PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE DEPLOYS TTI'S CARDTOUCH IN
(PR Newswire; 05/03/99)
PNC Bank-Sponsored Smart Card Installation
Brings Together Financial, Access Control and Toll Applications on Single Card
PHOENIX, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Through an agreement with PNC Bank, the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) recently installed Touch Technology
International's (TTI) CardTouch system to support a smart card program for
employees at its main administration facility in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Employees are using the card to access the toll road, gain entrance to the
building and to make purchases in the cafeteria and at vending machines. The
system uses a Gemplus hybrid card, which incorporates both contact and
contactless chip technology. The program went live on March 5, 1999.
"The use of the smart card in our administration building is very exciting,"
said Deborah Jubelirer, assistant director of marketing and a project manager
for PTC's Electronic Toll Collection. "We will have the ability to integrate
features of the technology and at the same time introduce Turnpike employees to
smart card technology by allowing them to experience its uses and conveniences
first hand."
Commenting on future plans, Jubelirer added, "Our ultimate goal is to have the
card available to our customers to pay for tolls and other purchases on the
Turnpike. Beyond any doubt, the smart card has tremendous value and potential
in making our lives and jobs easier and less complicated."
"TTI is very proud to be a part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike's smart card
initiative," said Bill Hussey, TTI president and CEO. "The Commission has a
rich tradition of innovation and first class customer service."
Don Gleason, TTI executive vice president, provided further perspective on the
significance of the program, "With this implementation, CardTouch brings
financial, access control and toll applications together on a single card. It's
the beginning of what will be a very strong trend." TTI's CardTouch system has
also been used in support of college campuses, military installations, and
malls.
Customer convenience and enhanced cash flow for the Commonwealth were just two
of the many reasons PNC Bank is committed to this technology and excited about
the PTC agreement.
"Through this agreement, we can use our established strength in smart card
technology and processing to enhance our very valuable relationship with the
Commonwealth," said Janet Mendenhall, vice president and general manager of PNC
Bank Merchant Services. "And this technology offers unlimited potential for
convenience in the areas of tolls, parking and transit -- issues that affect
virtually all of our customers."
Gemplus Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Michael Crosno is also
optimistic on the prospects for contactless smart card technology in transit
and toll applications. "Gemplus is excited to see this technology deployed in
a live practical application with such a strong business case for future
growth. We applaud the cooperative efforts of PNC, the Turnpike Commission and
TTI."
TTI used the contactless features of the card to enable a "touch-and-go"
transaction to gain access via the toll road. Access to the building is
controlled in similar fashion with the same card adapted to the existing
security system. Once inside the building, employees can load value to the
card using a kiosk that provides access to personal bank accounts. The cards
can then be used to make purchases in the cafeteria and at vending machines
throughout the complex. To facilitate acceptance, TTI integrated a smart card
terminal with the electronic cash register used by the cafeteria operator.
About Touch Technology International, Inc.
Founded in 1991, Touch Technology International provides turnkey
smart card solutions, systems integration services and back office operations
support for smart card systems. Since its inception, TTI's sole focus has been
the smart card industry. With over 65 employees, TTI has become a leader in
the design, development and deployment of smart card systems. TTI offers
CardTouch as a non-branded solution, which may be licensed by third parties to
implement industry-specific smart card based systems. For more information on
TTI and CardTouch, visit http://www.touchtechnology.com.
About the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
The Pennsylvania Turnpike provides more than 506 miles of limited
access toll highway. With approximately 2,300 employees the Pennsylvania
Turnpike Commission manages 20 maintenance facilities; operates 51 fare
collection facilities including 39 interchanges on a ticket collection system;
five mainline toll plazas and seven ramp barrier plazas; and oversees the
operation of 22 service plazas and two traveler information centers. For more
information on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, see http://www.paturnpike.com.
About PNC Bank Corp.
PNC Bank Corp., headquartered in Pittsburgh, is one of the largest
diversified financial services organizations in the United States. Its major
businesses include Regional Community Banking, Corporate Banking, Private
Banking, Mortgage Banking, Secured Finance, Asset Management and Mutual Fund
Servicing. Visit PNC Bank on the World Wide Web at http://www.pncbank.com.
About Gemplus S.C.A.
Gemplus S.C.A. is the world's leading provider of smart cards.
For more information on Gemplus, visit http://www.gemplus.com. SOURCE Touch
Technology International, Inc.
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