New ticketing tech to speed up Cork bus passenger boarding process

STOCK Generic image- A moving bus passes a Bus Eireann double-decker bus parked on South Mall, Cork.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has begun installing devices on the Cork city bus fleet to speed up the passenger boarding process.

But it still can’t say when its proposed ‘Next Generation Ticketing’ project will be rolled out across the fleet to allow passengers use credit and debit cards or mobile devices to pay for journeys.

The details are contained in a response to a parliamentary question submitted by Labour TD for Cork North Central, Eoghan Kenny.

The project, designed to modernise and improve Cork’s suburban bus service, includes a new bus network and a new timetable, both of which have been published but not yet introduced, a new fares structure and 11 new sustainable transport corridors (STCs), or super bus lanes, which are still in the planning process.

It also includes new ticketing technology to speed up the passenger boarding process.

The second biggest source of bus delays, after traffic congestion, is the payment process at bus stops where payment by cash is still commonplace.

Even passengers with Leap Cards have to interact with the driver, leading to delays at bus stops.

At busy stops with dozens of passengers boarding, these delays can last several minutes, and when the delays at all the stops on a busy route are included, they add up and increase the overall journey time.

The NTA said this Next Generation Ticketing project will significantly enhance passenger payment options as well as enabling more ticket choices, which are just not available on the existing system.

“Following a highly competitive procurement process, a contract for this new system has been signed with a Spanish company – Indra Sistemas, S.A. - who have designed, installed and operated similar systems internationally," it said.

“Because this is a very large, complex IT development project, the implementation and rollout of the new system will take a number of years – an exact delivery date for Cork buses is not available yet.” 

Pending the introduction of that system, the NTA said it plans to enhance the existing system by installing a piece of equipment called a “validator” on a pole at the entry door on Cork buses.

Passengers who have a Leap card and who currently have to go to the driver when boarding, will, instead, be able to present their Leap card at the validator and board the bus.

The NTA said: “This will significantly enhance bus boarding times and speed up overall journeys. This validator installation project is underway at present and we expect to complete the installation on all Cork urban buses later this year.”

The chair of Cork City Council’s transport committee, Labour Cllr Peter Horgan welcomed that move but said Cork needs a timeline for delivery of the NextGen ticketing system.

“The introduction of faster onboarding is a basic component needed to improve public confidence and speeding up bus transport, especially across the southside,” he said.

“The letters are being issued for the STCs but we are a long way off those corridors becoming a reality so the pressure must be on route delivery and buses being dependable with confidence building measures.

"If you can onboard faster with your Leap card that will enhance travel for commuters across Cork city."

The Irish Examiner revealed last week that the NTA has begun issuing letters to hundreds of property owners across the city who may lose some of their lands for the STCs.

These ‘property referencing letters’ are not part of any formal compulsory purchase order (CPO) process, which can only begin after a CPO has been prepared and an application for planning has been submitted to An Bórd Pleanála.

The NTA says it plans to submit its designs for the 11 STCs, all packaged into three separate bundles - one for the northside routes, one for the south west routes, and one for the south east routes, on a phased basis from the middle of the year.