By 2009, a single - contactless - ticket will be sufficient to travel across the entire urban area. As though the Marseillais have seen the boundaries of their city pushed back.

By adopting ACS’ Atlas system, the 18 communes of the Marseilles Provence Métropole (MPM) community have just defined an integrated suburban transport area. Within this area, encompassing a million inhabitants, users will be able to travel using a single ticket regardless of the network or operator. Atlas, interoperable by nature, will hence replace by 2009 the current system covering Marseilles city alone.

Taking a chance on 100% contactless ticketing
In this major change towards suburban interoperability, MPM has opted for contactless ticketing for both season ticket-holders and occasional users. "That would be a world first in a conurbation of this size", remarks François Maddaloni, ACS sales manager. To pull it off, the authorities are banking on a drop in the price of "low cost" contactless media between now and 2009, the date when magnetic ticketing is set to be abandoned once and for all. The two technologies will be used together in the meantime.

 

On being commissioned in 2007, Atlas will manage the validators and ticket vending machines on the tramway and metro extensions. It will then take over all the new contactless ticketing equipment as it is installed throughout the urban area networks by our partner, SPIE. Lastly, in 2009, once the current system has been abandoned, Atlas will control all fare collection operations, heralding the era of 100% contactless ticketing throughout the greater Marseilles area.

Not content with merely improving the Marseillais’ day-to-day journeys, Atlas will also make things easier for the transport operators. Thanks to its modularity, the ACS system provides them with both a partitioned management area and common data consolidation. With the guarantee of being paid for the exact services provided. Lastly, Atlas frees them of all computer operation tasks. "This is a key factor in ensuring success. The system is secure and operators access data via a simple Internet browser", stresses François Maddaloni. Sharing transport networks involves sharing computer networks…