MTS URGED TO ISSUE NEW CARDS DUE TO SECURITY CONCERNS

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By Liz Alper
 
March 9, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego City Council representatives on the MTS Board of Directors pushed MTS to offer a better payment card system--one that will ensure customers' data safety--on Tuesday, CBS 8 reports.

The push comes after it was revealed that compass cards--cards that riders tap on scanners at trolley and bus stations to ride--don't meet payment card industry security standards, leaving transit riders open to credit card fraud.
 
"From the multitude of students riding to school, to those who go to work, professionals who are traveling, and even tourists who come to our city -- placing them at risk is unacceptable and needs to be remedied as soon as possible,'' Councilman David Alvarez told CBS 8. "MTS should immediately upgrade its payment processing system.''
 
Alvarez told CBS 8 that technology used by public agencies needs to be the best and safest possible.
 
Councilwoman Lorie Zapf proposed cards with "stored value," which would act as a sort of credit card that passengers can load with money, which would decrease with each ride.  She argues that compass cards are useful for monthly and daily riders, but aren't convenient for those who only ride the trolley and buses to sporting events and that stored value cards are being used in every major transit system in the United States.
 
In a letter to MTS CEO Paul Jablonski, Zapf and Alvarez asked for an update on the card issue at the board's next meeting on March 17th.
 
However, MTS spokesman Rob Schupp told City News Service that MTS is already working on the problem.
 
"We have made significant progress already, well in advance of this news conference,'' Schupp said. "MTS continues to invest in its fare collection system to address PCI compliance, stored value and other major enhancements.''

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