Ticketing for Public Transport

Transcription

1 Ticketing for Public Transport Index Purpose Description Relevance for Large Scale Events Options Technologies Impacts Integration potential Implementation Best Cases and Examples 1 of 23

2 Purpose The ticketing system for public transport is an ITS solution used to automate the ticketing production and collection of a public transportation network, that is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, carpooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement. Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams and trains, rapid transit (metro/subways/undergrounds etc) and ferries. Public transport between cities is dominated by airlines, coaches, and intercity rail. High-speed rail networks are being developed in many parts of the world. Most public transport runs to a scheduled timetable with the most frequent services running to a headway. Urban public transport may be provided by one or more private transport operators or by a transit authority. Public transport services are usually funded by government subsidies and fares charged to each passenger. Services are normally regulated and possibly subsidized from local or national tax revenue. Fully subsidized, zero-fare (free) services operate in some towns and cities. Most but not all public transport required the purchase of a ticket to generate revenue for the operators. Tickets may either be bought in advance, at the time of the ride, or the carrier may allow both methods. Passengers may be issued with a paper ticket, metal or plastic token, or an electronic card (smart card, contactless smart card). Sometimes a ticket has to be validated, e.g. a paper ticket that has to be stamped, or an electronic ticket that has to be checked in. Tickets may be valid for a single (or return) trip, or valid within a certain area for a period of time. The fare depends on several characteristics, such as the travel class, either as a function of the traveled distance, or based on a zone pricing. The term price discrimination can be used to refer to all types of deviation from the practice of charging an identical fare for all passengers and trips. In this respect, price discrimination can be divided into two categories: Journey-based price discrimination Passenger-based price discrimination Journey-based price discrimination reflects a situation where the price depends on characteristics of the journey (such as time of travel; distance travelled; or mode). Journey-based price discrimination can be seen as cost-reflective pricing: some modes cost less to operate than others; off-peak services are cheaper to provide than peak services; it costs less to cater for short trips than for long ones. Journey-based fare structures can be split into the following categories: Flat fare: This is the simplest system in which all passengers are charged identical fares regardless of route, distance travelled, or type of passenger. This system fits well in a situation where a majority of passengers travel approximately the same distance. Flat fares are more equitable in a city in which the richer passengers live nearer the city centre and poorer people farther out, since the former would pay a higher rate per kilometer than the latter. Route fare: each route has its own fare. This system is often applied in cities where franchises are granted per route. The challenge is to ensure equity between city areas and according to the length of routes. 2 of 23

3 Zonal fare (network based or route based): the network is divided into zones - with a flat fare within each zone - and the price is determined according to the number of zones crossed by the passenger. It is not equitable for passengers travelling short distances across two zones as they have to pay for two zones. Distance-based fare: a price per km is applied. Usually, each route is divided into fare stages, with a clearly identifiable boundary point for each stage. The spacing of the fare stages may be varied to reflect differences in operating costs or different demand characteristics, on different sections of a route. Such system may be considered to be reasonably equitable, since the fare for each journey is related to the distance travelled. The finer the fare scale, the more equitable it becomes, provided that the distances between fare stages are consistent. In this respect smartcard technologies offer interesting possibilities for fares based on actual distance travelled. However, a distance-based fare system is less equitable than a flat fare system, for example where low-income residential areas are located on the outskirts of a city, meaning that the poorest users pay more to travel to the city centre. Passenger-based price discrimination reflects the situation where the price depends on characteristics of the passenger (such as their age or social status). Passenger-based price discrimination is often used by commercial companies as another means to segment the market and maximize revenue. In the case of public transport operators, however, it may be appropriate to consider this form of price discrimination as being socially (concessionary fares) rather than commercially motivated at least in the case of discounts for captive passengers such as children and elderly people. Concessionary fares include fares for: Children Pupils and students Elderly people and pensioners Disabled Unemployed people Police and army Generally speaking, the following types of tickets are required and in use in public transport network: Single ticket: one journey (no time limit) o Zone single ticket o Origin-Destination single ticket Single ticket: several journeys within a limited duration (ex: 1 h.) Single-mode / Single-operator ticket Multi-mode / Multi-operator ticket Return ticket Multi-journey ticket (5, 10, 20) Season ticket (day, week, month, year) Value ticket (Pay-as-you-go) Off-peak ticket / Night ticket Combined ticket (ex: Park & Ride) Group ticket / Family ticket 3 of 23

