For about a decade, seven Puget Sound agencies representing city, state and county public transportation systems have been working on a common vision: making transportation more convenient. In a collaborative project called Central Puget Sound Regional Fare Coordination, the agencies are developing a Smart Card, a cashless system that can be used on the ferry, commuter rails, and public transit buses in four counties.

It’s the future as seen in movies: walk onto a bus, barely flash a card, and keep going. No more little scraps of paper acting as a transfer pass, no more booklets or tokens, oh, and no need to really worry about much: set up an automatic replenishing via a credit card, and you’re set. Hop onto the bus in Port Orchard, move on to the ferry in Bremerton, in Seattle take another bus wherever the day takes you, and don’t worry about running to the ATM first for cash.

An Australian vendor was selected to design the system, and by the end of next year each agency will outfit a small part of its fleet for a test phase, while volunteer passengers will be recruited to take the card for a ride.

The Smart Card is not expected to be launched until 2006, but there is a reason for the slow pace, project participants say.

“This is a major and pretty unique project… (but) instead of hiring a contractor we sat down all these years and went trough every minute detail of what we want to do,” said Kitsap Transit’s John Clauson. “We have agencies with specific needs and requirements, and we needed to make sure they were all met.”

Once the contract was awarded in April, the project entered its capital implementation stage, and each agency began filling a full-time Smart Card coordinator position—a financial commitment they knew in advance would be needed.

“Each agency signed a contract, and they all share the costs based on a formula they agreed to, and make all the decisions together,” said the project’s manager, Candace Carlson.

The Smart Card will eventually offer more than versatility. Other opportunities are considered, such as installing “check-in” stations at ferry docks that would allow passengers to pay before boarding. Or an e-purse, a secondary card function that would serve as a universal debit card valid at participating coffee shops and other vendors. No more swiping a card, signing checks or worrying about PINs. And the best part for those who register and use the automatic refill is that in case the card becomes lost, the money is not: the card will be able to track down payments and simply transfer unused credits to a new card.

The old-fashioned or the privacy keepers need not worry either. The card could still be refilled at transit kiosks or retailers using cash, without the need to give a name or any other information. But the drawback to this option is that once the card is lost, it’s like losing cash. Not to mention having to make an extra trip or wait in line — it seems so unfuture-like.