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Item F4 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 8-21-02 Division: Public Works Bulk Item: Yes No X Department: Engineering AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Report on Card Sound Road Electronic Toll Concept. ITEM BACKGROUND: Currently, the only way to pay for tolls on Card Sound Road is with cash or toll tickets. PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: At the last Key Largo BOCC meeting the Board asked that we investigate the use of SunPass and other electronic toll concepts for Card Sound Road. CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Continue investigating toll options. TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: Yes Account # NO Cost to County: REVENUE PRODUCING: YES NO AMOUNT PER MONTH YEAR APPROVEDBY: County~. d OMBlPurchosmg _ Risk Managemenl Item Prepared by: ~ David S. Koppel, P.E., County En'9!'7 / DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL: ~ ~ -;r; .fkI Dent Pierce, Division Director DOCUMENTATION: Included ~ To Follow Not Required AGENDA ITEM # /f DISPOSITION: Card Sound Road Electronic Toll Options Prepared by the Monroe County Engineering Department Subject: Feasibility of upgrading the Card Sound Road Tollbooth to accommodate electronic toll collections. Objective: 1. Enhance customer satisfaction a. Customer convenience - The use of electronic, pre-paid mediums to transit the tollbooth. b. Several payment options available - The ease in handling the electronic payment medium and the payment options that become available to the user, can increase participation from the public. 2. Lower cost and improve efficiency for the County a. Improved data collection - Vehide data collection process due to electronic payment system can be translated into cost savings. An electronic payment system is a group of special electronic hardware and software components that facilitate detection, validation and authorization of a payment electronically. In general, all electronic payment systems consist of the following major components; 1. EPS media (smart cards, transponders, bar codes) 2. Readers 3. Communication equipment 4. Lane controllers 5. Host or central computers The Electronic Toll Collection Systems should: 1. Provide the capability to implement pricing structures for the locally determined needs. 2. Provide confirmation of the transaction to each customer. 3. Provide a reduction oftoll collection cost. 4. Provide an electronic medium that allows the customer to replenish the account. 5. Provide auditing capabilities to the County. Findings: Two main options were considered when we investigated the electronic toll system. Under each main option are several alternatives. Option 1 - Connecting to the SunPass system, used on the Florida Turnpike and many other toll roads and bridges in the State. Option 2 - Having an independent Electronic Toll System. Option 1: SunPass has just recently started to let other agencies join their system. The equipment needed for electronic toll collection must be completely compatible with the SunPass system. This would not be a problem since we would need to purchase all new equipment to accommodate electronic toll collection. The SunPass system uses a small transponder mounted on the windshield. Each time the user passes through the toll plaza, a predetermined amount is deducted from the user account. - 1 - There are two ways the County could handle the burden of issuing the transponder, collecting the funds, and handling the technical supportJhelp questions. 1. The Florida Department of Transportation and SunPass can sell the transponders, set up, maintain the accounts, and handle the technical supportJhelp questions. The user would be able to use the telephone, visit the SunPass web site (www.sunpass.com). or go to an authorized location to transact business. There may be a possibility that the County could become an authorized location. That option would require more investigation. Since allowing other agencies to join their system is in its infancy, the State could not provide a hard cost for their service. Other sources estimate that the cost will be in the range of 3-5% of each transaction. They did say however, that if the consumer secures the account with a credit card, that additional cost of 1-2%, charged by the credit card companies, would be passed on to the County. 2. The alternative to the State handling the burden of selling the transponders, setting up and maintaining the accounts, and handling the technical supportJhelp questions, would be for the County to take this responsibility. It must be noted that once you are on the SunPass system, it is probable that users will call about all SunPass roads and any other SunPass related question. The cost and inconvenience of a ninning technical support and help line and backroom activities that are associated with this, could become an enormous burden. Based on the Florida Turnpike information that 25% of the transactions are with SunPass, it is estimated that approximately 375 units/accounts would be sold and accounts maintained in the County. Option 2: Having an independent electronic collection system offers the County several equipment and payment alternatives. Payment media available include, smart cards, magnetic stripe cards, transponders, and bar code window and cards stickers. 1. Smart Cards - Both the contact and the contactless cards can be replenished right at the tollbooth. The user would pay the toll operator an amount, and the operator would replenish that amount to the card, plus any discount amounts that are being allowed. a. Contact Smart Cards require physical contact with the reader to process the transaction. They have a microprocessor chip and are erasable and modifiable. Cards are re-used and have an estimated life of 10,000 reads and writes. The cost of this type card is in the one to two dollar range. The microprocessor contains within itself a log of transactions than be used for audit functions. Each card has a unique serial number. This makes it possible to list stolen cards, issue replacements, and have a network distinguish between the two. Cards follow ISO standards, so the County would not be locked into a sole-source proprietary product. b. Contactless Smart Cards do not require insertion, but only proximity to the reader-writer. There are different types of this card that determine things such as the distance from the reader to effective interface, memory capacity, and data transfer rates. Because there is no insertion or removal of the card the process procedure is quick. Cards can be read in 100 msec. 2. Magnetic stripe cards are similar to the contact cards with the exception that they do not hold any information. The account would have to be set up in a toll plaza system. When the card was used, the toll amount would be deducted from the users account. It could be set up so that the user could -2- replenish the account at the tollbooth, or payment could be mailed to replenish the account or a combination of the two. 3. Transponders are similar to the magnetic stripes in that an account must be established so funds can be deposited and drawn against. The advantage over the above mentioned payment media, is the ability to transit the tollbooth without the user having to lower the window. One disadvantage is the initial costs of the transponders; they can cost $26.00 or more, per transponder. 4. Bar Code Window Stickers are a combination of the above-mentioned media, and would be one of the least expensive systems to have installed. An account would need to be set up, as mentioned above, and funds would be drawn against it. A bar code sticker is placed on the window of the vehicle and the toll operator scans the sticker with a hand code reader. The toll amount is displayed on the screen along with other account information such as account balance. Just as with the transponder, the user would not have to lower his window. 5. Bar Code cards offer most of the same features above, except in a hand held verSIOn. Cost: At this point in the process, the figures shown below should be used for comparison only. Many details will need to be examined and basic systems identified, before a more detailed cost analysis can be performed. SunPass System (including SunPass software) Electronic Toll Collection System $500,000.00 $200,000.00 Summary: ~ Regardless of which type of system is chosen, new hardware and software will have to be installed. If the decision is made to go with an independent system of electronic toll collection, careful thought must be given to the selection of the media type. You would either go with the mindset of not having accounts, but replenishing the cards themselves, which is a very simple approach, or establishing accounts that will require continual attention. If the decision is made to join SunPass, then it must be decided whether to contract with the State for all of backroom activities, or to manage them at the County level. There is no doubt that joining the SunPass system would be convenient for users continuing on to the Turnpike. Some options that can be employed if desired include, but are not limited to, rewarding frequent users, or users who apply greater amounts to their accounts. A bonus system can be employed to add additional funds to an account automatically, when a payment is entered into a system. Options for payment can be a credit card number on file, pay in advance (at the booth or other). Billing accounts could be available for commercial accounts, or others who need the flexibility of paying for their usage on a more structured schedule. These systems are very flexible and can be designed to accommodate specific requirements. Many of the hardware components are off the shelf, but the software is tailored to the customers' specific needs. Obtaining competitive bids may be difficult, because the Card Sound Toll project is an extremely small project as compared to most toll projects. - 3 -