Following a successful trial run, Mumbai’s BEST will deploy 100 percent digital ticketing on buses on April 20 with the Tap In Tap Out’ service using Chalo smart cards and a mobile app.A customer will be asked to tap his or her mobile phone/smartcard in front of a digital machine near the entrance after boarding the bus. A green tick mark indicates that the passenger is permitted to board the bus. After the passenger de-boards by taping out, the fare will be deducted from his or her smartcard or mobile app.

For the time being, only one bus will run in south Mumbai for customers who use the digital ticketing system. BEST’s general manager, Lokesh Chandra, adds, “We will gradually increase the number of buses delivering ‘Tap In Tap Out’ service on the same route after the pilot digital service bus is completed, and then enlarge the idea. People must board from the front door on this bus so that the driver can keep an eye on passengers tapping their cards on the card reader to purchase tickets.”

“While the bus will not have a conductor, there will be one to help passengers with the facilities if necessary,” Chandra says.

The words ‘Digital Bus’ will be displayed at the entrance of these buses. Only passengers who use an app or a smartcard for cashless payment will be permitted to board the bus. In terms of how many passengers are using the digital service, Chandra says, “Of the 30 lakh passengers, over 12 lakh are using the digital ticketing service via a mobile app.” The BEST smartcard is being used by approximately 2.10 lakh people.