Problems delay SunRail to Lynx bus confirmation system

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — In the same way SunRail riders are supposed to tap on and off with their passes at kiosks on the commuter train platforms, they are also supposed to do the same to get a free transfer to a Lynx bus.
 
ACS Xerox had a $1.4 million contract to get the Lynx system up and running on 320 buses.
           
The system is supposed to let Lynx officials know that a passenger has paid their SunRail fare and is not just hopping on a bus for free.
 
Because the system is not in place, Lynx has no way knowing if riders are really paying for their transfers, or if they are abusing the system when they show a SunRail card.
 
"You would expect that a company who bid on the project would be able to live up their contractual obligations," said Lynx CEO John Lewis.
 
Lynx has already paid the company more than $70,000 dollars for the design plan, which the company finished.
 
 Lynx officials said the problem ACS has is getting that design to work.
 
The machines were supposed to be installed on every Lynx bus. They are supposed to sit next to a bus's fare box. Lynx officials said ACS ran into problems during testing and said they're not getting them installed until all of the the bugs are fixed.
 
In an email obtained from Lynx's CEO, Channel 9's Racquel Asa learned that Lynx's system was delayed because ACS/Xerox has been concentrating on solving issues with their SunRail system and isn't focusing on the Lynx problems.
 
"The last thing we want to do is put the inconvenience on the passenger," said Lewis.
 
Lynx officials said that in the meantime they will use the honor system for bus travelers.
 
"It's not the passenger who has the problem. It is the contractor who is causing the problem," said Lewis.
 
Lewis said ACS Xerox will have to pay fines for not getting the system in place, but they are allowing the SunRail team to negotiate that amount since SunRail is still having issues as well.
 
ACS did not comment on the issue.
           

WFTV