april_2018

206 207 questions and help people, and we will continue those extended hours through the launch. So, those are the three big, in-person ways that we are trying to help provide that sense of comfort and help people learn how they learn best.” BVM: Any other new projects or upgrades on GRTC’s agenda? Pace: “We are implementing SMART passes with chip technology embedded into the pass; it makes for faster boarding and more reliable fare payment methods. And we’re doing that in the form of a physical card that you can purchase from ticket machines, or from area vendors, or through our online transit store.We’re also de- ploying a mobile payment app which is another SMART way that you can pay, interacting at our fare boxes - it lets you scan with your mobile de- vice or at the Pulse stations. “Also, we will be deploying a reloadable SMART pass, similar to what most large transit systems and cities have, where you purchase a card that you can load whatever amount you want onto it and reload as you ride. That will be the last phase of the SMART payment upgrade that we will offer in FY 2019. “The next big thing is the ticket vending ma- chines.We have the newest model in the world. It’s made by Scheidt & Bachmann, a European company.We have the top of the line - the newest, latest, and greatest ticket vending machine that they offer. And we’re looking forward to being the pioneer in deploying that new generation of ticket vending machine. PREFERRED VENDOR n Scheidt & Bachmann USA, Inc. www.scheidt-bachmann.de/en THE GREATER RICHMOND TRANSIT COMPANY “We are growing our fleet away from diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles to compressed natural gas to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and lower the noise that we cause when we’re operat- ing.We have our own CNG fueling facility, here at GRTC, so we can fuel here without having to go to an offsite location and then pay them to fuel our vehicles.We fuel off of the city’s natural gas line and then compress up to the required PSI to fuel the buses. “We just finished a multi-year, multi-phase bus stop information improvement project. That’s fancy for we have all new bus stop signs. They provide much more information; they’re highly visible; they’re up to VDOT, Virginia Department of Transportation standards; they have reflective material finish on them so they’re much more visible in the dark. “That last thing that we’re doing this year, is updating our mobile app.We have had requests to keep up with the fast-changing technology. You have to do app updates pretty regularly in order to keep up with what your customers expect and need. This new app is currently testing with a small group of current bus riders – about a hun- dred of them– they’re testing the app, and then, we’ll deploy that app to the public, this year, as well. “So, we have quite a few things going on.”