article

Implementing Germany’s first large-scale electronic ticketing system

Posted: 22 February 2010 | Prof. Knut Ringat, Managing Director and CEO, Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund GmbH | No comments yet

The Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) passenger transport association is one of the biggest in Europe, and has recently made plans to implement Germany’s first large-scale electronic ticketing system. Specifically for Intelligent Transport, RMV’s Managing Director and CEO, Prof. Knut Ringat, explains the details behind this new ticketing system and what the future holds, but first is a small overview of RMV.

The Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) passenger transport association is one of the biggest in Europe, and has recently made plans to implement Germany's first large-scale electronic ticketing system. Specifically for Intelligent Transport, RMV's Managing Director and CEO, Prof. Knut Ringat, explains the details behind this new ticketing system and what the future holds, but first is a small overview of RMV.

The Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) passenger transport association is one of the biggest in Europe, and has recently made plans to implement Germany’s first large-scale electronic ticketing system. Specifically for Intelligent Transport, RMV’s Managing Director and CEO, Prof. Knut Ringat, explains the details behind this new ticketing system and what the future holds, but first is a small overview of RMV.

Background

The Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund passenger trans­port association organises public passenger transport across an area comprising two-thirds of the Federal state of Hesse. A wide range of responsibilities come under this remit. The RMV is, however, not directly responsible for the operational side and the smooth running of the transport services which have been commissioned. This is the responsibility of the transport companies contracted to provide the services, who own the vehicles and who employ all the staff for the buses and railways.

Transport planning/Infrastructure

The RMV is tasked with the responsibility for planning new rail and bus routes, for driving forward the expansion of the network of stops, and for securing procurement of a modern fleet of vehicles.

Regional transport

Regional transport is organised by RMV on the basis of the principles of ‘efficiency, quality and safety’. It acts very much as a ‘mobility system provider’, aiming to provide a network of transport routes to take customers from door-to-door.

Tariff structures

The tariffs applied across the authority provide for a standardised range of ticket types, suited to passenger needs. A single ticket enables you to travel the whole network, being valid for all types of transport within the RMV.

Passenger information

Timetables, brochures, Internet, hotline, news­letters, radio adverts, and many more – there is a wide variety of communication channels used to provide comprehensive passenger information.

Tenders/competition

As a service contractor, the RMV aims to tender Europe-wide for all the transport services being commissioned – because economy and customer service count.

Service provision commissioning

One of the core tasks of the RMV is commissioning regional transport services on the ground from the transport companies, financing this and setting out a working timetable.

Quality management

We have initiated a quality offensive, since aspects such as punctuality, modern vehicles, cleanliness and customer service are an essential part of an attractive regional passenger transport offer.

The structure of the RMV

The Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund passenger transport association is a link body involving 15 regional districts and 11 towns and cities. Under the law to promote local public pass­enger transport in Hesse, these regional districts, city administrations and special status towns (towns with over 50,000 residents) were entrusted with responsibility for local rail pass­enger transport and bus transport in the area covered by the association. To enable them to carry out these regional responsibilities, they founded the passenger transport company Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund GmbH, in which they are shareholders along with the Land of Hesse.

The legal requirements have been satisfied through the separation of policy requirements, planning and service contracts on the one hand and the delivery of the transport services on the other, thereby establishing the framework for regional transport in Hesse.

Germany’s first large-scale electronic ticketing system

“The migration of introducing eTicketRheinMain has been staged in several steps,” explains Prof. Ringat. “At first, annual tickets will be sold as electronic tickets on chip cards. They will be available for all means of transportation within the whole RMV area. Customer data will be recorded or changed and new purchased electronic tickets are written on the chips.”

Customers will be able to obtain the tickets at selected ticket offices, via the internet (www.rmv.de) and also via a specific telephone hotline.

Prof. Ringat continues: “Later, monthly season tickets, weekly season tickets and season tickets for pupils will follow as electronic tickets on chip cards. Additional ticket shops, rural area bus drivers and ticket machines will be integrated. So far no electronic fare data collection system will be realised. This is subject to the VDV-step 3. The technical development of the fare data collection system will be analysed.

Of course, the technology and the equipment involved with this new ticketing system will need to work efficiently to keep up with the large demand.

“A RMV-all-inclusive multi-client-capable background system will be established, in which all relevant sales data will converge,” explains Prof. Ringat. He continues: “A common black list is possible in which invalid electronic tickets or lost chip cards can be blocked. A PC workplace connected to the multi-client-capable background system and a card terminal is required for ticket offices. Control units guarantee control of electronic tickets. The standards of VDV core application will be followed.”

Implementing this new ticketing system which will be available for all means of transportation within the whole RMV area is sure to bring many advantages. The system will cover the city of Frankfurt, Germany’s business and financial centre and some 153 transport operators. The population of the region is over five million with an estimated 650 million journeys taken on public transport per year. The RMV and its partners operate more than 3,300 buses and rail and tram stations.

“It has been RMV’s aim to use the advantages of e-ticketing as early as possible,” states Prof. Ringat. “Thereby, the state of Hesse will strengthen its name and be known as an innovative location for mobility.”

It is expected that an increase of RMV’s efficiency will be addressed through additional earnings from ticket sales. Access to public transportation will be facilitated, especially by customers using the internet on a 24/7 basis and wherever accessible.

Prof. Ringat explains: “The number of fare dodgers and ‘grey riders’ will be reduced by tickets that are secure against forgery. Valuable passenger data for planning and marketing will be gained and sales costs shall be reduced.”

It is evident that RMV has placed a huge amount of work and planning into this new ticketing system and they worked closely with RMS (Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund Servicegesellschaft mbH) to achieve their goals.

‘‘RMS is RMV’s well-experienced subsidiary consulting company,” says Prof. Ringat. Headquartered in Frankfurt and founded in 1997 RMS is a consulting, planning and service firm, for all tasks in the field of public transport. RMS offers ministries, counties and cities as well as task managers, customer organisations, transport associations and companies expert advice.

RMV has selected (and is in the process of selecting) some major and competent industry suppliers and companies to have the new ticketing system implemented professionally.

Cubic Transportation Systems has been selected to develop both the initial stage and the central core of Germany’s first large-scale electronic ticketing system. As part of the contract, Cubic will develop an integrated back-office computer system and provide point-of-sale terminals. Cubic will also operate the system for three years. All systems and devices will be designed to the German National Standard for electronic ticketing. Concerning the control unit aspect of the contract, Prof. Ringat explains that the partnership is yet to be defined.

It is clear that RMV’s new electronic ticketing system will provide the region with an efficient and effective solution. But what will the future hold?

“The realisation of an even more improved electronic fare data collection system – according to VDV-step 3 – is planned for 2015,” states Prof. Ringat.

Related organisations