Infrastructure March 2020 Digital Edition

Page 46

SOFTWARE, COMMUNICATIONS AND CONNECTIVITY

Making ticketing tech

smarter Queensland's Palaszczuk Government is outlaying $371 million to invest in Smart Ticketing – to design, develop and implement one of the most advanced ticketing solutions in the world.

B

risbane's Central Station is the busiest public transport hub in Queensland – accounting for more than 11 million customers each year. The morning peak hour hustle sees more than 23,000 commuters rush their way out of trains and through the ticketing gates into Brisbane's CBD each weekday. At the end of 2019, it was also the location of a four week trial designed to assist the public to move through the gates more easily and faster than they have before. Four "Express Lanes" were trialled at the Edward Street exit from 7–9am on weekdays – all part of the Palaszczuk Government's Smart Ticketing project. The trial – focused more on encouraging greater efficiencies in changing commuter behaviour – is designed to see customers slip through the gates swiftly with limited or no wait time. The Smart Ticketing team is eagerly awaiting an academic report on the Express Lanes trial, but it's just one piece in the bigger puzzle. The wider project, costing $371 million in total, will use the most advanced global ticketing technology to deliver a more personalised public transport experience for Queensland's commuters and visitors. "Ultimately, Smart Ticketing will transform how Queenslanders plan, catch and pay for public transport," Transport and Main Roads Minister, Mark Bailey, said. "It will be one of the most advanced ticketing systems in the world, joining the likes of New York, Boston, London and Chicago on the global stage." A WORLD-LEADING DIGITAL EXPERIENCE Mr Bailey said Smart Ticketing will not only provide customers with more choice in paying their fares, but will also deliver upgraded ticketing equipment, an improved mobile app and website, and faster gates at busy stations such as Central. "It’s a significant innovation investment for Queensland that will see us deliver a world-leading digital experience to public transport users," he said. Among the most progressive changes by TransLink, Queensland's public transport agency, is the introduction of new ways for customers to pay, including debit and credit cards, smartphones and wearable devices such as smart watches.

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March 2020 // Issue 14

It's the biggest shake-up in the management of public transport in the state since the go card was launched in 2008 – stepping away from the traditional paper tickets. Ticketing technologies have developed quickly since and the transport sector has experienced resulting disruption. "The go card has been very good to us and continues to keep Queensland moving," Mr Bailey said. "However, that system is now more than ten years old. "As with all technology, it has an expiry date and doesn’t have the capability to keep up with our rapidly-evolving customer needs and expectations. "With Smart Ticketing you can genuinely pay as you go. You can use whichever payment method you have on hand. "No longer will you need to remember to have your go card on you. "If you only take your phone with you on a night out, you have your mobile wallet to catch the bus into town."

REAL-TIME TECHNOLOGY TRIAL Smart Ticketing's account-based model offers flexibility to implement new technology in a phased approach at a time when Queensland is delivering the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project. "It’s a big job as it involves the replacement of more than 1,200 fixed devices at stations and 12,000 on-board devices over the next four years to enable the new technology," Mr Bailey said. It is also planned to improve customer experience through the delivery of a new, intuitive customer mobile app, website and access to real-time service information. It’s a four-year program with a phased approach to both testing and delivery to ensure optimal customer experience and a seamless transition. "We have one shot at this project and it’s important we take the time to deliver a product that delivers benefits for our customers – and that means future-proofing it too," Mr Bailey said. "We have to take time to get it right for Queensland – a state that is nearly five times the size of Japan, seven times the size of Great Britain and two-and-a-half times the size of Texas." Trialling began in October with five regional centres selected to introduce new ticketing hardware that up until then only printed paper tickets. www.infrastructuremagazine.com.au


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Articles inside

SIGNALLING, TRACKING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS

5min
pages 72-76

RAIL EQUIPMENT

3min
pages 68-71

CONDITION MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE

5min
pages 64-67

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SUMMIT

4min
pages 62-63

SHAKING UP CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN CONSTRUCTION

2min
pages 56-57

SPATIAL & GIS

4min
pages 60-61

TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF RAIL PROFESSIONALS

7min
pages 54-55

EPIC OPPORTUNITIES IN RAIL FOR REFUGEE ENGINEERS

3min
pages 58-59

RAPID DEPLOYMENT CAMERAS ENABLE MONITORING OF REMOTE SITES

2min
pages 52-53

AUSTRALIA’S SMART CITIES AND COMMUNITIES LEADERS TO GATHER IN MELBOURNE

3min
pages 50-51

MAKING TICKETING TECH SMARTER

5min
pages 46-47

LEVERAGING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: INSIGHTS FROM CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL

3min
pages 48-49

3D MODELLING OF HEADSTOCKS FOR ELEVATED FLINDERS LINK PROJECT

2min
pages 44-45

SOFTWARE, COMMUNICATIONS AND CONNECTIVITY

4min
pages 40-43

SELECTING THE RIGHT TRENCHING SOLUTION

4min
pages 34-35

GRADER MACHINE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FINAL TRIM

3min
pages 38-39

GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR NEEDS A SHAKE UP

6min
pages 24-27

CHANGES TO WORKPLACE MANSLAUGHTER LEGISLATION IN VICTORIA

5min
pages 36-37

INFRASTRUCTURE OUTLOOK: 2020 AND BEYOND

7min
pages 30-33

IS CONGESTION CHARGING THE ANSWER TO PEAK HOUR?

5min
pages 20-23

HOW AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IS SUPPORTING THE BUSHFIRE EFFORT

4min
pages 28-29

A WORD FROM INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA

5min
pages 18-19
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