"CAT" comes to BART.

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 24, 1996--When BART says the "CAT's" out of the bag it really means it's no secret that "Charge a Ticket" (CAT) is now here and ready to serve the system's customers at 12th Street, and 19th Street Stations in Oakland.

According to BART Board President, Dan Richard, BART in partnership with Wells Fargo Bank, will now make it possible for the transit system's riders to use their credit and ATM cards to purchase BART regular, and BART Plus tickets through new Credit/Debit vendors or CAT machines.

Richard, who presided over a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 12th Street Station today (Wednesday, July 24) said the new CAT machines will not only give riders the added convenience of being able to purchase BART Plus as well as regular BART tickets in select stations, but should also reduce the need for cash handling. Although the machines will accept cash as well as credit and ATM cards, it is expected that many BART riders who purchase their tickets each day with cash will switch to the ATM machines.

While Wells Fargo Bank will be the lead bank for the program, acting as the clearing house for all customer transactions on the new BART CAT vending machines, the machines will accept Master Card, Visa, Discover credit cards, and all ATM cards which are accepted by Interlink (includes Versatellar), Starr, Explore and Maestro.

Wells Fargo Senior Vice President Debra Rossi said, "We're very pleased to participate with BART, one of the Bay Area's most important transportation providers, as the system moves into a new era of customer convenience and service. Riders won't have to worry about having correct change or carrying a lot of cash when purchasing their tickets."

Built by Scheidt & Bechmann at a cost of $1,554,000, the new CAT machines, numbering 24 in all, will eventually be in operation at a total of 15 stations including the 12th and 19th Street Stations. They are: Montgomery Street, Powell Street, Civic Center and Embarcadero in San Francisco; Bay Fair, Hayward, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda, Downtown Berkeley, and El Cerrito del Norte. Additionally, BART's fare vending machines at North Concord/Martinez, and Colma are also designed to accept credit and ATM cards. All of the machines are due to come "on line" by early next year. The new credit debit vendors will accept $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills, as well credit and ATM cards. They do not make change and will not accept coins. Regular BART tickets can be purchased in denominations of $1 to $60 value.

BART General Manager, Richard A. White, said he was personally very pleased to see the new CDV's operating and noted that they are part of a federally funded demonstration program through the Federal Transit Administration, aimed at supporting inter-operator coordination and creating new conveniences for transit riders including the ability to purchase multi-system tickets.

He said that the BART Plus ticket, one of the tickets sold from the CDVs, is good on BART and all of the major transit systems in the Bay Area. They include: AC Transit, BART Express Buses, County Connection in Central Contra Costa County, Martinez Link, San Francisco Muni, Santa Clara County Transit, Dumbarton Express, Union City Transit, and SamTrans in San Mateo County.

CONTACT: BART

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