Pioneering e-ticketing system will receive technology update

Bremen is once more leading the way in terms of passenger-friendly ticketing

In 2001 already, Bremer Straßenbahn AG (BSAG), the transport authority of Bremen, Germany decided for an e-ticketing solution from INIT. Now the system will be updated to benefit from the intermediate technology progress. INIT will install a comprehensive hard- and software solution that will make it even easier for BSAG’s 150 million passengers per year to purchase tickets – in the vehicles, at stops and at various points of sale.

Public transport pioneer Bremen

Increasing numbers of transport companies in Germany are recognising the need to upgrade their ticket service to the very latest technology. The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, with BSAG as the company that runs the city’s public transport, has always been counted among the pioneers in this field. Indeed, BSAG was one of the first companies in Germany to introduce a card-based e-ticketing system back in 2001. The solution allowed passengers to purchase tickets without cash using their GeldKarte, a stored-value card issued by banks that are part of the German Banking Industry Committee. In 2005, this system was expanded to include an account-based process for subsequent settlement.

The offering, known as BOB (“Bequem ohne Bargeld”= comfortably cashless), gives passengers a best price guarantee. BOB is a product provided jointly by the members of the public transport association Verkehrsverbund Bremen-Niedersachsen (VBN). Once passengers have registered, they simply have to enter where they would like to travel to through the on-board passenger terminal, and they then receive a ride authorisation.

At the end of the day, the system calculates the cheapest ticket or ticket combination for the trips taken. These tickets are normally billed at the end of each month. There’s also a solution tailored to subscribed customers, which have monthly passes, in the form of the MIA (“Mobil im Abo” = mobil by subscription) card, which can be checked with the new boarding control
system, for example.

Smooth migration process

BSAG’s opting for the same provider again allows a smooth migration process. That means that the new equipment can be introduced gradually as desired, and that existing and new technology can be operated in parallel. Furthermore, complete sales statistics are provided at any time during the migration process. The first-generation passenger terminals, ticket machines, ticket printers and point of sales systems will be replaced by end of 2017 with state-of-the-art devices that are even more convenient. In total, around 210 EVENDpc ticket printers and approximately 210 PROXmobil passenger terminals will be used on-board BSAG’s buses.

As a result, boarding control checks, which are now widespread, will be possible in Bremen’s buses, too. Trams and buses are being equipped with more than 500 mobile passenger terminals for the electronic BOB ticket.

More than 120 new mobile ticket machines, where passengers can buy a paper ticket and pay cash or cashless, are also being deployed in the trams. The well-tried distribution channels are being expanded to include 20 stationary ticket machines (VENDstation) at stops with higher passenger numbers. This will allow each and every BSAG passenger – whether they’re a regular customer, an occasional user or a tourist – to find the ticket purchase option that suits them best. In addition, 3 customer centres and 150 private points of sale will be equipped with ticketing machines, e. g. EVENDpc.

For us, the fact that we have been awarded yet another contract by a long-standing customer such
as BSAG, confirms both our excellent customer relationship and our competitiveness. Smart ticketing solutions such as those being implemented here also provide a great deal of potential in the international arena.

Dr. Jürgen Greschner

CSO
init AG

Making public transport easier

In preparation for this project, the current smart cards will also be replaced. Soon the established contactless write/read technology, which considerably cuts transaction times, will be used. This will not only make it easier to perform checks, but also shorten boarding and alighting times, and enable buses and trams to run more punctually. The new ticketing system will be managed by the MOBILEvario back-office system. Its wide range of functions and outstanding operability makes it one of the most sought-after systems on the market. This software solution organises the various fares and serves contract customers.

Furthermore it manages the accounts belonging to the various sales offices and handles the clearing of payments. With this system upgrade, Bremen and BSAG are once again at the forefront of technological development with respect to passenger-friendly ticketing.

Contact

Klaus Janke

Executive Director
INIT GmbH
Germany

Get in touch

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This article was published in our customer magazine INITiative, issue 1/2015. If you want to receive the magazine regularly per email, we kindly ask you to subscribe.

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