IMPROVED MANAGEMENT INFORMATION FROM NEW TICKETING TECHNOLOGY

There is a growing demand for better management information in the bus industry to cope with rising costs, monitor the performance of services and develop an informed response to market conditions. Traditional mechanical ticket machines could only provide a limited amount of data, of uncertain accuracy in many cases. However the development of electronic ticketing systems with the ability to store details of every transaction made on the bus appears to offer exciting opportunities. A study was undertaken over the past year to examine the implications of introducing microprocessor controlled ticket machines and the possibilities for planning and marketing strategies. A number of machines have been examined and their capabilities assessed. To obtain a detailed and balanced view of the needs of the industry twenty-eight UK bus operators were interviewed, the sample reflecting a wide range of operating conditions and fleet size. The results revealed a considerable potential for the use of the available data, currently not being attained due to inadequate software. Intelligent sampling and analysis of data is necessary in tandem with comprehensive collection through the ticket machine. The scope for recent technological developments, notably in magnetically-encoded tickets, and the likely impacts of deregulation in Britain, are also considered. (a) for the covering abstract of the seminar see TRIS 456300.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Public Transport Planning and Operation. Proceedings of Seminar J held at PTRC Summer Annual Meeting, University of Sussex, England, 15-18 July 1985, V P266.
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  110 Strand
  London WC2,   England 
• Authors:
  • MELLOR, A D
  • White, P R
• Conference:
  • Planning & Transport Res & Comp, Sum Ann Mtg, Proc
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 123-133

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic fare collection; Buses; Conferences; Data collection; Deregulation; Electronics; Equipment; Improvements; Information management; Information, data, and knowledge; Magnetic properties; Management information systems; Marketing; Methodology; Microprocessors; Payment; Public transit; Questionnaires; Tariffs; Technology; Ticket vending machines
• Uncontrolled Terms: Use
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 1272: Bus; 8525: Conference; 8623: Data acquisition; 6965: Electronics; 3674: Equipment; 9108: Improvement; 8555: Information documentation; 9147: Interview; 6936: Magnetism; 9102: Method; 8643: Microprocessor; 272: Payment; 744: Public transport; 241: Tariff; 3855: Technology; 8119: United Kingdom; 9084: Use
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00456316
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1986 12:00AM