BMTC gets Android ticketing machines for buses

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is doing some ground work to introduce android-based mobile phone like devices with attached printers for issuing tickets to commuters travelling in buses.

"Currently, we have 1,800 android based ticketing devices that are being used in air conditioned buses and later this year, we plan to call for tenders for more such machines as they are more advanced than the current ones being used. These will be then used in all BMTC buses most likely," a senior BMTC official.

Till now 10,000 ticketing machines has provided by a private vendor to BMTC. Nevertheless, the company has applied for liquidation lately and for a short period of time, there was also a minor glitch in their services to BMTC .

"We experienced a minor issue with the maintenance services recently with the company as these devices need to be repaired constantly to work efficiently. But the glitch has been restored. In the future if the company is unable to deliver us the machines, we will call for tenders for other companies, with more advanced models," said the official.

There were rumors being speculated that, BMTC might move to manual ticketing if the company shuts down. To which he said, "This also does not mean that BMTC will move to issuing tickets manually, as was being speculated. We will move to other vendors in that case for supplying these machines. It is not necessary that the company would completely shut down, it could be back on track soon or could be taken over by someone else too."

Three vendors are being finalised for supplying android ticketing machines, presently. Besides other technical upgradations, the verification of open and closed loop cards will also be easily available in android machines, according to BMTC officials.