Editing ABA routing transit number (section)

== History ==
[[Image:The Burroughs transit machine - an adding machine that types statements with carbon copies.jpg|thumb|right|250px|In 1911 the new Burroughs Transit Machine, made by the [[Burroughs Corporation|Burroughs Adding Machine Company]], was advertised in the first edition of the bank directory ''Key to Numerical System of the [[American Bankers Association|American Bankers' Association]]''.<ref>[[#Sources|McNally]], pp. 497–512</ref>]]The bank numbers in the [[United States]] were originated by the [[American Bankers Association]] (ABA) in 1911. Banks had been disagreeing on identification. The ABA arranged a meeting of clearing house managers in [[Chicago]] in December 1910. The gathering chose a committee to assign each bank in the country convenient numbers to use. In May 1911, the American Bankers Association released the codes.<ref>[[#Sources|McNally]], p. V</ref> The numerical committee was W. G. Schroeder, C. R. McKay, and J. A. Walker.<ref>[[#Sources|McNally]], p. VIII</ref> The publisher of the new directory was [[Rand McNally|Rand-McNally]] and Company.<ref>[[#Sources|McNally]], p. III</ref> The ABA clearing house codes are like the sub-headings in a decimal outline. The prefixes mean locations and the suffixes banking firms within those locations. Half of the prefixes represent major cities the other half represent regions of the United States. Lower prefixes are used for higher populations, first based on the 1910 [[United States Census|U. S. Census]]. Likewise, within each prefix area banks are numbered in order of city population and bank seniority, although single-bank towns are numbered in alphabetical order. When a new bank is being organized, the current publisher of the directory of banks assigns it a transit code.<ref>[[#Sources|McNally]], pp. V-VI</ref> The American Bankers Association asked banks to use the directory exclusively so banks would agree on how to sort checks.<ref>[[#Sources|McNally]], pp. VI-VIII</ref> The book was abbreviated ''Key to Numerical System of The American Bankers Association,'' and as the ''Key''. It was published by Rand McNally & Co.<ref>[[#Sources|McNally]], p. VI</ref> In 1952 Rand McNally moved its corporate headquarters to Skokie, Illinois, and became more interested in publishing maps.<ref>[[#Sources|RM Acq]], p. Our History</ref> Also in Skokie is a company called Accuity, which from its history has been the official registrar of ABA bank numbers since 1911. By 2014 it was the publisher of the semi-annual ''ABA Key to Routing Numbers'' and was owned by Reed Business Information, British publisher of reference works for professionals, which in turn is owned by [[RELX|Reed-Elsevier]], English-Dutch publisher of online format reference works for professionals.<ref>[[#Sources|Acuity, Bankers']], p. About us</ref><ref>[[#Sources|Reed Elsevier]], p. Our history</ref> Over the years the ABA's identification numbers for banks accommodated the [[Federal Reserve Act]], the Expedited Funds Act and the Check 21 Act. By 2014 the ''Key'' included the U. S. Federal Reserve's nine-digit magnetic-ink routing numbers.<ref>[[#Sources|ABA]], p. Key to Routing Numbers—Accuity</ref>