Electronic Fare Collection Options for Commuter Railroads

This research is designed to support the Federal Transit Administration in its efforts to disseminate knowledge of new technologies within the transit community, in this case focusing on issues associated with automated fare collection (AFC) for commuter rail. By identifying “lessons learned” with AFC deployments, the report is also intended as a resource for commuter railroads considering adoption of AFC and/or joining multi-modal electronic payment systems. The findings may be of particular use for commuter rail systems that are still in the planning stages and have the opportunity to leapfrog older technologies. Six case studies are presented that provide some insight into commuter railroads’ experiences in adoption of AFC.