PATCO New Automated Fare Collection System, Smart card or Magnetic- Your choice

PATCOs new fare collection system will feature the FREEDOM card, which will revolutionize how customers purchase their fares and travel on the PATCO system. The FREEDOM card is a smart card that will provide a high level of convenience and reliability to customers who use PATCO consistently. For customers who do not opt to use the FREEDOM card or who use PATCO infrequently, new magnetic tickets will be available. In PATCOs current fare system, plastic tickets that use first generation magnetic technology are used. Although that technology was state of the art several decades ago, the technology is outdated and the tickets are prone to damage by devices commonly found in todays environment. Unlike the current tickets, which are re-encoded numerous times for use after being captured by the fare gates, the new magnetic tickets will be paper tickets and will not be reused after capture. The new magnetic tickets can be purchased using either cash or coins. This means that customers choosing to purchase a ticket will not have to first stop at a change machine to convert their bills to coins. Both one- and two-ride tickets can be purchased from all new ticket vending machines located outside the fare gates. A customer wishing to purchase a magnetic ticket will simply select the prompt on the ticket vending machine screen for purchase of a ticket and then select the destination and whether a single ride or double ride ticket is desired. The ticket vending machine will list the price of the purchase. Once the customer inserts the fare, the appropriate ticket is printed with an expiration date, and the ticket and any change that is due are dispensed. The customer may also request a receipt for the ticket purchase. In addition, a SEPTA transfer can be purchased at the same time from ticket vending machines in New Jersey. The magnetic ticket purchased from the vending machine is then inserted into the new fare gate upon entering and exiting the system similar to the manner in which it is done today. If there is a ride remaining on the ticket, it is returned to the customer; if there are no rides remaining, the gate will capture the ticket. Another new feature helps the customer who inadvertently purchases the wrong ticket. That is, if a customer travels to a destination beyond that indicated on his/her ticket, he/she may use the vending machine inside the paid area to Add Fare. The ticket is re-encoded by the vending machine upon payment of the additional fare, and then the ticket will activate the fare gate to allow the customer to exit the station. This feature eliminates the need to use the Call For Aid phone in such a case. Continue to read Connections for more fare system news and updates.