AN automated passenger counting (APC) system will be installed in new buses that will be soon rolled out by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), according to a Khaleej Times report. This is being done to curb fare evasion. The system works by recording actual passenger numbers and matching them against the automated fare collection.
Currently, the bus system in Dubai lets the passengers enter the bus in good faith that they will tap their Nol cards upon entering and exiting the bus. However, there have been instances where passengers have skipped doing it. Commuters in Dubai caught dodging bus fares will get a fine of Dh200. The APC system will be installed in the new buses that will be deployed this year and next year, including 40 electric buses, 146 articulated and double-decker buses for high-density areas and 450 city service buses. Most of the buses will also be equipped with Raqeeb, a driver behaviour monitoring system, that will help improve driver conduct and enhance passenger safety. There will also be a driver identity authentication that will be linked to the operating system.
The APC system will monitor and count passengers as they get on and off the bus. The counting sensors will detect the passengers instantly and accurately as they pass through the doorway. The solution can provide real-time data to compare the number of people in the bus to the number of commuters who tap their cards and paid the fare. Apart from checking fare collection, the counting solution can also be used to know passenger demand or how buses should be deployed on which lines and at which hours.
