DESIGN AND DEPLOYMENT OF INTEGRATED ELECTRONIC FARE COLLECTION SYSTEM IN ZAGREB AREA

Marijan Kljucaric 1 , Stipan Matos 2 , Ivan Bosnjak 3 1. Zagreb City - Traffic Department, Trg S. Radica 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia, +385 1 610 1140, [email protected] 2. Zagreb City - Traffic Department, Trg S. Radica 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia, +385 1 610 1140, [email protected] 3. Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Vukeliceva 4,10000 Zagreb, Croatia , [email protected]

ABSTRACT: The paper deals with the crucial issues related to development and deployment of electronic fare collection system (EFCS based on smart cards) in the Zagreb area. Integrated EFC system replaces the traditional manual payment and ticketing systems and includes several new services. Different actors involved in the system may have different approaches and specific requirements which must be considered in the designing phase.

Electronic fare collection system with integrated ticketing schemes based on smartcards has a potential to improve public transport service, increase operators revenue and promote high- tech image of Zagreb. While several European cities projects are successful, some have been shelved in their mid-implementation phase. The paper considers relevant technological and beyond-technological factors for success of such projects in the concrete operating environment – the Zagreb area and Zagreb ITS (ZITS).

Holistic functional design and system engineering methodology are used to state the problem and denote functional solutions with appropriate contactless smartcard technology. Some interesting additional possibilities (Incident Monitoring System) have been also considered.

KEY WORDS: electronic fare collection, integration, systems engineering, smartcard

INTRODUCTION

Although electronic ticketing systems have got potential, first experiences are not always successful. Some projects spend substantial time and cost without effective implementation [9], [10]. Electronic Fare Collection Systems (EFCS) are examples of early ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) applications in large city public transport. Although these ITS applications, based on integrated ticketing schemes and contactless smartcards have great potentials – the first experiences are not always successful. Some projects spent substantial time and cost, some have been shelved in their mid-implementation phase [3], [8].

1 Several authors and experts suggest that the viability and success of integrated smartcard system is strongly influenced by the operating environment and interagency coordination between actors [7], [8]. Standardized technical characteristics of the medium (contact and/or contactless smartcard) and associated technical subsystems were not evaluated as a critical factor for success [7].

This paper presents the operable concept of EFCS for concrete metropolitan public transport systems in the wider Zagreb city area. The possible implementation of an advanced integrated payment system (based on contactless smartcards) is considered in a broader holistic view including the proposed architecture view of Zagreb Intelligent Transport Systems (ZITS) [4]. Technological and beyond-technological relevant factors will be evaluated for concrete operating environment.

ANALYSIS OF OPERATING ENVIRONMENT AND RELEVANT FACTORS FOR EFCS IMPLEMENTATION

International Council of Systems Engineering defines systems engineering as interdisciplinary approach and means to enable the realization of successful systems. It focuses on defining customer needs and required functionality early in the development cycle, documenting requirements then proceeding with design synthesis and system validation while considering the complete problem: operations, performance, test, manufacturing, cost and schedule, training and support, and disposal. Systems engineering integrates all the disciplines and specialty group into a team effort forming a structured development process that proceeds from concept to production to operation. Systems engineering considers both the business and the technical needs of all customers with the goal of providing a quality product that meets the user needs.

In the context of incident management the basic systems engineering tasks are: - to effectively describe goals and users of incident management system, - to learn and analyze the basic requirements of incident management system, - to prepare systems specifications which translate needs and requirements into technical specifications, - to design ITS emergency management architecture, - to design and/or perform inspection, test and integration, - to perform engineering optimization (tradeoff consideration), - to perform economic optimization (cost-effectiveness considerations), - to anticipate future changes in the system and their implications.

The system engineer should be able to communicate and establish trustful relation with customers, network operators, vendors and other actors.

Simply buying and connecting advanced equipment does not necessarily result in a system with an acceptable performance regarding efficiency and effectiveness. The Incident Management lifecycle begins with conceptualization and system identification, then proceeds through specification of the system requirements and architectures to the system installation,

2 operational implementation and maintenance. What will be necessary is the systems integration engineering through an entire system lifecycle.

Starting with the basic macro-level structure of the system engineering framework we can identify cells of activities which have to be integrated into a generic phased process of definition, development and deployment of incident management system for a concrete environment.

As Figure 1 illustrates, there are three basic phases with three basic steps in the methodological or process-oriented view of the system engineering. In a more concrete view we might have many "cells of activities" which must be integrated in the development and deployment of Incident Management System.

