Electronic Ticketing Machine

Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transist Systems Ltd (DIMTS) has developed a unique solution around Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs), hand-held devices, which has revolutionised conversion of fares into payments. The solution is developed as an integral part of the Automatic Fare Collection System in 2011.

The solution has almost replaced the use of Pre-Printed ticketing system in the cluster buses in Delhi.

Pre Printed Ticketing System has its own disadvantages:

? High costs

? Printing of tickets

? Distribution of tickets from Printing Press to Depots

? Maintaining ticket stocks at various levels ? Printing Press, Central Ticket Section and Depots ? ticket becomes currency

? Low security

? Easy-to-fake tickets ? low quality paper, can be printed in local printing presses

? Prone to pilferage by conductors and passengers

? Tedious reconciliation process

? For depot officials as well as conductors- dependence on manual systems

? Limited MIS (Management Information System) value

The system is working satisfactorily in all cluster buses in operation. The ETMs offered by DIMTS are not just ticket-stub printing machines, as in conventional ETM solutions, but smart card enabled devices with inbuilt GPRS modules. The system is designed to transfer data from ETMs directly to the central server without being connected to the computers at the depots. This also allows for update of master data, configuration data and application in the ETMs over-the-air remotely and in real time. Since they directly communicate with the central system there is no requirement for computers and operators at the depots for the operation of ETMs.

Highlighting achievements

? ETMs are currently deployed In 400 buses, across 5 depots

? Daily over 350,000 transactions hitting back end

? Can go up to 6 million transaction per day and 500,000 per hour, can be managed from same h/w

? Pre-printed tickets reduced to less than 1%

? Strong MIS, generating Origination Destination matrix, bus-stop wise traffic as well route wise traffic pattern

The ETMs are also capable of validating smart card passes and doing transactions on smart cards. The system is operated through smart card enabled hand held device with banking level security.

DIMTS? ETM System is in fact, a stepping stone for a larger Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) project. Thus the ETM devices, its application and backend application have been designed keeping in view the requirements of a typical AFCS.

DIMTS ETM system offers the following features:

Online system:

? ETMs communicate directly with Central System for data upload and download

? Over-the-air configuration of ETM application, master data, route information, fares, etc.

? No need to configure / prepare ETM every time, before issuing it to conductor for operations

? No need to physically download data from ETM to a computer in a depot, after operations

? Provision to block an ETM, if it is lost or stolen

? Key information regarding operation and revenue available in real-time

? Hourly revenue reports through automated emails to stakeholders concerned

? Real-time dashboard to monitor health of ETMs