4 Special event ticket The tickets may have to be shown or checked automatically at the station platform or when boarding, or during the ride by a conductor. Operators may choose to control all riders, allowing sale of the ticket at the time of ride. Alternatively, a proof-of-payment system allows riders to enter the vehicles without showing the ticket, but riders may or may not be controlled by a ticket controller; if the rider fails to show proof of payment, the operator may fine the rider at the magnitude of the fare. Multi-use tickets allow travel more than once. In addition to return tickets, this includes period cards allowing travel within a certain area (for instance month cards), or during a given number of days that can be chosen within a longer period of time (for instance eight days within a month). Passes aimed at tourists, allowing free or discounted entry at many tourist attractions, typically include zero-fare public transport within the city. Period tickets may be for a particular route (in both directions), or for a whole network. A free travel pass allowing free and unlimited travel within a system is sometimes granted to particular social sectors, for example students, elderly, children, employees (job ticket) and the physical or mentally disabled. The main purpose of a ITS fare collection system is to provide the fare services in line with the main requirements. The fare collection methods can be manual or automatic and can be summarized as follows: Manual fare collection is the practice of collecting fares manually (without the aid of an automated machine). "Fare collection" generally refers to the collection of fares in the transport industry in return for a ticket or passes to travel. Commonly used on buses and train transport systems, manual fare collection is increasingly becoming obsolete with the introduction of smart cards; An automated fare collection (AFC) system is the collection of components that automate the ticketing system of a public transportation network - an automated version of manual fare collection. An AFC system is usually the basis for integrated ticketing. Advances in read/write magnetic and smart card technology provide the potential for transit agencies to achieve the following benefits: make fare transactions easier for customers: Stored-value cards, which can have as much money as the customer wants on them, make fare transactions easier for customers compared to requiring customers to have the exact fare; make it easier for customers to transfer between modes: An AFC system can provide a single fare medium, which can be used on bus, rail, or between neighboring transit operators, making it easier for customers to transfer; increase ridership and revenue by making fare transactions more convenient: The added convenience of AFC fare transactions may lead customers to make more trips; improved flexibility for new or innovative fare options: AFC systems can support many different fare options such as unlimited travel passes, peak and off-peak pricing, fare-by-distance, etc; reduce fare evasion: The introduction of an AFC system provides the transit operator with the opportunity to replace old, outdated, and easy-to-abuse turnstiles with new, much harder-to-evade high-level or gated entry turnstiles which physically prevent people from jumping over in order to avoid paying their fair; 4 of 23

5 reduce fare fraud: The high data-storage capacity allows a high level of security encryption on an AFC card and in the reader devices; reduce internal and external theft of fare revenues: AFC offers transit operators the ability to improve financial controls and tracking of media sales, transfers, and cash transactions; reduce the cost of fare collection and equipment maintenance: The introduction of electronic fare payment options, such as debit, credit, or transferring funds via the internet or phone, may reduce the amount of cash transactions and, hence, cash handling costs of a transit operator. Smart card equipment is cheaper to maintain because it has fewer moving mechanical parts than magnetic AFC equipment; improve the reliability of fare collection equipment; improve management information: AFC systems provide management information, such as fare media sales by location, actual number of trips made on AFC passes, and equipment diagnostics, which enable transit agencies to improve the efficiency of their business practices; and opportunities to generate non-fare revenues: A transit AFC card can have commercial applications on the same card, which could facilitate co-promotions and generate third-party non-fare revenues. top Description The fare collection system is a key interface between a transit agency and its passengers. It directly affects the way in which passengers experience and perceive the transit agency and its services. In general, the passengers expects a fare system that: is fast, easy to understand and use, with reliable fare transactions; offers payment options that suit their particular travel needs (frequent, infrequent, weekly, daily, cross-boundary, short-distance, etc); allows easy transfers between modes and different transit providers; and provides easy access to fare media. Considering the main needs of both the passenger and the transit operator, the main requirements of fare collection system are the following: simple: customer-friendly, easily understood and used by riders and staff; quick: allowing fast transactions (turnstiles/boarding s, purchases); flexible: adaptable to changing fare strategies, loyalty schemes, and integration with other systems; economical: providing for cost-effective administration, maintenance, capital investment; reliable: meeting high standards for reliability, and easy to maintain; secure: minimizing the potential for fraud and fare evasion, providing a secure environment for revenue, and meeting privacy requirements; and information-rich: providing data for marketing, finance, service planning, and workforce productivity. 5 of 23

