The King County Council approved Monday, March 23 a plan for rollout later this spring of the ORCA regional fare coordination system. 

The new single-card method can be used to pay fares for the bus, ferry or light rail throughout the region.

“This system makes various forms of transit more accessible to all riders,” said Council member Jane Hague, sponsor of the ordinance and chair of the council’s physical environment committee that oversees transportation. “The new card will help riders have a more seamless and enjoyable transportation experience.”

The One Regional Card for All (ORCA) will be a non-touch smart card used for payment on seven transportation systems: Sound Transit, King County Metro Transit, Community Transit of Snohomish County, Pierce Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit and Washington State Ferries.

It uses an electronic smart card that automatically calculates any fare due. Passengers will “tap” their ORCA Card on target card readers. The card will register a valid pass or deduct the appropriate fare from a customer account.

Customers can load transportation value or products on their card online or in person at select retail outlets.

The council also authorized an updated interlocal agreement with the other six transit agencies that clarifies the roles of all the partners for the rollout of ORCA later this spring. Approvals must still come from the Everett City Council and the state of Washington. The regional fare coordination system has been under development since 2003.

Work on the ORCA system is now in final system design, software and Web site development, and testing to implement system updates and changes based on lessons learned in a customer Beta test. Concurrently, work is underway to complete installation of all equipment, develop employee training programs and plan for the rollout of the new ORCA card to customers.