Due to the rapid evolution of urban city development and road networks, public transportation has attained an edge over personal transportation mechanism. Recently government has taken a lot of efforts to gain the momentum and attention from technology perspective to make sure that people will use the mass transportation mode.
Aftek being in the same domain for over a decade has invested focused efforts on building a complete transportation framework which can be easily coupled with the in-house developed hardware devices and / or any third party hardware devices, which can also be integrated with other software components.
Aftek Transportation Framework (ATF) is based on a certain business scenario specified by demand behavior, business domain and technical requirements to cater the mass transportation needs. The framework is independent of hardware and provides third party system integrators to implement their protocols and get connected.
Aftek's depot manager software is designed for road transport organizations especially to manage conductor based ticketing system as well as to support Automatic Fare Collection (AFC). It supports Passenger Information System, infotainment contents for bus stops / terminal and inside the bus to play location based advertisements and information pieces.
DM supports master definition for stages (bus stops) with Geographic Information System (GIS) coordinates, routes, schedules, duties, ticket types, bus types, buses, fare rules and policies, fare customization, conductors, drivers, inspectors, advertisement brands (groups), advertisement details, advertisement and information playing schedules (infotainment data), user account creation and roles with user activity log.
The framework also supports fare management rules which can be defined based on ticket types, bus types & schedules.
DM facilitates centralized and distributed data management to ensure low cost and optimized deployment infrastructure to enable various types of users at different geographical locations, managing and maintaining the data required for regular operations effectively. Please refer the following figure for deployment scenario.
DM can communicate with Electronic Ticketing Machine (ETM) device using USB / RS232 to send the data required for issuing tickets and collect the data related to trips, tickets, inspector visit, fuel, toll fees and other transactions. The ETM communication module is designed to support text data / XML interface to support any third party device which may need to be integrated with DM. The ETM firmware is also programmable and independent of hardware vendor to realize the fare calculation algorithms and generate the tickets.
The framework also supports device communicator service which communicates with the in-bus control unit called as Driver Console Unit (DCU) over Wi-Fi automatically when the bus enters the depot’s premises. The master data like driver duty, schedule, route information, PIS and infotainment data, pre-defined alert messages, GIS stages data etc gets downloaded to the DCU. This Windows CE based application on the DCU is easily customizable to adopt client’s requirement to suit the business case.
DM framework offers efficient event logging, troubleshooting and comes with a configurable Unicode multi-language UI support. It also supports device management and remote monitoring.
DM can also generate various kinds of reports, including configurable Unicode language reports. Few examples of the reports are revenue and RPKM analysis, waybill, stage and route loading, performance comparison with graphical representation. It can also generate traffic management and analysis, passenger pattern, stage loading reports for making the decisions such as launching new schedules, planning additional buses on specific routes on specific time, changing the service type and many more management decisions that can help improve revenue and passenger experience. Classification reports such as revenue collection, bus type, route analysis on daily, monthly or yearly basis are available. Pilferage reports for accounts and planning departments are generated on ad-hoc basis for analysis purpose
DM Deployment Scenario
Bus Tracking System (BTS)
The BTS module gives user the flexibility of enabling the in-bus terminal (DCU) device to send real-time tracking data and receive it at the server. The service running at server side, which receives this data is flexible enough to have any third party VTS device interfaced very easily.
The BTS emphasizes on tracking, monitoring the buses and their status on standard GIS maps such as proprietary map server or any map service providers like Goggle maps, Bing, Mapinfo etc. The DCU / VTS mounted inside the bus communicates with the control room over a GPRS network and sends the real-time location and status of the bus.
It also receives data related to the bus load, alerts generated by drivers / DCU. Some of the different real-time events monitored by the server are over-speeding, unscheduled-stoppage, stoppage for more than allocated time, acceleration, de-acceleration etc. Various engine and fuel parameters can also be sent after configured intervals. It supports real-time bus schedule routing facility to interact with the bus driver directly either by sending a message or over GSM voice call. It also generates analysis reports such as over speeding, non-stoppage, improper stoppage, trip summary and detail, schedule adherence and can allow user to playback historical data.
The BTS service is designed to handle multiple devices simultaneously to ensure that the response is within a fraction of time. VTS data logging facility is also provided to make sure that proper debugging can be done in case of issues since the GPRS service is provided by different service providers. Multiple services can be used to scale-up the performance. Failover mechanism for GPRS is considered by providing internal support on SMS based messaging.
Online Reservation System (ORS)
The ORS module in the framework offers online booking / seat reservation facility with seat selection option available in the bus. The user can view the route details on GIS map before proceeding for the actual booking.
Web-services have been added for importing the data related to schedules, bus types, routes etc from any vendor who wants to list their buses to provide online booking. The site admin can also manage the master data and display seat maps for easy seat selection.
The site can connect and offer online payment options using credit / debit cards and net banking to any payment gateway services. The ORS also offers advertisement content display on the website when deployed by any ad-agencies. It also offers agent booking, tatkal reservation facility and supports ticket cancellation and refunds. Unicode multilingual support, issuing e-tickets are part of the module to cater multimodal independent service operations.
The design of ORS is such that it can be deployed as an independent system or can be seamlessly integrated with DM using web-services, where it utilizes the bus types, buses, routes, schedules, fare, ticket types and other business rules already defined in DM.
The passenger can view real-time bus schedule to plan the travel in advance as well as can have alerts on cell phone.
