KARACHI:
Offering citizens of Karachi a convenient means of transportation, the Red Bus system presents a promising answer to the city’s transportation problems. These buses, which are easy to use and efficient in design, have quickly established themselves as a popular option for people getting around Karachi’s busy streets.
However, examining the ticketing system of these buses reveals a problem that needs to be fixed in order to prevent future issues. The present system of ticketing, in which customers pay directly to the conductor but frequently leave the ticket with the conductor instead of taking it, either by their own will or due to the crowd in the bus, presents a significant challenge to the effective operation of the transportation system as precise records of passenger transactions are necessary for the transportation system to operate as intended. The government might have trouble monitoring revenue, determining how popular a route is, and enacting fair fare policies without thorough data on ticket sales. Additionally the bus R3 usually arrives 35 minutes late where R9 or R1 arrives every 5 or 10 minutes which is inequality in service — meaning that while individuals waiting for the R3 bus may endure prolonged delays, those on R9 or R1 routes benefit from buses arriving three to four times more frequently.
To address this issue, implementing a card-based system in the Red Bus network can accelerate the ticketing process. Passengers could recharge their cards with credit and then use them to tap on and off the bus, ensuring that every trip was accurately recorded. This system would not only simplify transactions but also provide the government the access to extensive data for revenue tracking and route optimisation. It would also improve passenger convenience, encouraging a more transparent and effective transportation experience. This can also allow authorities to allocate resources more effectively, potentially increasing the frequency of buses on heavily utilised routes like R3.
Kaneez Zahra
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2024.
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