Press Releases

Boyertown, PA – (January, 2007) In the face of record setting inclement weather, Washington Sate Ferries (WSF) - the world’s largest ferry system - and Gateway Ticketing Systems successfully rolled out the third set of terminals in its Electronic Fare System (EFS), extending throughout the San Juan Islands and in Sidney, B.C.

According to Sam Kuntz, WSF Chief Financial Officer, the EFS Team converted five terminals in five days despite record windstorms and heavy rains, completing the initial implementation of EFS across the northern routes of the ferry system.

“This is the first time in the history of WSF that the five terminals in the San Juan Islands and Sidney, B.C. are operated using the same computerized fare collection system that is used by the rest of WSF,” stated Kuntz. According to Kuntz, these terminals are operated by independently contracted terminal agents who – until now – have used a manual system to collect fares and report revenues and ridership. Utilizing the features and centralized integration of the new EFS, Island agents can now accept credit cards and “non-island” checks for the first time.

“By adopting the EFS, a single system can now be used to track and report sales, redemptions and ridership for the entire ferry system,” Kuntz stated. “New features such as print-at-home tickets over the Internet and the use of debit cards are now available to customers using these routes. Because each of these five terminals is unique in design and passenger volume, the EFS had to be custom tailored to fit each terminal operation.”

The relationship between WSF and Gateway began in 2004 when WSF awarded Avanade, Inc. the contract who subcontracted Gateway to deliver their flagship product, Galaxy, as the fare collection system. The system met WSF’s distinctive ticketing needs to support the commuters and tourists that travel Puget Sound. This introduction of Gateway’s comprehensive and extensible point-of-sale (POS) software has allowed WSF to offer a customer-friendly, state-of-the-art POS system with machine generated and readable tickets, passenger kiosks for convenient ticket purchases and turnstiles to collect fares from walk-on passengers.

In addition to convenience and efficiency of electronic ticketing through the Internet and streamlined vehicle ticket sales and collection, the Gateway solution has improved WSF’s internal control over revenue collection and has provided automated back-office accounting and banking activities for the ferry system.

“It is a pleasure to report that the independent agents and their staffs are excited about this change and went above and beyond to make our launch of EFS a success,” said Kuntz.

About Washington State Ferries
Created on June 1, 1951, Washington State Ferries (WSF) is the largest ferry system in the United States and the largest ferry system in the world based on vehicles carried annually (11+ million). Over 25 million people a year ride on Washington State Ferries. WSF has a fleet of 28 vessels and operates 20 terminals throughout Puget Sound, from Point Defiance in the south, to Sidney, B.C., in the north. Thousands of commuters, employers, students and commercial shippers depend on WSF every day for safe, reliable transportation across the Sound.

About Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc.
Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc. is the world leader in high-speed admission control and revenue management solutions for the entertainment, recreation and transportation industries. Gateway Ticketing Systems’ broad client base includes some of the largest theme parks, zoos and aquariums in the world to small family entertainment centers, museums and attractions. Within the transportation industry, Gateway Ticketing Systems provides solutions for intercity bus and passenger ferry systems. In all, Gateway Ticketing Systems’ products are operating in 38 countries, throughout six of the seven continents. For more information on Gateway Ticketing Systems, visit www.gatewayticketing.com or call +1 (610) 987-4000.

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