Press Releases

Contact:

Randy Rentschler
510.817.5780

Joe Curley
510.817.5847

Media Advisory

Head of Federal Transit Administration to Announce Public Test of TransLink® Smart Card

FOR RELEASE: November 28, 2001

WHAT: News conference with visiting Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Administrator Jennifer Dorn and Bay Area leaders to announce public demonstration phase of TransLink® transit fare-collection system.

WHY: TransLink® is a "smart card" being developed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to serve as a universal transit fare card on all Bay Area transit systems. MTC will soon launch a major, six-month public demonstration program of the TransLink® fare card on selected routes and at certain stations of a half-dozen transit operators: AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit, San Francisco Muni and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. During this time, some 4,000 members of the general public — volunteers from around the region — will use the TransLink® card in lieu of monthly passes, ticket books or cash. At the news conference, use of the TransLink® card will be demonstrated and participants and staff members will be available to answer questions about the program.

This is Ms. Dorn's first visit to the Bay Area in her capacity as the head of FTA (her appointment by President George W. Bush was unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate in July 2001). In her remarks, Ms. Dorn also will discuss recently released travel data from the 2000 U.S. Census.

WHEN:

Friday, November 30, 2001
12 noon to 1 p.m.
(Reporters wishing to receive TransLink® cards
should arrive at 11:30 a.m.)
Refreshments will be provided

WHERE:

Caltrain Station
4th and King streets
San Francisco

WHO:

Jennifer Dorn — Administrator, Federal Transit Administration
Steve Kinsey — Supervisor, Marin County, and Vice Chair, MTC
Alex Mehran — CEO, Sunset Development Company
(representing the Bay Area Council)
and other transportation leaders

Contact:

Randy Rentschler 510.817.5780
Joe Curley 510.817.5847

RSVP by phone (510.817.5847), fax (510.817.5848) or e-mail (jcurley@mtc.ca.gov)


The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county Bay Area.

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