In the scenario of intermodality there is the co-presence and complementarity of several transport operators and transport modes, which often require multiple tickets and multiple validations for what is perceived by the user as a simple single journey.
The global objective of Easy2Go project is to demonstrate the feasibility, in a real scenario, of the “be-in / be-out” model, which nowadays is pioneering and, for some aspects, a research topic. The core idea is to maximize the benefits offered by Account Based Ticketing (ticketing “without a ticket”, based on authentication with an account instead of the possession of a ticket) with an “as-you-go” model: the ticket is sublimated by a flexible pass to be validated where and when needed, without an entry or exit action performed by the users.
Easy2Go is a research project that involves multiple technical suppliers. Our duties in this project are:
- manage the ticketing system
- design the fares engine for the best fare calculation
- digitization of the tariff scheme of the transport service
- design the system to elaborate analytics
- prepare the integration layer for the partners
Easy2Go is a full software ticketing technology that works as a be-in/be-out solution for public transport and car-pooling. The mobile device recognizes the mobility services used by the traveller and matches the most convenient fare.
The outcome of the project has been tested in two testbeds: Nice (France) and the region of Saarland (Germany).
OpenMove contribution consists of five main modules: fares system, ticket editor, payment gateway, analytics and validation. The fares system is the core of the system: it handles the fares logics and the ticket lifecycle, including ticket issuance. As the fares logic strongly varies among public transport operators, the module allows flexible customization options.
The fares system applies best fare logics for the calculation of the right ticket verifying in the user’s purchase history if there are still valid tickets or if you can group different tickets in a more convenient solution, such as a daily ticket, a monthly or seasonal ticket.
The ticket editor, accessible by a web-based dashboard, exposes all the functionalities required for creating and handling tickets. For example, information on timetables and fares can be uploaded as GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) in the dashboard.
The fares system is connected to the payment gateway MANGOPAY, an EU licensed payment service provider. Advantages of this provider are the native integration into mobile apps and the support for multiple payment methods, such as the most common credit cards and bank transfers.
An important feature for the public transport operators is the inspection of digital tickets. The backend provides functionalities to verify the validity of an issued ticket. Therefore, inspectors can use a dedicated app to verify tickets purchased by users. Integrated anti-fraud technologies – encrypted database based on hash chain and automated log analysis to highlight possible anomalies – guarantee high security for on-field inspection personnel.
Easy2Go eases multimodal interconnection of mobility services thanks to a “pay-as-you-go” solution: travellers freely use mobility services within a seamless travel experience, with one-tap ticketing and payment capabilities.
Final users experience several advantages with such a flexible model:
- they have the benefit of having a versatile passport for faster boarding and disembarking from the vehicle, which impacts on all users
- they save time and commute to reach their destination with no restraints and as little friction as possible
- they save because they are not forced to plan their future mobility demand, but they can benefit from the best rate automatically calculated by OpenMove
- they may use carpooling as a new mean of transport that completes the public transport network for the first and last mile of the trip.
These elements yield to an improved customer satisfaction, which is a result of increased user experience and more interconnected mobility services.
Pay-as-you-go systems based on smartcards (such as the Oyster card in London) often need additional infrastructure to enable check in and check out. The approach proposed in Easy2Go project is cost-efficient and does not require additional infrastructure for the public transport operators, relying on detection performed using the smartphone of the users.
The data and analytics module provided by OpenMove enables public transport operators to analyse the collected data of trips and tickets in order to gain insights into the habits and the needs of the ridership.