New Power Passes in North America

Washington DC and Niagara Falls are the latest locations to benefit from the multi-attraction smart cards. The new passes have been launched by VISITicket, and are powered by ACT’s flagship tourism product, Discovery.

Buying a single smart card is a smart way for visitors to see lots of different attractions in a city, get discounted rates and miss the queues!

Visitors to Washington DC will be able to use their Power Pass to visit 21 fantastic attractions. From sleuthing at the International Spy Museum to meeting the stars at Madame Tussauds Washington DC, there’s something for everyone.

At Niagara Falls, pass holders can use their cards at 22 attractions in both the United States and Canada. Highlights include the fascinating Guinness World Records Museum and the essential ‘Maid of the Mist’ Boat Tour.

Clean data with integrated Experian QAS

ACT is pleased to announce that it is now an Authorised Experian QAS Business Partner. ACT's Customer Management System (CMS) now has Experian QAS functions integrated within it to provide data integrity and authentication services for Concessionary and Commercial Travel Schemes.

Experian QAS is a market leader in data integrity solutions, which capture, clean and enhance important data within organisations’ database systems.

The partnership provides a valuable new dimension to ACT products. Local authorities, Passenger Transport Executives and Train Operating Companies will be able to check and clean multiple data sets to ensure they are up to date, accurate and consistent.

ACT already has Experian QAS's ProWeb quick addressing application fully integrated into their CMS product. The future integration of Experian QAS's Batch and Authenticate products is already underway in line with ACT product roadmaps.

Maintaining an accurate and clean dataset is crucial to Transport Concessionary Authorities. Issuing cards containing the wrong information is a drain on resources and can cause distress or annoyance to the cardholders or their families.

The new functions will be available as an additional subscription in the near future. Watch out for further announcements!

Leicestershire chooses ACT

The Leicestershire Concessionary Travel Partnership has chosen ACT to provide a full range of travel products and managed services for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS). ACT has delivered on time and to budget: the CMS, card production and fulfilment services, integration services and ongoing programme management.

2008 is an exciting year for English transport, featuring the roll-out of the all-England ITSO concessionary travel scheme. The English Concessionary Travel Pass entitles all those aged 60+ and the disabled to free bus travel across England.

The Leicestershire existing concessionary bus passes will be replaced by smart cards delivered by ACT and its sub-contractor ESP Systex Limited. The project has enabled over 100,000 concessionary travellers throughout Leicester and Leicestershire to receive their cards and will provide interoperable travel across England.

ACT wins London Midland contract

ACT has been awarded a contract to provide a full managed ITSO HOPS and Customer Management System (CMS) service to the new London Midland franchise - part of the Go Ahead Group.

The decision to purchase the essential back office services is part of London Midland’s franchise commitment as the new train operating company. During the term of the franchise a percentage of the ticketing systems must be converted to support contactless smart tickets that are ITSO compatible.

ACT have already installed the London Midland CMS and have commissioned the HOPS service in advance of the initial smart tickets and the station upgrades in 2009.

sQuid - the new eMoney solution

ACT has announced its partnership with sQuidcard in helping to deliver sQuid’s highly configurable eMoney network, a smartcard based payment service enabling small value payments.

A sQuidcard means that you will no longer have change weighing down your pockets and with its ‘swoosh-and-go’ payment, it’s easier and faster than chip and PIN – and it’s secure. You can load value onto your card either online or at sQuid retailers (soon to be nationwide) and you’re ready to go. No debt, no hassle, just a simple, fast way to pay.

ACT has been developing a number of the technology components for the service, leveraging its own smartcard and transaction systems expertise.

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council has already selected sQuid eMoney service for its innovative smart citizen card programmes. Bolton is the first deployment of sQuid with expansion across the UK expected to follow.