Overview
ISO/TR 24014-3:2013 - “Public transport - Interoperable fare management system - Part 3: Complementary concepts to Part 1 for multi-application media” is a Technical Report that explains how to implement Interoperable Fare Management (IFM) applications when Customer Media (smart cards, NFC phones, USB-keys, embedded Secure Elements) host multiple independent applications. The report focuses on organizational and functional complements to ISO 24014-1 to enable transit systems to accept multi-application media while preserving security, interoperability and commercial independence.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Multi-application media architecture: functional model for media that can host several secure applications and Secure Elements (SE).
- Security Domain (SD) management: roles, responsibilities and processes to control SEs and SDs that host IFM applications.
- Application Templates and certification: lifecycle processes for installation, personalisation, update and termination of IFM Application Templates on multi-application media.
- Composite Customer Media validation: testing and certification considerations when multiple IFM applications coexist on the same media.
- Public transport requirements: business, functional, security and uniqueness requirements for SEs and Customer Media to ensure reliable fare management.
- Use cases and processes: practical sequences for SE certification, application installation/update, termination, and customer service management.
- Organizational practices: implementation of roles (SD manager, portal operator, registrars), legal ownership, and examples from regional projects (e.g., Mobile SUICA, EU-IFM proposals).
Practical applications
ISO/TR 24014-3 is intended to help public transport stakeholders who need to:
- Accept third-party multi-application smart cards or NFC devices as fare media.
- Deploy mobile NFC ticketing and integrate embedded or removable Secure Elements (UICC, embedded SE).
- Define certification and security processes for composite media that host multiple services.
- Reduce investment and operational costs by leveraging commercially issued Customer Media while maintaining interoperability.
- Enable customers to use a single device across multiple fare management systems without requiring common commercial policies.
Benefits include improved customer convenience, potential ridership increase, reduced vendor lock-in and simplified integration between multiple solution providers.
Who should use this standard
- Public Transport Authorities (PTAs) and Operators (PTOs)
- System integrators and transit solution vendors
- Secure Element providers, card manufacturers and mobile wallet developers
- Project managers, architects and security officers implementing interoperable fare systems
Related standards
Using ISO/TR 24014-3:2013 helps transit projects adopt standardized processes for multi-application media, ensuring secure, scalable and interoperable fare management across devices and providers.