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San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit Oct. 1 stepped closer to implementing smart-card fare collection by asking Cubic Transportation Systems to replace fare collection equipment at five extension stations with Cubic’s electronic ticketing system.



BART in 1999 awarded Cubic a $31 million contract to put new ticket vending machines and faregates in all but BART’s newest stations, which began service in the mid-1990s. The current $5.5 million order, along with other options exercised since the initial contract, bring BART’s total orders with Cubic to $53 million.



The idea: have a complete Cubic system comprising ticket vending machines, faregates and "add fare" machines throughout BART’s system. The new equipment uses a processing architecture that’s compatible with Cubic’s Nextfare™ Solution Suite — which supports the magnetic ticketing system BART currently uses and would enable the agency to transition to smart cards.



Cubic plans to begin demonstration testing of its equipment in November at BART’s Concord Station, and deliver and install the new equipment at all 43 BART stations in May.