Integration of innovative technologies in the public transport system
Common Information Ltd BMS Technology develops and integrates innovative technologies, offering its solutions for both public and private sectors. In cooperation with world leaders, we implement projects in the following areas: Integration of automated systems, which general purposes are to collect and process data; Organization of payment and control system for the street parking transport. Ltd "BMS Technology" implements projects of of e-ticket systems integration into the urban public transport in cooperation with the international equipment supplies, including such partner as the ACS (XEROX) company.
Motivational factors for systems integration ion Lack of comprehensive statistics on the use of public transport; High-level of fraud; High and constantly rising costs of keeping conductors and controllers, unreasonable increase of employees in statistics and accounting department; Waste of time searching necessary information and continuous increase of time required to handle with people at the time of providing necessary services; Vehicle drivers ineffectiveness in the role of conductors and as consequence slowdown of the public transport movement; Large amount of cash operations.
System integration aspects ECONOMICAL AND MANAGERIAL Integration of cashless payment methods; Reduction of the public transport accounting and control systems expences (reduction in conductors and service personnel number which are ensuring information flow); Obtainment of effective tool for city transport networks control and management; Solution of the task to accurately record and service entitled to benefits people (settlement with companies engaged in passenger transportation, which is subsidized by City/State); Solotuion of social issues related to the service quality of entitled to benefits people; Precise planning of subsidies for persons with legal grounds to have benefits based on in fact provided services; Control of payments, rates and cash flows on companies in the transport service market; Increase of the city budget revenues by receiving advance payments from the population; On such project grounds other projects might be implemented without significant investments - such as parking, payment for visiting museums and other.
System integration aspects SOCIAL Provides low income population groups with social protection; Increases city budget revenues, which will be directed on improvement of transport and condition of roads; Possibility to provide differentiated discounts on ticket fares when using system; System provides with a fast and convenient way of paying for transport services; Solution of social issues related to the quality of servicing entitled to benefits people; Reduction of the city economics shadow sector; Increase in residents confidence to the city authorities as a result of an open fight with "black cash"; Increase in city s investment attractiveness.
System requirements The modern payment system should: Offer convenient ways to pay for the use of public transport; Increase the availability of services; Contribute to the income increase; Forward costs reduction.
Advantages of e-ticketing e system E-ticket system has following advantages over the paper ticket: Better protection against fraud; E-ticket can be extended and new functionally added; E-ticket can be used in various transportation means.
Preliminary study recommendations You should consider following factors when choosing smart card for paying public transport fares : Transport operator; One or more credit card issuing banks with possibility to integrate fares payment function in public transport; Social card (identity card), issued by a government authority, which can simultaneously serve as a student ticket, pension identity, etc. E-ticket itself does not solve problems of ticketless passengers, but it provides a high convenience level for passengers and transport operators. Thus existance of supervisors will be still required.
Preliminary study recommendations Most expensive phase of the electronic ticket integration is purchase of equipment as it should be installed in each transport unit; Choice of driver's seat equipment is made considering specifics necessity to sell on site paper tickets or e-tickets with a specific number of rides; Provides with opportunity to introduce flexible pricing policy and payment system in accordance to various zones; It is necessary to sign contract with local companies this allows to adapt system to both local juridical and financial conditions, as well as to adjust to existing conditions.
Possible architecture of tickets system
Functionality of electronic e ticket Pricing policy management by business rules; Tariff rates management (fixed rates, rates by zone, rates depending on the point of departure/destination); Transfer rules management - changing transport type from one to another and switching from one line to another; Transfer rules management, registration of departure and destination points; Management of validity period (days, weeks, months, years); Management of the trip length; Authorization of passenger status; Management of interaction with other transport operators (parking points, park&ride systems, discount systems).
Basic functional capabilities of the electronic ticket system Use of the OPEN TECHNOLOGIES concept System is open to different types of cards, tickets, contactless bank cards, etc. Multimodality Adapted to various transport means: buses, trolley buses, trams, trains, taxis, park&ride systems, etc. Multioperation Possibility to collect and process data from various transport operators, while ensuring security and privacy among all of the system participants. Multifunctionality Openness to the services provided by other transport systems.
Possibility of electronic ticket systems s integration Integration with: Parking, Park&Ride systems; Railways; Metro; Local transport operators. Potential partners: State and municipal companies; Entertainment centers; Shopping centers. Functional integration with other card systems: ID card; Social card/ insurance card; Client cards (discount, etc.) Park&Ride (payment card and parking access card systems).
Key benefits of integrating smart cards Personification of the smart card allows instant block/recover lost or stolen card; Possibility of placing photo or other users personal data to identify passengers entitlement to one or another discount group; Smart card can be used as a personal "social" identification card (for students, pensioners); Possibility to fill up the smart card with applications or additional services.
Smart-cards/tickets sales through various channels Ticket vending machine; Retail; Hand terminal; Driver's console in transport unit; Remote sales through telephone or Internet connection with autoloading function.
Electronic ticket reading process Reading can be done in the vehicle at the driver's console or through reader, fixed reader, turnstile, manual terminal; Using business rules for a particular tariff rate on a specific trip; Checking card status whether it is blacklisted; Downloading new products (pass, single trip, etc.) according to the loading list received from a central server.
Payment methods Cash: coins or banknotes; Bank cards; Automatic pre-pay or pay on credit from customers personal account.
Data management Secure storage of data in backup databases; Database management: archiving, backup, recovering; Reports generating system, allowing almost unlimited analysis of data for the marketing purposes and accounting of the financial indicators.
The main aspects of e-ticket e system integration and maintenance Implementation MAINTENANCE Equipment (buses, trams, trolleys, etc.) Technical activities Income management Servers Tickets and smart cards Retail Network of tickets and smart cards Servers Equipment System safety and plan for emergency recovery Technical support department Management of network sales Distribution of tickets and smart cards Management of warehouse, expiry date of tickets and smart cards Implementation, project management Reports and statistical indicators Collecting the money, management of retail chains financial flows
Contact information Ltd "BMS Technology" Raunas Street 5, Riga, Latvia, LV-1039 Tel. +371 67505022, Fax +371 67505020 E-mail: info@tehnologija.lv Web-page: www.tehnologija.lv