Speakers

William McGookin (Head of Ticketing Technology) has worked in public transport and ticketing systems for over 25 years.  He started in Translink in 1995 as a Graduate Management Trainee and had a background in Bus and Rail Operations management before forming Translink’s new Ticketing Systems Department in 2002.  He was a key member of the Translink Project team who delivered the current (legacy) ticketing system in 2001/02 where Translink were one of the first operators in the UK to implement smartcard travel products for both concessionary and fare-paying customers. Since then the original system has been developed over the years to offer a wide range of personalised and anonymous smartcard products, mobile ticketing, barcode ticketing and other online ticket options.  William is now leading the Programme to deliver Translink’s Future Ticketing System across all Translink bus and rail services in Northern Ireland.  This is a £42.7m capital project which seeks to upgrade all of Translink’s existing ‘end of life’ ticketing equipment with the latest technology as a new platform for Translink’s proposed Account Based Ticketing System.  The proposed ABT system will be a Tap On Tap Off system and will accept contactless EMV and a Translink-branded DESFire smartcards.  William and his team are working with multiple suppliers to implement the majority of the system over the next 18 months, simultaneously managing all areas of business change to ensure a seamless migration for staff and customers from legacy to new products.