The initial focus of the collaboration is to analyze the current market requirement for a secure, efficient and cost effective transportation ecosystem that is multi-modal and fully interoperable across borders. Following the initial evaluation stage, the STA will provide the business input to assist GlobalPlatform in developing an end-to-end simplified service framework for the public transport industry. This will outline the specifications and configurations – from GlobalPlatform and other industry bodies – that are needed for public transport market stakeholders to develop solutions aligned to specific market requirements quickly and cost effectively.
“We are delighted to engage in this coordinated effort with the STA,” comments Kevin Gillick, Executive Director of GlobalPlatform. “Cross-industry cooperation is essential to realize our common goal of achieving an internationally recognized and adopted standard for smart transit ticketing.
“Creating an end-to-end framework will provide numerous benefits to the smart ticketing ecosystem. The framework will enable service providers to deploy services faster, and crucially, will facilitate multi-modal and cross-border ticketing interoperability. This means enhanced convenience for customers and greater flexibility for transport system operators.”
The STA, formally launched in 2014, is the product of a partnership between the national smart ticketing organizations of the UK (ITSO), Germany (VdV ETS) and France (AFIMB), alongside the Calypso Networks Association and the International Association for Public Transport (UITP). Its charter to establish global smart ticketing interoperability aligns closely with that of GlobalPlatform and its Transportation Sub-Task Force.
John Verity, Chief Advisor, ITSO and Chair of the STA concludes: “To optimize the latest smart media being used by customers, the transit sector needs security and speed delivered through a common specification. Collaborating with GlobalPlatform, a mature and proven provider of interoperable specifications that support multiple industries globally, will be instrumental in reaching these goals.”