6 AFC ticketing systems often consist of the following main components as depicted in the following picture: Tier 0 - Fare media, including: o Contactless smart card o Magnetic cards o Operator cards Tier 1 - Devices to read/write media o Ticket office machine o Ticket vending machine (on road, on board of vehicle, in the station) o Fare control gate Tier 2 - Depot/station computers, for data collection Tier 3 - Back office systems, for data processing Tier 4 - Central clearing house, for data exchange and integration The "tier" terminology is common, but not universal. In addition to processing electronic fare media, many AFC systems have equipment on vehicles and stations that accepts cash payment in some form. 6 of 23

7 Magnetic Card Fig. 1. AFC reference model 7 of 23

8 Tier 0 - Fare media Fare media is depending on technology and in general can be: - Token technology - Paper technology - Magnetic technology - Contactless technology AFC systems originated with tokens or paper tickets dispensed by staff or from self-service vending machines. These have generally been replaced with magnetic stripe cards and contactless cards. Since their introduction in 1997 with the Octopus card in Hong Kong, contactless smart cards have become the standard fare media in AFC systems, though many systems support multiple media types. Fig. 2. An Octopus card, example of contactless smart card An adult Octopus card from Hong Kong, Since their introduction in 1997 with the Octopus card in Hong Kong, contactless smart cards have become the standard fare media in AFC systems, though many systems support multiple media types. Tier 1 - Devices to read/write media These take numerous forms, including: TOM - Ticket office terminals - where a media holder can purchase a right to travel from staff in an office, or enquire as to the value and travel rights associated with the media, including usually: o A Passenger Display, to show the passenger the total price to be paid as well as any change to be given back by the operator, o A Screen Display for the operator, Keyboard and Mouse o Receipt Printer to print sales receipts as well as reports o EFT Terminal To enable electronic means of payment o A printer o A Contactless Reader to add trips o A Cash Box for depositing coins and bills 8 of 23

9 Fig. 3. An example of TOM machine and point of sales TVM - Ticket vending machines - is a machine that produces tickets. The typical transaction consists of a user using the display interface to select the type and quantity of tickets and then choosing a payment method of either cash, credit/debit card or smartcard. The ticket or tickets are printed and dispensed to the user. 9 of 23

10 Main features and specifications are the following: Fig. 5. Example of TVM in a bus / tram o Ticket issuing system paper tickets Smart tokens (ISO Type A & B) Smart cards (contact and contactless ISO Type A & B) Magnetic stripe tickets (high or low coercively) Several format (Edmonson, ISO, fanfold, cutouts, custom...) Several material (paper, plastic...) o Thermal or dot matrix printing o Payment system: coins, banknotes, credit/debit cards (EMV), contact smart cards, contactless smart cards o Several communications capabilities: serial, LAN Ethernet, Wi-Fi, GPRS... o Adapted to people with disabilities (ADA and DDA-compliant) o Braille signs and voice-guided menu navigation system o strong stainless steel cabinets, reinforced locks, sensors, real-time monitoring and alarm system o Designed for use in stations and on board buses and trains (in the last case they can be combined with validators) Fare gate - often used in a train station so a media holder can gain access to a paid area where travel services are provided. It is mostly used for metro service. 10 of 23

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12 Fig. 6. Example of Access gates Main features are the following: o Access gates: Flap Sliding-door Turnstiles (in-station and on-board) Special wide gates for disabled people o Built-in gate ticket validators: Magnetic stripe tickets (high or low coercivity) Smart cards (contact and contactless ISO Type A & B) Smart tokens (ISO Type A & B) o Thermal or dot matrix printing o Flexible communications capabilities: serial, LAN Ethernet, Wi-Fi, GPRS... o Anti-fraud photocells o Adapted to people with disabilities (ADA and DDA-compliant) On-vehicle validator - used by a media holder to confirm travel rights and board a vehicle (e.g. bus, tram, train); can be combined with vending machine; 12 of 23

