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Opus (smart card)
Encyclopedia
Contactless payment
Contactless payment systems are credit cards and debit cards, key fobs, smartcards or other devices which use RFID for making secure payments. The embedded chip and antenna enable consumers to wave their card or fob over a reader at the point of sale. Some suppliers claim that transactions can be...
stored value smart card
Smart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
being gradually introduced in most of the public transit systems in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. One card can contain up to four different kinds of fares. (An OPUS card can contain, for example, 1 STM monthly pass, 10 STL tickets, 6 CIT Laurentides tickets and 2 train tickets for AMT zone 5.) One transit fare simply overrides the other 3 when paying at any machine in a similar fashion to PayPass. The main goal behind the creation of this card is to reduce the amount of fare evasion
Fare evasion
Fare evasion, as distinct from fare avoidance, is the act of travelling on public transport in disregard of the law and/or regulation, having deliberately not purchased the required ticket to travel . It is a problem in many parts of the world, and revenue protection officers operate on many systems...
that takes place in the province's transit systems.
The card can be found inside various points of sale where local transit fares are currently sold. Recharging stations can be found at Montreal Metro
Montreal Metro
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
stations, train stations, and Agence metropolitaine de transport
Agence métropolitaine de transport
The Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...
bus terminals, as well as where local transit fares are sold.
Participating transit authorities
| Transit Authority | Participant Since | Validation Method |
|---|---|---|
| Agence métropolitaine de transport Agence métropolitaine de transport The Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles... |
Fall 2008 | ACS E-Validator |
| Société de transport de Montréal Société de transport de Montréal The Société de transport de Montréal is a public transport agency that operates transit bus, and rapid transit services in Montreal, Quebec, Canada... |
Fall 2008 | GFI Genfare Odyssey |
| Société de transport de Laval Société de transport de Laval Société de transport de Laval is the public transit system in the city of Laval, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in June 1971 as the Commission de transport de la Ville de Laval ... |
Fall 2008 | GFI Genfare Odyssey |
| Réseau de transport de Longueuil Réseau de transport de Longueuil Réseau de transport de Longueuil is a public transit carrier in the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada and nearby communities on the South Shore of Montreal... |
Fall 2008 | Proxibus VPE 415 Proximity Reader |
| Réseau de transport de la Capitale Réseau de transport de la Capitale The Réseau de transport de la Capitale was established in 2002 with the merger of Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine de Québec and la Société de transport de Québec to provide urban public transit services in the Quebec City area.... |
Fall 2008 | Proxibus VPE 415 Proximity Reader |
| CIT Sorel-Varennes CIT Sorel-Varennes The CIT Sorel-Varennes , formally the Conseil Intermunicipal de Transport Sorel-Varennes, provides public transportation to the municipalities in the area northeast from Montreal along the right bank of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada... |
February 2009 | Proxibus VPE 415 Proximity Reader |
| CIT Laurentides CIT Laurentides CIT Laurentides provides local bus service for the southern portion of the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada, mainly the suburban area on the northwest side of Montreal... |
March 2009 | GFI Genfare Odyssey |
| CIT Chambly-Richelieu-Carignan | April 2009 | Proxibus VPE 415 Proximity Reader |
| CIT Le Richelain | April 2009 | Proxibus VPE 415 Proximity Reader |
| CIT Roussillon | April 2009 | Proxibus VPE 415 Proximity Reader |
| Ville de Sainte-Julie | April 2009 | Proxibus VPE 415 Proximity Reader |
| CIT La Presqu'Île | May 2009 | Proxibus VPE 415 Proximity Reader |
| CIT Vallée-Richelieu | April 2010 | ITSMAX Electronic Farebox |
| CRT Lanaudière | April 2010 | ITSMAX Electronic Farebox |
| CIT Sud Ouest | April 2010 | ITSMAX Electronic Farebox |
| CIT Haut-Saint-Laurent | April 2010 | ITSMAX Electronic Farebox |
Rollout phases
- Spring 2008 - Testing with employees of transit authorities and select groups of testers.
- Spring 2008 - Deployed for users of the RTLRéseau de transport de LongueuilRéseau de transport de Longueuil is a public transit carrier in the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada and nearby communities on the South Shore of Montreal...
only. - Fall 2008 - Deployed for students on all three transit authorities as well as AMTAgence métropolitaine de transportThe Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...
TRAM users. - Late Fall 2008 - Deployed for all regular fare users of all three transit authorities as well as AMTAgence métropolitaine de transportThe Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...
TRAM users. - Spring 2009 - Start of deployment for users of CIT systems.
- Spring 2010 - End of deployment for users of CIT systems.
See also
- Navigo (same technology)
- Octopus cardOctopus cardThe Octopus card is a rechargeable contactless stored value smart card used to transfer electronic payments in online or offline systems in Hong Kong...
- Oyster cardOyster cardThe Oyster card is a form of electronic ticketing used on public transport services within the Greater London area of the United Kingdom. It is promoted by Transport for London and is valid on a number of different travel systems across London including London Underground, buses, the Docklands...
- Calypso (electronic ticketing system)
- MetrocardMetroCardThe MetroCard is the payment method for the New York City Subway rapid transit system; New York City Transit buses, including routes operated by Atlantic Express under contract to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ; MTA Bus, and MTA Long Island Bus systems; the PATH subway system; the...
is an older technology used by the New York Bus and subways