As part of ongoing efforts to modernize Halifax Transit’s technology and improve the ridership experience, bus tickets will soon be really, really, really big.
The city put out a tender this week looking for someone to print the new transit tickets, which will each measure six inches in length by 2.75 inches in width.
That’s approximately the size of a five-dollar bill, and almost as large as 10 of the current orange blue-and-yellow tickets.
Bigger is necessary, says the city, because the old-style tickets can’t be accepted by the expensive new fare boxes already purchased for HRM’s fleet.
Those boxes will enhance transit technology by validating and counting both paper money and paper tickets—providing a “ding” of acceptance for honest customers or a buzz of shame if someone’s fare falls short.
The new system will “lay the technological foundation for enhancements and additional customer conveniences to be implemented in the future, including the adoption of smart media,” says HRM’s specially created FAQ on the new tickets. (Always a good sign!)
Anyway, people are having absolutely none of it.
Prior plans to replace the fare boxes and allow for electronic bus payment options were delayed three years ago, then split in two after it became clear no single contractor could handle both halves of the upgrades.
A year ago, city council approved a $14-million deal for Trapeze Software to handle the first half of that overhaul by creating new back-end scheduling software and installing the shiny new boxes
“This new fare box will allow us to improve the performance of the system,” councillor Waye Mason said at the time. “I think it’s very exciting and wanted to jump on the mic and say how important and exciting this is.”
Mason was less excited this week upon finding out about the ticket girth.
“Everything that is happening makes sense to me EXCEPT six-inch long tickets,” tweeted the deputy mayor. “That is just plain weird.”
The second phase of the fare management upgrades, still to come, will allow riders to use electronic payment options—potentially some combination of smart cards, credit cards and/or cellphones.
In the interim, the new tickets will fold accordion style “so they can fit in wallets with other bills.” They’ll also include infrared ink to cut down on transit ticket forgeries. OK.
The redesigned tickets will replace Halifax’s current orange blue-and-yellow stubs at the end of the year. Old tickets can be exchanged for new ones at specially designated locations that are yet to be determined.
The new fare collection system should be up and running sometime next winter.
This article appears in Aug 9-15, 2018.
Halifax Transit has NOT used orange tickets in over 3 years. Also, I have seen many examples of ticket and transit forgery over the years. Most people are honest and kind but as the saying goes, ” a few bad apples spoil the bunch”. Lastly, people were upset when the fleet started announcing each stop last year. Guess they have moved on !?It is time that people accept the world does NOT work exactly as they want ot to. Embrace these changes as there are bigger things to worry about.
That is an unspeakably dumb upgrade.
E-tickets ought to be the priority, not the second phase.
so they can fit in wallets with other bills. ya i haven’t carried cash or a wallet in like the past decade lol
I’m going on a limb here and assume – based on reading this article – that there is a future planned increase if they’re installing machines to accept bills rather than coins.
$5 bill size. Fair might be $5 in the near future possibly?