13 Fig. 7. Example of on-vehicle validator (smartcard and paper) Inspector/conductor device - used by staff such as a conductor to verify travel rights Unattended devices are often called "validators", a term which originated with devices that would stamp a date/time onto paper tickets to provide proof of valid payment for a conductor. Tier 2 - Depot/station computers Used to concentrate data communications with devices in a station or bus depot. Common in older AFC systems where communication lines to upper tiers were slow or unreliable. Tier 3 - Back office systems Servers and software to provide management and oversight of the AFC system. Usually includes: Fare management - changing of fares and fare products Media management - support for blacklisting of lost/stolen media Reporting - periodic reports on performance of the AFC system, financial details and passenger movements 13 of 23

14 Can be integrated with AVM fleet management system in to collect position and adapt fare accordingly. Tier 4 - Central Clearing House Solution (CCHS) In environments where multiple system operators share common, interoperable media, a central system, called CCHS Central Clearing House Solution, is used to provide financial management and other services to the operators. A core function of the CCHS is the apportionment and clearing of amounts among the clearing participants registered in the CCHS, such as the transport operators and retailers selling tickets, to realize their commercial agreements for interoperable products. The apportionment and clearing function can deal with interoperable product sale and usage in the system as well as fees claimed by products retailers. Clearing revenue are settled in the bank periodically. top Relevance for Large Scale Events In case of large scale events the public transport ticketing represent a useful instrument to best organize the public transport offer, managing the demand effectively and reducing queues and crowding. The use of unified tickets during Large scale events for all the public means of transportation gives the possibility of exchanging all the transport means possible within a time limit with elimination/reduction of queues for ticket purchasing. Games ticket holders can benefit from a range of special travel tickets for the Games and some discount policy can apply with integration of the ticketing system with the games ticketing purchasing. top Options There are many variants of the ticketing systems, depending on the type of operator and level of integration. In general the fare collection methods can be: manual: in this case system are basically based on: o paper tickets o some equipment for collecting fare manually can be used, such as: o cash bag, the cash bag today commonly has two compartments inside and can be held like a satchel. The advantage of the cash bag is that it gives a secure and easily accessible place to store the money collected from tickets o coin dispenser, usually takes the form of a number of tubes fitted in a line together. Each tube holds a different denomination and tends to have some sort of trigger which will release the coin from the bottom. 14 of 23

15 o or tender trays which can be fitted to bus driver doors to allow the customer to put the fare down. automatic, in this case system are basically based on several equipment fully integrated with the central system: o paper tickets, magnetic and / smart card tickets o TOM, with operators o TVM for tickets, in the station and / or on board, depending on the solution o validators in the station or on board integrated with the central system o a central system for data collection Several variants can be obtained depending on the features available and overall configuration. Other main variants are related to: Mobile ticketing systems based on the use of the passenger s mobile phone for the payment of travel cost, Integrated ticketing system. Mobile tickets are being issued using SMS (short text message) or mobile barcodes. The ticket selection is performed by sending an SMS to the background system, either accompanied by a specifying text or by sending it to a specific phone number for each possible ticket. An electronic ticket is then returned via SMS to the user. Users can also use mobile phones to purchase tickets in the same way as they do with contactless smartcards by placing the RFID technology into the battery casing of the device. An integrated ticketing system is defined as one in which it makes no difference, in terms of price, if a passenger has to board more than one public transport vehicle to complete their journey. Fare integration provides an incentive to travel, because public transport is much easier to use and more accessible for travelers. New technologies (e-ticketing) can be a great help in implementing complex fare structure and fare integration while keeping the system easy to use. top Technologies Transit fare collection technology has evolved from the manual-based systems in use before 1970 to automated systems with computer-based hardware and software. These major advancements in fare collection have been made possible through advances in the design of fare media, the use of microprocessors and software in fare collection equipment, and the development of sophisticated control and data communications systems. Last innovation on automated fare collection (AFC) technologies include advanced magnetics swipe cards (like a credit card), and both contact-based contactless smart cards (like a phone card), which have very quick transaction speeds required in transit applications. Nowadays most of the metro operators use magnetic and contactless smart cards, while considering bus operators, still some operators are using paper tickets, and in several situation integrated with magnetic and contactless smart cards. 15 of 23

