Automatic Fare Collection

Client – Transport Department, GNCTD, GMCBL, Gurugram, Nagpur Municipal Corporation

Background

With burgeoning populations, Indian cities such as Delhi and Gurugram will have to increasingly depend upon public transport with a fast-growing metro service a and wide array of bus services for its transportation needs.

For a well-integrated public transport system, it is imperative that travel be as seamless as possible and offer a simple integrated fare structure across the various modes of travel. This would ring true for Metro and bus rides, but would be especially necessary when new modes of public transport such as Rapid Railway Transit and Mono Rail are introduced.

DIMTS has been the chosen agency for implementing the Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) Project in the aforementioned cities. The projects consisted of designing, developing, implementing, operating and maintaining and facility management of Automatic Fare Collection System and value added services based on smart cards which are acceptable in multiple travel modes including buses, private buses, metro rail etc. and can be extended in the future to Rapid Rail Transit, Mono Rail and value added services like parking, taxis, auto-rickshaws, etc.

What is AFCS?

Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) is an automated revenue collection system which facilitates purchase of pre-paid tickets and their subsequent use through electronic systems to permit access to or from the transport mode. AFCS reduces on-board ticketing, helps in easy accounting of revenue collection and generates rich information for MIS purposes. In addition, AFC reduces the need for ticket checking staff and helps prevent fraud.

• Fast, easy to understand and use, with reliable fare transactions
• Offers payment options that suit their particular travel needs (frequent, infrequent, weekly, daily, cross-boundary, short-distance, etc)
• Allows easy transfers between modes and different transit providers
• Provides easy access to fare media

The AFC System supports stage-based fare structure and accommodates various types of passes/ tickets. In addition, it is flexible enough to cater to other fare structures/ ticketing options including flat fare, time-based fare (peak and off-peak differential fare), free transfers among various modes, etc.