LTC to use e-ticketing data for subsidy

LAHORE

Lahore Transport Company is going to disburse the operational subsidy to public transport operators on real-time data of number of passengers transported using its e-ticketing data.

While this is a step further in the domain of transparency and technological progress, this step has multiple advantages, both operational and financial.

The operational subsidy is given to the operators based on the total number of passengers transported in addition to the trips made/ kilometres traveled. The trips and travelled distance was calculated through the tracking system. However, for the number of passengers transported to ensure transparency, the LTC had to hire a third party that conducted a survey and used any random week to gather sample data of number of commuters. That data was then extrapolated over the entire year and the corresponding subsidy was paid.

However, due to the e-ticketing facility and the programming at the back-end of the e-ticketing system has now enabled LTC to gather actual data down to the last passenger, regarding the total flux of the commuters being transported by a particular bus-route of an operator.

This technological intervention has eliminated the cost being previously paid to the yearly data-gathering third party, which will cut down on LTC’s costs. Furthermore, and more importantly, this step will take the transparency of operational subsidy up another level as the data will no longer be an approximation. This might also boost the performance of the operators while at the same time saving LTC money on subsidy, through real-time data.

CEO Khawaja Haider Latif while commenting on the new addition to the system said that LTC is a very succinct regulatory body where human resource optimization is a key value to keep it cost efficient. This new addition to the system is the perfect example of how the right use of technology can serve multiple purposes like commuter facilitation, transparency and better financial management. He talked about how in not so distant future, more IT aided steps will be introduced in the domain of fare collection and passenger facilitation. The transport operators too have welcomed this step and while talking to The News, a private operator said that although the subsidy disbursement system already was transparent, this measure will further remove any doubts or skepticism from the minds of the operators. Transparency he said always attracts more investors and this would also boost investor confidence.