Have Ticket, Will Travel
DruckversionSelf-service ticket sales kiosks are a key part of the sales and distribution network for most transit fare payment systems around the world – particularly in rail networks. Kiosks provide operators with a comparatively low cost mechanism to support around the clock sales of tickets and topping up of transit smart cards for travel. They allow for reduced staff levels at ticket booths and enable distribution points to be set up at remote locations.
While transit kiosks are a key part of traditional transit fare systems, when you consider their potential, they are being underutilised. The devices are typically being used for only a single purpose – the distribution of travel products. As a result, they typically sit idle for a good portion of their operational life.
Transit operators are now looking at how they can increase the utilisation of their kiosks by providing other services and functions, converting them to multifunction devices and achieving an increased return on their investment. Services and functions being looked at include: transport timetable enquiries; local information services such as events announcements, local news bulletins, traffic and weather information etc; options for purchasing event tickets; and bill payment and purchase of other municipal services.
These offerings improve the services provided by the transit operator to its patrons, and some also provide a source of revenue to the operator from third parties.
Vix Technology, through its transit ticketing business Vix ERG, is working with operators to look at how existing vending kiosk solutions can be extended to improve kiosk utilisation.
Additionally, Intelligent Transportation systems specialist Vix ACIS is extending the kiosk offering beyond the station platform or bus terminal to the bus stop with its IBIS product. IBIS is the first low power, pole-mounted bus stop display to offer scheduled and real time travel information to urban and rural areas. The device can run off both mains and solar power, and comes with GPRS wireless communications to minimise installation complexity. It can also be equipped with an integrated smart card reader. This product allows a transit operator to provide to up to date information to bus service passengers at the stop including timetable information and real time bus arrival updates as well as local information services, active push advertising to passengers and smart card top-up and enquiry services.
Expanding kiosk functionality provides additional benefits to both passengers and operators. On top of purchasing travel products, passengers can access additional information related to their transport options as well as events going on in their community while operators realise improved utilisation and potential new revenue opportunities for their equipment.
