Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation

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ITSO - (former Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation) was founded in 1998 as a result of discussions between various UK Passenger Transport Authorities concerning the lack of suitable standards for inter-operable smartcard ticketing. These discussions grew to include other authorities, transport operators and Government.

The primary use of smartcards in transport has been for the recording of concessionary passenger use and authentication. The largest commercial based scheme is Transport for London, who are marketing their smartcards as Oyster. Currently, Oyster is not compatible with the ITSO Specification. However, as Transport for London is planning to help to fund Oyster readers for all London rail stations in London zones 1-6, they are working with the Department for Transport to ensure these will be also compatible with the ITSO specification.

The Scottish Executive is commissioning the first large scale implementation of ITSO.

[edit] ITSO Members

The ITSO Member List includes most of the major bus operators, ticket issuing system vendors and Passenger Transport Executives.

ITSO Members (and links to their websites) include:

ATL - Provides interoperable ticketing over the internet,a joint venture company formed between Ecebs Ltd and Merseytravel the Passenger Transport Executive for Liverpool
Ecebs Ltd - Smartcard Ticketing Solutions Experts. Developed the entire security infrastructure on behalf of ITSO
Almex Information Systems - Ticketing System Vendor
Applied Card Technologies - supplier of ITSO HOPS(AMS) system and integrated Card Management Systems (CMS)
Arriva - Bus, coach and train Operator
Ascom UK Ltd - Ticketing System Vendor
Association of Train Operating Companies
ATOS Origin - Ticketing System Vendor
Bemrose Booth - Ticket Stock Supplier
Burall InfoSmart Ltd - Ticketing Stock Supplier
BT Group - Telecommunications Company
West Midlands PTE
Cubic - Ticketing System and Automatic Ticket Gate Vendor
Department for Transport
ERG - Ticketing Systems and Automatic Fare Collection Vendor
First Group - Bus and train operator
Greater Manchester PTE
Go-Ahead Group - Bus and train operator
National Express Group - Bus, coach and train operator
Stagecoach Group - Bus, coach and train operator
Integri - Test Tool and Certification Testing Services Provider for ITSO
Wayfarer Transit Systems Ltd - Ticketing System Vendor.