Smart ticketing

Letter July 29, 2022
Smart ticketing

KARACHI:

A few weeks ago, the TransPeshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was awarded the ‘Best Smart Ticketing Programme’ for 2022 at Transport Ticketing Global. This was followed by a lot of hoopla in the media along with the public expressing their disbelief in the international recognition. I want to set the record straight by highlighting some important facts about the system.

The smart ticketing system offers a wide range of benefits to its commuters. For instance, it has speeded up transactions and made the payment method more efficient. It has removed people from the process validation with the help of technology as people can use their Zu cards or mobile application to pay anywhere and anytime. It collects payments from mobile wallets, and ticket vending machines, and point of sales is inserted into turnstiles or validators installed on vehicles making the payment process smooth.

The biggest benefit is that commuters do not need to worry about finding exact change, carrying around the BRT travel card, or waiting in lines at ticket counters. The system is easily accessible because of mobile wallets and facilitates commuters even if they forget their wallets. It has reduced the risk of theft and made the public transport system more user-friendly. This locally produced technology is way more advanced than the existing systems of Metro Bus and Orange line developed by our foreign technology partners. I encourage all citizens to travel on the BRT network if they ever visit Peshawar and avail the services to judge for themselves.

M. Sagheer

Islamabad

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2022.

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