NEWSROOM
2001 Archives - October 21, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TransCore Combines Public and Private Exchanges In One Online Platform
Takes Concept beyond Local Implementation and Creates National Structure
DALLAS, Foodservice Technology Exposition, Oct. 21, 2001 – TransCore, a transportation technology and services company with installations in 37 countries, announces its new eGo? Payment Network. The wireless system combines low-cost tag technology with a nationwide payment network to enable customers to make cashless transactions automatically from their vehicles and bridge the gap between closed and open systems.
The success of vehicle-based mobile commerce in electronic tolling and parking applications worldwide proves consumers are embracing pay-by-tag technology. The average time a person spends in transportation delays has tripled from 11 hours to 36 hours, according to the Texas Transportation Institute's U.S. Urban Mobility Report. The opportunity to combine shopping activities with in-vehicle time has logical and dramatic appeal.
Approximately 50 percent of fast-food sales are derived from drive-through purchases, so the desire to increase throughput is immense. Early test results show wireless technology can uplift ticket sales by approximately 50 percent and reduce drive-through time by approximately 15 seconds. As a result, interest in using wireless technology for quick-service applications is increasing.
"With today's hurried lifestyles, convenience creates customer loyalty," said Scott Brosi, TransCore's vice president for mobile commerce. "eGo takes a proven concept and overcomes the limitations of a closed system. Now, just like a consumer uses a credit card network for general commerce, they can use the eGo network for mobile commerce."
Similar in concept to electronic toll and parking collection, eGo uses an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag to provide a patron an inexpensive, fast, safe and convenient way to pay for drive-through items without ever having to search for a wallet or leave the car. The technology reduces cash handling, shrinkage, and the number of customers who drive off without paying. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to collect purchasing data to better understand customers' buying preferences. This knowledge is powerful for retailers. eGo enables them to develop targeted promotions and loyalty direct marketing programs through the eGo network that can be delivered on a customer-specific basis, establishing ongoing relationships with previously cash-paying, anonymous customers.
For quick-service retail owners/operators in markets with electronic toll and parking collection, eGo offers the opportunity to leverage an already-established tag base as well as offers consumers a low-cost eGo tag. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, for example, motorists with TollTag® and PassKey® tags can establish an eGo account and use these tags within the eGo network, allowing quick-service providers to leverage the combined almost 400,000 local tag users. The eGo payment network works complementary to TransCore's PassKey Payment Services, which is a transaction clearinghouse service for airports, parking, facilities and other organizations.
How Does eGo Work?
The eGo Payment Network is comprised of two subsystems: the lane system and the billing system.
The lane system, or "front end," reads the patron's tag, associates the tag with a specific eGo account, validates the account for the purchase, can interface with a point-of-sale (POS) system, generates a transaction for collecting funds, and provides a receipt upon exit.
The billing system, or "back end," collects and accounts for the payment of funds, tracks balances, and provides account maintenance. The back-end system, comprised of a clearinghouse and tag fulfillment database, offers several different billing methods.
To use the eGo network, a customer first establishes an eGo account, then mounts a small RFID tag on the inside windshield of his or her vehicle. If the patron already has a TollTag or PassKey tag mounted in the car, no additional tag is required. In a fast-food environment, when a customer drives up to the menu board, the eGo lane system identifies the tag and provides patron information to the attendant taking orders. Once the patron has placed an order, the attendant asks if the customer wishes to use his eGo account to purchase the items or pay by cash or credit card. If the tag is valid and has a sufficient balance, a message is displayed to the order-taker at the terminal to allow processing. If the tag is invalid or no tag is presented, the customer proceeds as usual. When the patron proceeds to the delivery window and receives the purchased goods, the attendant then pushes a button, sending the transaction information through the system. As this final step is taken, the system automatically deducts the charges from the customer's account. Upon exit, the customer receives a receipt from the establishment as well as an eGo receipt.
About TransCore's eGo Network Products
The windshield sticker tag operates in the 915 MHz radio frequency band, and is an RF-programmable device that does not require a battery or connection to the vehicle's electrical system. It is in the form of a flexible, tamper-resistant sticker (45 x 85 x 1 mm) much like a vehicle registration sticker. The tag has a maximum read range of 5 meters or 16.4 feet. The windshield sticker tag has a 1024 bit memory capable of reading, writing and rewriting information, or permanently locking individual bytes. The tag is designed to withstand extreme temperatures, sunlight, humidity and vibration.
The 2110 reader is a fully integrated, self-contained 915 MHz wireless identification reader. The 39.4 x 39.4 cm reader includes an RF module, digital signal processor (DSP), power supply, antenna, I/O ports, and serial communications interface. The reader can be configured to read tags with 64-bit tag ID or 1024 bits of tag memory, and can also read ATA (American Trucking Associations)-compliant and ISO (International Standards Organization)-compliant tags. The reader is designed to withstand extreme temperatures, humidity and vibration.
About TransCore
TransCore is a privately held transportation services company with 1,800 employees and more than 80 locations throughout the United States and abroad. With installations on six continents, more than 160 patents, and a world-class manufacturing facility, TransCore's expertise in providing technology-based applications that improve transportation efficiency is unparalleled. For more information, visit www.transcore.com.
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