System engineering integrates safety, security, protection, maintainability and other factors into the total engineering effort to meet the response, cost, efficiency, supportability and other performance objectives.

Issuer

End-user EFCS system

EFCS operator 1 Effective, efficient and userfriendly paying Vehicle

EFCS operator n Others

Figure 1 - Actors in electronic fare collection system

Table 1 – The basic data about number of transported passengers and the transport performance in the wider Zagreb area

operator transported share road km share passengers in (000) in % in (000) in % ZET 252 790 91.15 48 821 79.4 - tram (157 677) (56.90) (22 329) (36.3) - bus (95 113) (34.30) (26 491) (43.1) Hrvatske željez. 11 727 4.23 1 404 2.3 Cazmatrans 4080 1.47 3 916 6.4 Samoborcek 7665 2.75 6 204 10.1 other 1000 0.4 1100 1.8 277 262 100 61 445 100

3 (Source: operators' business reports)

The basic data about the number of transported passengers and the transport performance (per single operators) in the wider Zagreb area (City of Zagreb and the Zagreb County) are given in Table 1.

The integration of operator forms with automated tariff-charging system in the Zagreb area has not been realised. The initial forms of the tariff integrity have been established in its initial form between the Croatian Railways (HZ) and ZET, but only for the subscription tickets within the administrative area of the city of Zagreb. Other tariffs are applied as separate tariffs on the relation principle.

In charging and control of tickets there is complete lack of unity dominated by autonomous operation. There is also a lack of adequate harmonisation of timetables and other operative activities in providing public urban and suburban transit services.

The level of technological equipment regarding the payment system is very low. Only one operator (ZET) installed during the 80s mechanical automatic machines for onboard ticket validation. This system is still functioning today in its original form accompanied by a series of exploitation problems. Regarding the present available technical solutions, these devices are extremely out-of-date.

The ticket selling organisation relies upon: ▷ operators’ own vending places, ▷ daily press sales network, ▷ sales at certain commercial points of sale, ▷ selling tickets on board (by the driver).

Selling tickets by the driver can be satisfactory at less busy suburban bus lines. However, this way of selling tickets is multiply inadequate on busy tram and bus lines. It prolongs the stay of vehicles at the stops, reduces the travelling speed, reduces the traffic safety, etc.

The low technological level of ticket selling and payment system is accompanied also by poor organisation and low technological level of ticket control. This is especially stressed in inadequate ticket control on busy urban lines. Periodical revisions of ticket controls indicate that there is a significant share of passengers travelling without a ticket, as many as 15%. At less busy suburban lines the problem is less pronounced since passengers board through the front door and the driver both collects and controls the tickets.

EVALUATION OF EXPECTED BENEFITS

The expected benefits (direct and indirect) will be enumerated in expectation that the next basic relation is valid:

(LF ) (LF ) BEPS  CEPS

4 (LF ) where: BEPS - denotes direct and indirect benefits of electronic payment system (for all stakeholders) in their life-cycle (LF)

(LF ) CEPS - denotes total cost of electronic payment system in their life-cycle.

Introduction of integrated public transport ticketing and control system (based on contactless smartcards) can be related to broader institutional environments and business partnerships ("city card", taxis, etc.).

Systemic (holistic) view leads to broader considerations of requirements and cost/benefit relations of smartcards as the basic component of integrated ticketing and control system. A multifunctional smartcard can combine: ▷ payment function, ▷ checking function, ▷ passenger counting function, ▷ contribution to fleet management, etc.

APPLYING SYSTEM ENGINEERING METHODOLOGY

System engineering is the interdisciplinary approach which enables the realisation of successful (effective, efficient and user-friendly) system. It focuses on defining user needs and required functionality early in the development cycle, documenting requirements, then proceeding with physical synthesis and system validation while considering the complete problem. System engineering considers both the business and the technical needs of users and stakeholders with the aim of providing a quality product that meets the user needs.

The systemic analysis of the current situation and the relevant factors that influence the ticket sales and control system can be performed by stratifying the layers: ▷ technical and technological layer, ▷ organisational and institutional layer, ▷ business (commercial) layer.

Technical-technological layer includes subsystems (vehicles, equipment, communication systems, etc.), processes and information flows required to achieve the overall system objectives.

5 Data flows EFCS EFCS Function 1 Function 3

EFCS EFCS Function 4 Function 2 EFCS Function 5

ZITS ZITS Subsystem A Subsystem B

Figure 2 - Logical and physical architecture

High-level physical and logical representation of EFCS - ITS applications is illustrated in Figure 2. Several ITS products (like smartcards and others) are available on the market and traffic technologists have to evaluate how these "building blocks" can be implemented in concrete electronic payment system. Operating and maintenance issues should be considered as the intrinsic part of the development process.

