PM Eastern time Mar 3, 2004,
Members will not be allowed to participate after this date unless a signed LOA is submitted

3. APTA will send the letter over Tom Margro’s signature.

Interagency Advisory Board

Greg Garback stated that chair of the IAB has been out of contact, but the Federal Government’s Smart Card Project Managers group will be meeting on Mar 9th. Greg stated that this would be another good forum to present the UTFS program to government agencies. The group agreed to support this. Greg stated that we then must decide who will present to the group and what would be presented. Tim will take on the task of creating the presentation and TF Leaders would determine the presenter at a future meeting. Greg agreed to contact Bill Holcombe, who leads the SCPM group.

Rail CEO Meeting

Tom Parker asked for a report on the Rail CEO meeting and what is expected for a presentation of UTFS. Dave P. stated that the meeting is 12:00-2:00 PM at the APTA GM seminar at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, CA. Topics for the meeting include an IP Policy update, a UTFS update, and a review of the voluntary assessment from committee members.

Tom P. then asked about standards maintenance. Dave stated that APTA had applied to be a standards-making entity and that this means APTA will create a standards committee and a task force to build financial support for standards development and maintenance.

Action Items Carried Over From 12/11 Meeting

Tom Parker/Agapito Diaz- Engage NYCT to host UTFS working meetings on Mar 25/26. (Carried over from 12/11 meeting)

Action Items

APTA- Finalize "System Business Issues" document.
APTA- Send list of task force ballots outstanding and assignments to TF leaders to call those agencies.
Tim W.- Update UTFS presentation for Rail CEO Committee meeting.
Dave Phelps- Deliver IP training Webinar
APTA- Draft IP Policy letter to be sent electronically on Feb 2 to all task force members.
Greg Garback-Get UTFS on the agenda of the Mar 8 Smart Card Project Manager’s meeting.COMPLETE
Tim W./Agapito Diaz/ Tom Parker- Coordinate a presentation at the Smart Card Project Manager’s meeting.

Next Meeting

The next leadership meeting will be held Thursday, Jan 22 at 12:00 Noon Eastern Time

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