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Anautomated fare collection (AFC) system is the collection of components that automate the ticketing system of apublic transportation network – an automated version ofmanual fare collection. An AFC system is usually the basis forintegrated ticketing.

AFC systems often consist of the following components^[1] (the "tier" terminology is common, but not universal):

• Tier 0 – Fare media
• Tier 1 – Devices to read/write media
• Tier 2 – Depot/station computers
• Tier 3 – Back office systems
• Tier 4 – Central clearing house

In addition to processing electronic fare media, many AFC systems have equipment on vehicles and stations that accepts cash payment in some form.

AFC systems originated with tokens or paper tickets dispensed by staff or from self-service vending machines. These have generally been replaced withmagnetic stripe cards.

Since their introduction in 1996 with theUpass in Seoul, South Korea, and later withOctopus card in Hong Kong in 1997,contactless smart cards have become the standard fare media in AFC systems, though many systems support multiple media types.

More recently, contactless smart cards from bank networks have been seen more frequently in AFC.

These take numerous forms, including:

• Ticket office terminals – where a media holder can purchase a right to travel from staff in an office, or enquire as to the value and travel rights associated with the media

• Ticket vending machines – where a media holder can purchase a right to travel from a self-service machine, or enquire as to the value and travel rights associated with the media
• Fare gate – often used in atrain station so a media holder can gain access to apaid area where travel services are provided
• Stand-alone validator – used to confirm that the media holds an appropriate travel right, and to write the usage of the media onto the media for later verification (e.g. by a conductor/inspector). Often used inproof-of-payment systems.
• On-vehicle validator – used by a media holder to confirm travel rights and board a vehicle (e.g. bus, tram, train)
• Inspector/conductor device – used by staff such as aconductor to verify travel rights

Unattended devices are often called "validators", a term which originated with devices that would stamp a date/time onto paper tickets to provide proof of valid payment for a conductor.

Used to concentrate data communications with devices in a station or bus depot. Common in older AFC systems where communication lines to upper tiers were slow or unreliable.

Servers and software to provide management and oversight of the AFC system. Usually includes:

• Fare management – changing of fares and fare products
• Media management – support for blacklisting of lost/stolen media
• Reporting – periodic reports on performance of the AFC system, financial details and passenger movements

In environments where multiple system operators share common, interoperable media, a central system similar tothose used in stock exchanges can be used to provide financial management and other services to the operators such as:

• Clearing and settling of funds
• Common reporting
• Apportionment of revenue between operators

Japanese ticket gates feature a high-speed mechatronic component within an automated fare collection (AFC) gate responsible for processing magnetic stripe paper tickets. This mechanism is distinct from the solid-state contactless readers used for IC cards (such asSuica orFeliCa), though both systems are typically integrated into a single gate. The transport mechanism's primary function is to physically pull a ticket through a series of internal components that read, validate, write new data to, and finally either eject or capture the ticket.

These mechanisms are engineered for extremely high throughput, with Japanese railway standards often requiring a processing capability of up to 60 passengers per minute per gate.^[2]

The internal assembly of a magnetic ticket transport system consists of several key modules:

• Ticket Separation Module: At the insertion slot, a set of high-friction rollers and belts (an "automatic separation module") is designed to grab a ticket. This module must accurately feed only one ticket at a time into the transport path, even if multiple tickets are inserted in quick succession (such as a base fare ticket and an express supplement).^[3]
• High-Speed Transport Path: A series of belts and precision rollers guides the ticket through the machine's interior at a high, constant velocity. This is critical for ensuring the magnetic read/write heads can process the data stripe accurately.
• Magnetic Read/Write Heads: The ticket is passed over one or more magnetic heads.
  • ARead Head first scans the magnetic stripe to retrieve existing data, such as the ticket's value, issuing station, and time of entry (if any).
  • AWrite Head then encodes new data onto the stripe. For an entry gate, this is typically the station code and time. For an exit gate, this may be a "zeroed" value to invalidate the ticket.
• Ticket Capture/Ejection Module: After validation, a high-speedsolenoid or mechanical diverter actuates. This diverter routes the ticket to one of two paths:

1. Ejection Path: The ticket is returned to the passenger at the exit slot (used for entry, or on multi-use passes).
2. Capture Path: The ticket is diverted into an internal collection bin, signifying the journey is complete and the fare has been collected.

