The progressing Taipei public transit smart card ticketing system and its public private partnership (PPP) framework is presented in this paper. Due to the various advantages including fast verification, large memory capacities, low malfunction rates, and considerably convenient to users, the contactless IC smart card has been proven to be a feasible solution in many cities around the world. It is expected to attract more passengers from private vehicles, and to ultimately solve the annoying traffic congestion problems in Taipei metropolitan by comprehensively employing this modern electronic ticketing system in mass rapid transit (MRT), buses, and parking lots. In order to increase operational flexibility and to have the system completed with a time constraint, a PPP framework has been proposed and adopted for development of the smart card ticketing system. The PPP approach is thought as an efficient framework for system construction, operation, and management. Potential benefits and disadvantages as well as lessons from Taipei experience are analyzed in this paper.
Samenvatting