Proximity smart card for public transit in the Puget Sound region of Washington state
For other uses of "ORCA", see Orca (disambiguation).
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ORCA
Location
Puget Sound region, Washington, U.S.
Launched
April 20, 2009 (2009-04-20) (v1)[1] May 16, 2022 (2022-05-16) (v2)[2]
Technology
MIFARE DESFire smart card[3]
Operator
Vix Technology (first generation)
INIT (second generation)[4]
Manager
Regional ORCA Operations Team
Currency
United States dollar ($5 minimum load, $400[5] maximum load)
Stored-value
E-purse
Credit expiry
None
Auto recharge
Yes
Validity
Community Transit
Everett Transit
King County Metro
King County Water Taxi
Kitsap Fast Ferries
Kitsap Transit
Pierce Transit
Seattle Center Monorail
Seattle Streetcar
Sound Transit (Link light rail, Sounder, ST Express)
Washington State Ferries
Retailed
Vending machines
Online
Mail
Customer service centers
Grocery stores
Variants
Reduced Regional Fare Permit
ORCA Youth Card
ORCA LIFT
Website
myORCA.com
The ORCA card (standing for One Regional Card for All) is a contactless, stored-value smart card system for public transit in the Puget Sound region of Washington, United States. The card is valid on most transit systems in the Seattle metropolitan area, including Sound Transit, local bus agencies, Washington State Ferries, the King County Water Taxi, and Kitsap Fast Ferries. It was launched in 2009 and is managed by the Central Puget Sound Regional Fare Coordination Project, a board composed of local transit agencies.
The card is able to be loaded with "e-purse" value, similar to a debit card, and monthly passes. Cards are sold and reloaded at participating grocery stores, customer service centers, and ticket vending machines at transit stations. ORCA cards offer free transfers between transit systems within a two-hour window.
In 2018, the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) contracted INIT (Innovations in Transportation, Inc.) to replace the legacy ORCA system with an account-based, open architecture system known as "next generation ORCA". The next-generation ORCA system will offer new payment options including mobile ticketing, maintain customer data security, and provide real-time account management and fare processing so customers can instantly add value to their account at any time.[6] The new system is set to roll out in phases, which began with a new website and app in May 2022.[7][8]
^King County News Center, ORCA smart card limited rollout gets underway
^New ORCA card system begins on May 16 - myORCA
^Intro to ORCA/Husky Card Presentation. UW SocTech, Spring 2007
^Cite error: The named reference Times-NextGen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"ORCA cards". King County Metro. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
^"PR 2018 INIT to Deliver Next Generation ORCA Fare Collection System". www.initse.com. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
The ORCAcard (standing for One Regional Card for All) is a contactless, stored-value smart card system for public transit in the Puget Sound region of...
14, 2009. "ORCA smart card limited rollout gets underway". Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2009. "ORCA: FAQ". Archived...
cities and operators worldwide, including Hong Kong's Octopus card system, Seattle's ORCAcard system, and Stockholm's SL Access system. In 2009, Vix Technology...
on and tap off my ORCAcard?". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on September 18, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2017. "ORCA Lift". King County...
transfers via the ORCACard only, and these transfers are good for two hours after the user taps the card against the reader. When using ORCA, users get full...
Fares for the monorail are paid at turnstiles at either terminal using an ORCAcard, a smartphone app, or paper tickets bought from a vending machine with...
Orcas Island (/ˈɔːrkəs/) is the largest of the San Juan Islands of the Pacific Northwest, in northwestern Washington, United States. The name "Orcas" is...
(SEPTA Key) San Francisco Bay Area (Clipper card) Seattle (ORCAcard) Seoul (T-money) Shanghai, Taipei (EasyCard) Singapore Tokyo (Suica) Washington, D.C...
ordering a standard adult or youth ORCAcard. CT removed their paper transfers on January 1, 2010, after the ORCAcard made them obsolete. Community Transit...
transit program that began in 2022. Fares can be paid using the regional ORCAcard, a smartphone pass, or paper tickets printed by ticket vending machines...
required to purchase a paper ticket, use a mobile ticket, or tap their ORCAcard (and receive a valid permit to travel) before boarding trains. Sound Transit...
MyORCA. February 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024. Lindblom, Mike (May 2, 2022). "What you need to know about changes coming to the ORCA fare card system"...
curb for level boarding, larger shelters, ticket vending machines, and ORCAcard readers. Buses on the Orange Line arrive every 10 to 12 minutes during...
stations with digital e-ink screens for real-time arrivals information, ORCAcard readers, and larger shelters. It is the first RapidRide line to open under...
The CharlieCard is a contactless smart card used for fare payment for transportation in the Boston area. It is the primary payment method for the Massachusetts...
Transit Express bus service. The agency also coordinates the regional ORCA fare card system, which is also used by local transit operators. In 2019, Sound...
The Clipper card is a reloadable contactless smart card used for automated fare collection in the San Francisco Bay Area. First introduced as TransLink...
electronic purse applications. Singapore EZ-Link add value machine Access card that is used for public transport in Greater Stockholm Novosibirsk (Russia)...
and station elements, and cleaning soiled artwork. In September 2022, ORCAcard readers were removed from the platforms and new signage and tactile markings...
In 2009, the ORCACard was introduced as a new way for fare payment between the seven transit agencies in the Puget Sound region. The card uses RFID technology...
look different from normal bus stops and have "tech pylons" that feature ORCAcard readers for off-board fare payment, real time information signs and automated...
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