16 Paper ticket technology Paper ticket are still used in public transport, especially for bus service. It is necessary to validate the tickets at the validating machines before entering the metro, or when getting in trams or buses(picture down right). Magnetic technology Fig. 8. An example of paper ticket and validation machine - Prague Italy Magnetic stripe technology has been used for many years in AFC systems. They have the ability to collect ride data, as long as the reader in the turnstile or fare box contains the required computer software.for validation, there are two types of magnetic ticket readers commonly used for magnetic ticket validation. There are reciprocating readers, which have a transport mechanism that pulls the magnetic farecard into the reader and, after verifying the validity of the ticket, returns it through the same slot.there are also swipe-through readers which require the passenger to manually pass the magnetic mediumthrough the reader. Both types of magnetic validators read the medium, process the information, rewrite updated information onto the magnetic stripe and, in the case of tickets, print the time of day, date, and route information onto the ticket. Fig. 9. An example of magnetic fare control gate Turin Italy 16 of 23

17 Fig. 10. An example of magnetic paper cards (Rome, London) The advantages of magnetic stripe media are: - production costs per card are relatively low at $0.05; - the technology is proven, with years of system and vendor experience, and lots of transit applications; - plastic versions are durable and have a reasonably long life expectancy (minimum 1 year); and - they can support multiple fare structures such as proof-of-payment, fare-by-distance, or by time. The disadvantages of magnetic fare media are: - the relatively high maintenance costs of turnstile and fare box readers that must cope with dirty, bent, and damaged tickets. Readers must be cleaned often and replaced several times per year, depending on usage; - lower reliability because low coercively magnetic stripes can be accidentally erased or corrupted with things such as a refrigerator magnet; - they have limited data storage capacity; data on high coercivity stripes is adequate for basic data, such as serial number, fare type, etc, but inadequate for things such as transaction history; - they can result in slower boarding speed compared to cash, flash-passes, or smart cards. For instance New York eliminated.swipe. technology on their buses due to the slow boarding speed and poor.first swipe. acceptance rates; and - they have limited security capability, and are relatively easy to counterfeit. Paris reported extensive counterfeiting of their paper magnetic tickets. Contact less technology Technological advances in data processing and communications have led to the development ofnew smart card fare collection technology. Microchips now enable manufacturers to producepin-sized processors, which enhance both data-processing capabilities and data-storagecapacity (see Exhibit 5, below). There are two types of smart cards: contact and contactless. Main standard used in contactless smart cards and proximity cards is named MIFARE. The technology is provided by NXP Semiconductors (spin off from Philips Electronics in 2006) with its headquarters in 17 of 23

18 Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and main business sites in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and Hamburg, Germany.The MIFARE name covers proprietary technologies based upon various level of the ISO/IEC Type A MHz contactless smart card standard.the technology is embodied in both cards and readers (also referred to as a Proximity Coupling Device which is suitable to use). The MIFARE name (derived from the term MIkron Fare Collection System) covers seven different kinds of contactless cards: - MIFARE Classic: employ a proprietary protocol compliant to ISO/IEC Type A, with an NXP proprietary security protocol for authentication and ciphering. - MIFARE Ultralight: low-cost ICs that employ the same protocol as MIFARE Classic, but without the security part and slightly different commands - MIFARE Ultralight C: the first low-cost ICs for limited-use applications that offer the benefits of an open Triple DES cryptography - MIFARE DESFire: are smart cards that comply to ISO/IEC Type A with a mask-rom operating system from NXP. - MIFARE DESFire EV1: includes AES encryption. - MIFARE Plus: drop-in replacement for MIFARE Classic with certified security level (AES 128 based) - MIFARE SAM AV2: secure access module that provides the secure storage of cryptographic keys and cryptographic functions. The advantages of the contactless smart cards are: - they are durable -- much more than thin plastic or paper -- and are suitable for many recharges or reload cycles; - they allow fast boarding speed, even compared to walk-by transactions with other media. The contactless card need only be passed by or touched to the reader by the transit rider, and an audible beep provides positive feedback of proper communication; - they have lower equipment maintenance costs because smart card readers are based on simple flat antennas with no moving parts, or cavities to collect dirt; and - vibration and environment should not affect the reader device as readily as mechanical based readers. Fig. 11. An example of contact less cards (London, Venice) 18 of 23

