Reference Enterprise Architecture for Transit Open Payment System
Publication Date: March 2016
This Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council white paper describes a framework for a reference enterprise architecture for open payment in the public transportation space. The framework provides a model for implementing a seamless fare payment system that traverses transportation modes, jurisdictions, markets, and technologies.
The white paper reviews how a reference enterprise architecture for a transit open payment system (TOPS) will deliver economic, program, and development benefits and documents a recommended approach for a TOPS reference architecture including:
- Describing how the architecture should be modeled (called a metamodel).
- Describing the scope of the five layers that compose an enterprise architecture: driver, business process, information, application, and technology.
- Defining of the categories and detailed content contained in each of five layers.
The TOPS reference architecture is a launching point for different stakeholder groups to benefit from the framework. The greatest benefit from an architecture and framework is to reduce ambiguity in defining the terms, components, interactions, connections and more. However, the architecture is also a starting point for developing standards and reusable components to accelerate deployment, reduce complexity, decrease costs and create a better fit for the organizations that use the system.
As an industry group, the Transportation Council recommends the following as industry next steps:
- Adoption and refinement of the model defined in this white paper based on real world implementations.
- Selection of priority areas to extend and refine the architecture definition focusing on areas which will provide the greatest benefit for cost savings, system interoperability, future-proofing and more.
- Adoption and development of standards in the transportation and related industries that will ensure the longevity of the architecture as it is impacted by emerging forces and technologies.
About the White Paper
This white was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council to support developers, integrators, procurers, and users of open payment systems for transit and transportation services with a framework for specifying, developing, integrating and managing the lifecycle and evolution of these systems. The framework provides a model for implementing a seamless fare payment system that traverses transportation modes, jurisdictions, markets, and technologies.
Members contributing to the white paper included: Accenture, American Express, CH2M, Consult Hyperion, Discover Financial Services, Giesecke & Devrient, GO Systems and Solutions, Infineon Technologies, INIT Innovations in Transportation, MasterCard, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), NXP Semiconductors, OTI America, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), U.S. Department of Transportation/Volpe Center, Utah Transit Authority (UTA), Visa Inc., Xerox.
About the Transportation Council
The Transportation Council is one of several Smart Card Alliance Technology and Industry Councils, focused groups within the overall structure of the Alliance.
The Transportation Council is focused on promoting the adoption of interoperable contactless smart card payment systems for transit and other transportation services. The Council is engaged in projects that support applications of smart card use. The overall goal of the Transportation Council is to help accelerate the deployment of standards-based smart card payment programs within the transportation industry.
The Transportation Council includes participants from across the smart card and transportation industry and is managed by a steering committee that includes a broad spectrum of industry leaders.
Transportation Council participation is open to any Smart Card Alliance member who wishes to contribute to the Council projects. Additional information about the Transportation Council can be found at https://www.securetechalliance.org/about_alliance/councils_tc.cfm.