OREANDA-NEWS. MAYKOR launched an integrated transport card (ITC) for the bus routes around Podolsk. The goal of the project, for which Vozrozhdenie Bank is also a partner, is to test a non-cash payment system for transport in the Moscow region in real-world conditions.

The project is undergirded by the Ministry of Transport for Moscow Oblast; the Ministry of Public Administration, Information Technology, and Communications for Moscow Oblast; Mostransavto; and CDDMO in accordance with Moscow Oblast Government ordinance “On the Creation of a System for Providing Non-Cash Payment for Transport in Moscow Oblast Called the Integrated Transport Ticket for Moscow Oblast.”

In its role as project operator, MAYKOR created all the infrastructure necessary to provide cash-free payment for rides on 22 bus routes in Podolsk (5, 18, 44, 25, 49, 62, 1051, 1026, 1034, 1033, 1047, and 1041). The operator of the pilot project emited More then 3000 transport cards "Vezdehod", that can be purchased at any of 25 points: directly at bus stops, at Mostransavto ticket windows, and also at cash offices or terminals of the Podolsk branch of Vozrozhdenie Bank.

ITCs can be picked up for free during the pilot program with an initial payment of 150 rubles, while the maximum sum that can be put on the card is 3000 rubles. All cardholders enjoy a 25% discount off the standard rate for all rides, and the card itself is protected fr om unauthorized access and deductions made in error.

The conductors are equipped with special terminals that accept ITCs and Pay Wave-enabled Visa bank cards. Cash-free payment heightens financial discipline and streamlines the costs associated with cash collection and processing.

MAYKOR's expertise in the area of transport monitoring and control was put to good use for the project: the buses taking part in the pilot were outfitted with GLONASS, and eight information panels were put up at bus stations. Thanks to that, passengers will be able to see when their bus will be arriving.

“We weren't about to lim it this project to just the basic elements of a cashless payment system, and so we added information panels and 'cashier-free' street terminals to give passengers a really convenient and high-tech experience as they use and top up their cards. In addition, we didn't go the route of combining transport and bank cards, deciding that we would like to offer passengers a choice. Our goal is to put together an integrated system, that will make passengers' transport experience easier, and to give more information about passenger traffic flow for the transport organizations providing the services,” said Anton Likhachev, Vice President for Strategy and Business Development, MAYKOR.

“Vozrozhdenie Bank has been an active participant in the process of implementing the ITC in Podmoskovye and a close partner of MAYKOR. Moscow Oblast has historically been an area of strategic interest for us, and so we support this large-scale social project aimed at moving public transport payments to a non-cash basis. I am convinced that this project will allow our fellow citizens in Podmoskovye to minimize their payment for transportation and to enjoy a quality, high-tech service built on the infrastructure of a Moscow Oblast bank,” commented Lyudmila Goncharova, Deputy Chairwoman of the Vozrozhdenie Bank Management Board.