This report addresses the full range of issues and parameters that an agency must consider in determining the applicability of self-service fare collection (SSFC) systems, including those related to policy and enforcement issues, operational issues, and capital and equipment issues. The Toolkit is designed for use by agencies at various points in the fare collection decision process. The types of situations in which transit agencies may wish to use the Toolkit include the following: agencies implementing a new service and seeking to choose between SSFC and another fare collection strategy, agencies trying to decide whether to switch to SSFC from another fare collection strategy, agencies currently using SSFC and trying to decide whether to switch to another fare collection strategy, and agencies looking for opportunities to improve an existing SSFC system. Each chapter of the Toolkit contains sections that address the key design parameters/decision areas associated with the types of situations discussed in the chapter. The report will be helpful to transit general managers, policy makers, planners, and operating managers, both in assessing SSFC as part of the overall fare collection decision and in designing and successfully implementing an SSFC system.
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