Organisational and institutional layer includes organisational relationship and agreements necessary for effective implementation and operation of the proposed technical and technological solution.

Business or commercial layer is another beyond-technological aspect related to financial and revenue flows in the proposed system. The basic issues are subsidy, risk, profit, etc.

Effective management of the organisational and technological issue relevant for electronic payment and ticket control system can be identified as the basic task (problem) in analysing the (Zagreb) area.

Multifunctional smartcards can also include other institutional environments and business partnership such as: ▷ "city cards", ▷ payment for minor purchase, ▷ telephone cards, etc.

There are several additional ITS applications related to automated payment system such as: incident monitoring system, fleet management, etc.

6 Vehicle (Bus/Train) Incident Monitoring System (VIMS) can provide operational and management staff with the capability of viewing the interior of a vehicle (bus, tram, etc.) that has an emergency signal. Traffic operators (dispatchers) or police are able to track the location of the vehicle using the Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

In the Zagreb area there is a growing number of incident situations such as: ▷ assaults on ticket controllers, ▷ vandalism, etc.

Implementations of VIMS may deter these violates or crimes and reduce both life and property losses. VIMS provide the necessary help to be directed to the location in a very short time. When the driver indicates an emergency in the VIMS-equipped vehicle, the VIMS subsystems capture digital image from a video camera and transmit them to the central computer subsystem via mobile telecommunication link. This information can appear as a specific (alarm) icon on the traffic map at the control centre.

CONCLUSION

Different actors included in integrated EFCS have different approaches and experiences in payment systems. Although integrated electronic fare system with smartcards has got potential, there are several projects which spent substantial time and cost without effective results. We suggest an operable concept and methodology necessary for the development and deployment of EFCS in the Zagreb area.

The existing payment and ticket control system in the Zagreb city area can be radically improved by effective development and deployment of integrated fare collection system based on contactless smartcards. This is a complex project which has to be planned and deployed using systems engineering methodologies. Fully effective and efficient design solutions must be compatible at the system interface level in order to share the data and provide coordinated operations and support interoperable equipment and services where applicable.

There are several challenges and risks associated with introducing the proposed integrated system based on advanced smartcard technology. It is a relatively new technology without sufficient expertise and it requires new behaviour of transport operators and passengers (which often causes resistance).

Further concrete project developments have to include functional specifications adapted to concrete metropolitan area. Critical factors for EFCS success must be identified and monitored during all phases of the project. The proposed ZITS (Zagreb Intelligent Transport Systems) architecture can provide overall guidance to ensure system, product and service compatibility and interoperability without limiting the design options of the stakeholders.

7 ABBREVIATIONS

EFCS – Electronic Fare Collection System GPS – Global Positioning System ITS – Intelligent Transport Systems VIMS – Vehicle (Bus/Train) Incident Monitoring System ZITS – Zagreb Intelligent Transport Systems

REFERENCES

[1] Bosson, R.A.P.: KAREN – Developing a Framework Architecture for Europe. EC web site, 2000. [2] Bosnjak, I.: Value-net Concept in Evaluation of ITS Benefits. Proceedings of 7th World Congress on ITS, Turin 2000, TS-104 (CD-ROM). [3] Bosnjak, I. et all: Development methods of Integrated Intelligent Transport Systems. Scientific project 0135 008, Zagreb 2001-2006. [4] Bosnjak, I. et all: ZITS – Zagreb Intelligent Transportation System Architecture (project in preparation) [5] ISO TC 204 WG1: Transport Information and Control Systems – Reference Model Architecture. ISO/TR 14813-1, 1998. [6] Kljucaric, M., J. Strunkar: Tarifna udruga u linijskom prijevozu putnika na podrucju Grada Zagreba i Zupanije Zagrebacke. Modern Traffic, Zagreb, 1998. [7] Smart Card Forum: Smart Cards Seizing Strategic Business Opportunities. McGraw-Hill, Inc. 2002. [8] Zupanovic, I. , I. Bosnjak, M. Kljucaric: Metropolitan Public Transport Improvements Based on Electronic Payment System (Zagreb area case study). Proceedings of the European congress on ITS, Bilbao, 2001. [9] Proceedings of the European Congress on ITS [10] Proceedings of the World Congresses on ITS [11] www.cardlogic-com/press15html

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