City Smart Card for Transit
OK, I know this doesn’t qualify as major news (it’s not like we’re getting a real regional transit system or anything) but I think it’s cool anyway: Seven regional transit agencies are testing a region-wide Smart Card, a credit-card-size pass that will work on every transit system in the Puget Sound area. (Those seven agencies, for the curious, are: Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, and the Washington State ferries.) The card, which is similar to smart cards in dozens of other US cities and abroad (surprise: we’re behind the curve), will keep track of the value of all tickets, transfers and passes and bill riders accordingly at the end of the month. If you’re interested in volunteering, a full list of test routes is available here.
Do you know if it's a swipe card (like a bank card, with a mag stripe) or a proximity card or whatever they call it, that just has to be waved past the sensor (like an "Oyster Card" in London)?