The buses of Montevideo will have important changes during this year, associated with the use of the technology: among them, the digital payment of tickets and the possibility of counting the number of passengers through sensors stand out, within a public transport system modernization plan in the capital of Uruguay.
Both the Municipality of Montevideo (IM) as bus companies and workers agree that the current system of ticket vending machines has become obsolete, and that a city that seeks to pave its way towards the future and development must adapt its public transport system to these new demands.
For this reason, government and business authorities are meeting with the intention of advancing initiatives such as counting how many people travel on a bus, paying the ticket with a mobile application or a card, and adding cameras in the units, according to El Observador.
The changes for the buses
The first step will be the installation of new ticket machines with changes in the software and more functionalities for all the companies that circulate in Montevideo; and there is already a resolution that approves the regulations of the Fund that will finance the changes, in which it is stated that the objective is to “incorporate 100% electric buses” and “incorporate technological infrastructures or systems that allow to improve the quality and efficiency in the provision of transport services”.
Among the new features of the vending machines is the possibility of paying the ticket with the STM card, but also with other payment options such as apps and credit and debit cardswhich are under study.
They will also be placed sensors in the units to know the number of people who get on and off the bus; and thus obtain information on peak hours that allow decisions to be made regarding frequencies, for example, but also for the daily use of public transport by passengers.
will also be incorporated video-cameras in the units of all the companies, with an image towards the street and towards the interior of the units.
All these changes will take place in parallel to the renewal of the fleet, following the objective of migrate public transport to the electrical system —which already has 30 units circulating.
The funding behind the changes
The money to renew the transport fleet will come from the “Financing Fund for the technological renovation of the Urban Collective Transport of Montevideo”.
The fund works like a trust into which investors put their money. The companies will contribute 1.7% of their monthly ticket sales and, in the event that they do not, the IM will ensure the payment but will deduct the amount of the subsidy that it pays to the company.
In turn, the Administration will administer the fund and will control that the companies invest it for the renewal of the technology of the units.
Source: Ambito
