With the introduction of the check in/check out system in the VMT, the purchase of tickets became as easy as never before. One swipe on your smartphone always leads to the most favourably priced ticket and, for the first time ever, this is also based on a best weekly price. That this system was implemented so rapidly and is working so reliably is a success of the great commitment of the Erfurt public transport operator EVAG and the excellent technology of FAIRTIQ AG.
Christoph Heuing, Managing Director, Central Thuringia Transport Community
Almost everybody knows the feeling of confusion when they are standing in front of a ticket vending machine; be it in an unfamiliar city or for a line in their own region they have never travelled on before. The “VMT Check-in/Check-out” project is the easiest way to travel within the VMT area. Passengers can get on and set off without having to worry about the right ticket. Customers can thus travel flexibly and hassle-free. Always at the most favourable price available. Just swipe before the start of the journey to check in and swipe again after the journey to check out.
The mobile FAIRTIQ app, which has been available in the area of the Central Thuringia Integrated Transport Authority since mid-March, is based on a Check-in/Assisted-Check-out (CIACO) technology and combines a user interface that is focused on customer friendliness and easy usability with intelligent algorithms that make it extremely easy to use. An important step to overcome people's reluctance to use local public transport, which is an environmentally friendly means of transport.
Good the know
-
“VMT Check-in/Check-out” was implemented as a common project by the Central Thuringia Integrated Transport Authority (VMT), Erfurt public transport operator EVAG and the system supplier FAIRTIQ.
-
The project started in September 2019. The implementation phase included several technical trials (recording of the journey, price calculation, payment flow). The launch of the app was brought forward to 19 March 2020 to quickly provide passengers with an attractive, contactless alternative for the purchase of tickets – in particular during the corona crisis.
- The core team for implementing and launching “VMT Check-in/Check-out” consisted of four persons working for EVAG, VMT and FAIRTIQ and was thus extremely lean.
Interview with Christoph Heuing, Managing Director, Central Thuringia Transport Community
How did you come up with the idea for your project?
We wanted to facilitate the use of buses and trains to encourage more people to choose them. We thus had to design the purchase of tickets in such a way that passengers would need neither coins nor knowledge of fare structures. In many major urban areas, this problem is solved by check-in/check-out systems with smart cards and sensors at the vehicle doors. We looked for a system that offers the same convenience but can be implemented more quickly and does not require expensive infrastructure.
What challenges did you face during implementation?
The challenge was to transfer the traditional “paper fare” (where the fare is calculated and paid before the journey starts) into the digital check-in/check-out world (where the fare is calculated and paid after the journey). Here, we had to find pragmatic solutions. An example is the discounted 4-trip ticket, which is difficult to implement in the check-in/check-out system. We dropped it and decided instead to give a discount on all single tickets.
Where do you see your project in five years?
The example of the 4-trip ticket shows that we should not only introduce new ticketing systems for old fares but also critically question the fares themselves. The infamous and very complicated fare structure with its zones and honeycombs is, among other things, a result of former sales structures. The check-in/check-out system enables us to adopt completely new approaches to fares. We are currently working on an innovative e-fare for the whole of Thuringia, which is very easy to understand and can be precisely invoiced.