19 Fig. 12. An example of smart card validator Here is an example of a typical system architecture based on: a Control Centre (hosted within an operation control center ) including: o Workstation, usually a Blade System is suggested, that, through server virtualization, will host the Fare collection Management System (FMS) Server dedicated to the service o At least two operator workstation (FMS Client) Several station subsystems including: o Ticket Vending Machines (TVM) o Ticket Office Machines (TOM) o Fare Control Gates (FCG) o Gate Control Unit (GCU) o Maintenance Terminal (MTE) 19 of 23

20 Fig. 13. AFC Architecture top Impacts Transit agencies have invested in AFC systems to make it quicker and easier for customers to pay for travel and use public transit. The expectation is that by increasing customer convenience, more transit trips will be taken and new riders will be attracted to the system. Impacts are mainly expected on: Improved efficiency and reduce operating and maintenance cost of manual fare collection for transit operators Ease-of-use for commuters, increased passenger flow in and out of stations and transit vehicles Open up proactive marketing opportunities. Multi-application capability and interoperability enable effective targeted pricing, loyalty programmes, cross-marketing with other services etc Reduced fare-related fraud and revenue loss through open standard, secured transaction technology Provided reliable and uninterrupted operation for train, bus, road toll and retail applications etc top Integration potential The integration of the ITS ticketing systems of different transport provider will improve efficiency of the transport chain. In particular, the integration of ticketing information and O/D (origin destination) information, will enable a better planning for the transport operators, especially during large events. 20 of 23

21 top Implementation The planning and implementation of an automatic fare collection in a large, multi-modal transit system is a massive project which requires fully-dedicated staff with extensive expertise. Transport operator can take 6 to 10 years to plan, design, and implement an AFC system. Given the length of time required to implement a system, and the rate at which AFC technology is evolving, new AFC systems can be outdated before they are put into operation. For instance, looking the first implementations in Paris, the operator began planning to replace their magnetic AFC system in They initiated several large-scale smart card demonstrations in 1993, with 38,000 RATP employees. In 1997, a regional pilot project was conducted which involved 1,000 customers, 43 subway and commuter rail stations, and 2 bus lines, to test customer reaction and acceptance. A combination transit smart card and electronic purse, for non-transit retail purchases, is currently being tested by 1,000 users. Paris plans to issue smart cards to 1 million annual pass holders in Therefore is important that systems specified are open to future implementation. Expandability and interoperability with other systems is a must. Before implementation, a design and pre-project of the initial implementation stage is probably the most important stage of the whole project, since it covers all data survey processes, and data collection of suppliers and the ticketing systems operating all over the world. With the technologies development and the logic of the systems used for automated fare collection, the number of technology suppliers and appropriated operational systems has grown considerably, as well as the trials of their application. Market survey takes a great importance, since it is the starting point for establishing the functional requirements of the system that is going to be implemented. This definition, that is a critical stage of the whole process, will allow the definition of the universe of available technologies and systems, since only some of them will be appropriated to the main purposes required by the contractor of the ticketing system.usually this is the longest stage of the whole implementation procedure, assuming that the universe of analysis is restricted, and a more detailed evaluation about the characteristics of each supplier and his position in the market is vital and important. Once this analytical stage is completed, a tender document is issued and the appropriate supplier is defined, it is necessary to start the negotiation and the detailed specification of the contract, where all duties and obligations of the involved parties have to be defined. top Examples London TfL is the body responsible for the majority of London s transport systems. It manages several transports, such as London Buses, the Underground, the Docklands Light Rail (DLR) and Croydon Tramlink, London s road network and traffic lights, traffic management and the congestion charging scheme. TfL runs London River Services and regulates taxis and the private hire trade. 21 of 23