• Sensors: A network ofphoto-electric cells (light beams) and mechanical sensors is used throughout the path to detect the ticket's position, prevent jams, and track the passenger's movement through the gate, ensuring the barrier flaps do not close on them.^[4]

The mechanism's operation differs based on whether the passenger is entering or exiting a paid area.

1. A passenger inserts a valid ticket.
2. The separation module feeds the ticket into the transport path.
3. The read head scans the ticket to confirm its validity.
4. The internal CPU validates the ticket, and the write head encodes the current station and time data onto the magnetic stripe.
5. The ticket is routed to the ejection path and returned to the passenger, all in approximately 0.7 seconds.

1. A passenger inserts the ticket, which now contains entry data.
2. The read head scans the entry station and time.
3. The gate's processor calculates the required fare based on the stored journey data.
4. If the fare is valid and paid, the write head may invalidate the ticket, and the capture module solenoid diverts the ticket into the collection bin.
5. If the fare is invalid (e.g., insufficient funds), an alarm sounds, the barriers close, and the ticket is often routed back to the passenger via the ejection path.

Canada's first public transit agency, the Toronto Street Railway Co., started in 1861 with a horse-drawn streetcar service but it was not until 1912 that the City of Toronto began deliberations on fare collection.^[5] It was not until 126 years later (in 1987) that Mississauga Transit became one of the first Transit Agencies in Canada to implement an Electronic Farebox.^[6] Since then, almost every major city in Canada has adopted use of electronic fare boxes.

Notably, Canada also produces fare collection devices for various transit agencies in North America.Trapeze Group., located inMississauga,Ontario, currently manufactures and develops high tech fare collection solutions.

The first faregates in the United States were installed experimentally in 1964 at Forest Hills and KewGardensLong Island Rail Road stations in Queens;^[7] the first systemwide installation was onIllinois Central Railroad (IC) in 1965 for its busy Chicago commuter service (today'sMetra Electric.) Financed entirely from private funds, AFC was expected to reduce operating costs bydecreasing on-board crew sizes and eliminating station agents at all but the busiest stations.Cubic’sIC system featured entry-exit swipes (NX) to enforce zonal fare structures, checks against fraud,used ticket collection, and ridership/revenue data collection capabilities.^[8] It served as a prototype for the San FranciscoBay Area Rapid Transit (BART),^[9]Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA),^[10] and Philadelphia’sPort Authority Transit Corporation(PATCO)Lindenwold Line NX-zonal AFC systems.^[11] These railroad-style systems requiredcomplex computer data processing on faregates or remotely on a central computer, and thuswere not suitable for buses. Similar systems are still in use on Japan and Taiwan’s commuterrailroads, and the London Underground.^[12]

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)’s desire for simpler AFC systemsresulted in Duncan (traditionally aparking meter vendor) developing turnstile machines forentry-only subway fare collection.Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)’s ChicagoCard, BostonMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)’s previous generation “T-Pass”, andNew York City Transit (NYCT)’s MetroCard systems could all be considered MARTA’s 1977 system’s conceptualdescendants.

Bus fareboxes had hitherto been much simpler devices, mechanically registering coins depositedon accumulating registration counters. Duncan’s 1973 “Faretronic” farebox was the first toelectronically count coins and collect revenue/ridership data by fare class. Keene quicklyfollowed suit, introducing a design meetingUrban Mass Transit Administration (UMTA) Section15 reporting requirements, also collecting fuel consumption and bus mileage data.^[13] In NewYork, mechanical fareboxes were preferred for ease of maintenance until widespread deploymentof Cubic'sMetroCard for buses in 1997. Venerable GFI fareboxes featuring magnetic passreaders requiring cash single fares lasted in Boston untilScheidt-Bachmann’sCharlieCard wasintroduced in 2006.

This is a list of a few notable AFC systems. (SeeList of smart cards for a comprehensive list of AFC and other systems based on contactless smart cards.)

• Calypso, an international electronic ticketing standard, originally designed by a group of transit operators
• CIPURSE, is an open security standard for transit fare collection systems

• Fare collection systems

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