Automatic Fare Collection (AFC)
The AFC module from the framework supports conductor-less operation using Aftek’s indigenously developed AFC devices. It employs centrally managed Fare Management Engine comprising of complex rules based on various types of routes and schedules, ticket types, bus types supporting on-board Tag-in / Tag-out validators for smart card based automatic fare collection. Commuter status “in” and “out” are indicated visually on the device as well as over audio.
It authenticates smartcards with in-built SAM modules and checks the card validity and balance. The device stores the ticketing data locally and transfers data to the main controller (DCU). Data transmission between fare media and AFC devices involves data encryption which ensures secured data transmission.
AFC readers communicate with on board computer (DCU) to advance the stage information automatically using GPS stage information for fare calculation and stores transaction data locally. Additionally, any third party AFC devices can be easily and seamlessly interfaced with the framework if required.
Smartcard based ETM’s can also be used for automatic fare collection where conductor is an integral part of the system. The transaction data collected from the ETM or AFC device are sent to DM database for reporting.
Passenger Information System (PIS)
The PIS module can be implemented both inside the bus and on the bus stop, bus terminal and platforms. The module supports two different languages at any given point (English / Hindi and other local languages) which can be delivered to the hardware devices for playback and display.
As a major contribution towards revenue generation for road transport organizations, location based advertisement is inducted with Passenger Information System inside the bus and on bus stops, bus terminals and platforms.
Brand owners can book their spots, timings and the advertisement to be played with the road transport organization or the agency which is looking after these promotional activities. The advertisement can be in textual form, or image, or audible clip or a video file. It could be played inside the bus at particular timings, between particular places for fix number of count per hour / day or on the specific bus stop, bus terminal or platform at specific time / continuously / for fixed number of count. In the near future the brand owners themselves can book available bus, routes, bus stops, terminal and platforms and timings for their product advertisements.
A) Inside the bus
Vehicles are fitted with visual indicators such as LED displays or LCD panels and announcement systems. PIS displays information for commuters about travel information such as current stop, next stop and estimated time of arrival for next stop etc, including text advertisements (audio visuals in case LCD panels are fitted instead of LED display boards) and informative messages for the commuters. Similar interface is provided with audio announcement equipment. PIS can communicate with the control room in real time to receive the latest information and messages.
B) On bus stops, terminals and platforms
PIS from the framework is integrated with bus stops fitted with LED display boards or LCD TV panels for displaying real-time bus schedules, route information, destination of arriving vehicle and more. Some displays can even show the location of arriving vehicle on a linear map. Additionally, these boards can be used for giving information on service disruptions and can even display text or audio visual advertisement depending on the display.
Similarly, the information messages, audio-visual advertisements and bus arrival information can be displayed on the LCD panel. The central server pushes the information to be displayed on LCD panel / LED displays over GPRS network and are received by the devices fitted on bus stop / terminal. Any third party LED displays can also be easily integrated with PIS.
Smart Card management is an add-on module to DM central server and includes secured and efficient smart card key generation, storage, transportation and stamping of smart card keys on to the smart cards as well as smart devices. Smart card inventory such as registration, smartcard issuing and re-issuing can be done at the depots as well as desired locations. The smartcard supports prepaid value cards and Trip cards for commuters. Transaction reports, RTC and card float balance reports are generated to tally the cashless transactions anytime when required. The ETM and AFC support cashless transactions and the transactions are uploaded from the devices to the DM server at pre-defined intervals and these are later processed for accounting purpose.
This component from Aftek Transportation Framework provides a web dashboard to the user to generate a wide range of MIS reports for various departments such as accounts, traffic, workshop, planning, vigilance and HR. The reports are classified based on department, report duration (daily, monthly, etc.), route, schedule, bus type, ticket type, comparison reports, analytical reports, statistical reports and graphical reports.
The indigenously developed component from Aftek Transportation Framework can also be referred to as Integrated Device Controller / On-board computer / Vehicle Mounted Unit (VMU) / Vehicle Console Unit (VCU) / Mobile Data Terminal (MDT), which controls most of the peripherals installed inside the bus such as LED / LCD, amplified speakers, analog camera, ETM, AFC reader, ECU, Microphone, GSM / GPRS module and GPS device. Along with these standard peripherals, bus parameters such as engine temperature, fuel level, engine RPM, tyre pressure, vehicle speed, door status can be monitored by connecting to digital IO ports on DCU and transmitted to central server over GPRS or SMS.
Power usage in the bus, fan, vehicle payload, elevation of tow bar and battery usage can also be monitored by connecting appropriate bus interfaces to DCU analog ports.
Analog camera streaming can be directly viewed by the bus driver on the DCU screen. The driver can select the desired camera to view the streaming when taking the bus in reverse direction or when the bus is halted on stop, if required.
Passenger information details such as current stop, next stop, estimated time of arrival at next stop are directly displayed either on LED connected on RS 485 or LCD on video out port along with audio announcement on the speakers inside the bus. Provision to play different announcement on the speakers mounted out side the bus for the commuters on the bus stop / terminal or platform is also offered.
The location data received from GPS device connected on DCU serial port is sent to central server on predefined interval over GPRS or SMS for bus tracking on GIS maps.
DCU generates events driven alerts such as over speed, non-stoppage, improper stoppage, etc. for the driver. The alerts are also sent to central server for monitoring, tracking and controlling such bus drivers for commuter safety.
The bus driver can interact directly with control room officials by sending messages, emergency alerts or communicate directly over GSM voice call.
