A request for proposals from “experienced vendors” has been issued by Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in the USA, to develop, implement and maintain a multimodal mobile and contactless fare payments system that will use an open architecture to make it possible to quickly and easily add support for new payments technologies.

The new system — known as SEPTA Key 2.0 – will enable passengers to pay for their fares with a contactless debit or credit card, their smartphone or wearable device. It will also support a flexible fare structure that includes multiple rider tickets and integrate with fare payments systems operated by partner transit operators and other third parties.

“SEPTA Key 2.0 is a next generation, multimodal fare payment system intended to improve the customer experience,” the transportation authority says.

“SEPTA Key propelled SEPTA from an era of tokens and paper tickets to a reloadable contactless chip card that offers a host of options for seamless travel and self-service flexibility.

“Now, more than a decade after its design, the current SEPTA Key data-processing software is due for an upgrade to meet the expectations of today — and tomorrow.”

SEPTA began trialling mobile ticketing in Philadelphia in December 2022 when it also revealed its plans to roll out open loop contactless fare payments across its transit network.

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