MobiGuider AFC: e-Ticketing platform

MobiGuider AFC deals with all Automated Fare Collection issues in the front-end on busses or counters and in the back-end central systems:

Sales

Today’s public transport companies face the challenge of choosing the perfect mix of AFC sales options. The MobiGuider solution allows various sales chanels and solutions such as:

  • Integrated or stand-alone POS solutions
  • Vending machines allowing the automatic distribution of (contactless) tickets, the load and reloading of products onto contactless media, etc.
  • Mobile sales using a handheld device
  • Internet sales by means of an action list or specific pick-up terminals
  • Direct sales using (onboard) validators
  • And many other

 

Fare payment

Fare media validation is done at the various vehicle validators, station validators or even at mobile validation devices.

 

Inspection

Using mobile handheld devices, it becomes easy to perform inspection of contactless fare media or other. Inspection can be done automatic or semi-automatic.

 

Card management

Using the Card Management component of the MobiGuider system, it becomes easy to manage the cards used within the system. Card details are stored and updated in the database, allowing to view their corresponding history and status.  Hence, passengers can be assisted at a customer service point for all contactless smart card related issues or questions.

Futhermore extensive card holder management allows the duplication of cards, the blocking of cards or products, the personalisation of cards, etc.

 

Reporting

Today’s public transport companies have an accountability towards their funders on the fulfillement of their transportation contracts, which means that their services have to be screened for quality and efficiency and subsidised accordingly.

The Reporting and Analysis component of the MobiGuider system, is the tool for transaction and sales analysis. AFC data, present in the TransModel database, are compared according to different variables. The output of this process, is a variety of graphs and tables which list sales or validation results as per vehicle or location. Moreover, they may help in optimising the overall AFC strategies.

 

Monitoring

Using the Monitoring component of the MobiGuider system, system engineers have an overview of all the AFC (and ITS) equipment that is being used in the field and are able to consult the current operational state and other equipment information such as the software version, the data file version, and so on. Also the IT infrastructure and the software services are continuously monitored allowing the system engineers to react at the first glimps of trouble.

 

Open interfaces

No secrets in the MobiGuider system. Software around the central AFC component allow multiple interfaces with external applications. This makes it possible to exchange data with company accounting systems, with maintenance applications or even with other AFC systems.

While multiple transport operators may each have their own AFC system, the needs for centralizing the data of all these subsystems becomes very significant. That’s why the MobiGuider system can be linked with a central clearing house for the exchange of transactions, blacklists, greylists, action lists, sales data, etc.

 

Security

Using the User Management and Authentication component of the MobiGuider system, it becomes easy to manage users, their corresponding roles and privileges on the various applications. Also overall authentication of the technical services can be managed using this tool.

It goes without saying that the whole system uses today’s modern (network) security techniques to protect the critical business data.

 

Data management

A modern public transport company generates a vast amount of fare data. Transaction data are continuously recorded, then stored for analysis later on.

The heart of the MobiGuider system consists of one central database: the TransModel database. It is a European standard reference data model for Public Transport Operators. It is a conceptual model, so there is no mandate for any particular implementation, promoting a common integrated approach, allowing an open architecture, allowing easy adaptations and guaranteeing reliable information exchange between different software components.

Furthermore, software is available to import or export data to third party systems, truly making the TransModel database the central component of the system.

 

Operations control

If the central database is the heart of a modern public transport company, then the MobiGuider configuration component must be the brain. All AFC products, passenger types, calendars, constraints, etc. are configured here.

The configuration component equally allows the definition of the various equipment parameters. As such, device behaviors (passback, locking,...) can be set.