Conduent Transportation has announced that it is helping the state of Puebla in Mexico address a top complaint from public transportation riders — outdated payment technology.
Growing its existing relationship with the state, Conduent is extending its contactless smart card payment system to all riders on Puebla’s Red Urbana de Transporte Articulado Bus Rapid Transit lines. Conduent first implemented its automated fare technology on RUTA Line 1 in 2016, completed an expansion to Line 2 this January in a record 75 days without service interruption, and is expanding to Line 3 throughout this summer.
Conduent’s automated fare technology works with the new Puebla contactless transit card to replace old cash fares and allow users to board any RUTA line with a simple tap-and-go experience. Thousands of riders are now using the fare collection system every day on Lines 1 and 2, with more expected as soon as it is running on Line 3. Ridership of Puebla’s RUTA system is up thanks to shorter payment lines and improved transaction processing; the implementation of Conduent technology will give riders a new means of payment by tapping their phones into Conduent´s new validators, which will be installed across all three lines.
In addition, RUTA and Conduent will be implementing an external reload network that will allow riders to reload their pre-paid cards in more places across the city, outside of the three lines.
“Meeting the needs and expectations of citizens is key to any technology overhaul but doing so without disruption of service is even more important,” said Mick Slattery, CEO, Conduent Transportation. “We want those who ride the RUTA lines and use Puebla’s touristic train system daily to enjoy the enhancements to the system — and the first step to getting them onboard with the implementation is to provide a seamless transition.”
The new centralized payment system replaces all existing field equipment, including free-standing ticket vending machines, inspector terminals, validators and access control gates. All three lines are also receiving new fleet management capabilities that provide a real-time look at fleet performance. This capability will allow RUTA to have a better and quicker response when an interruption in service occurs or during an increase in service demand. Scheduling services will become easier and decision-making processes will improve, providing better ridership experience to the citizens.
In a separate contract with Carreteras de Cuota, the state agency in charge of mass public transportation, Conduent is implementing the same fare collection technology used on RUTA on the touristic train that runs from Puebla City to Cholula. Additionally, Conduent is working to integrate other bus operators offering inter-urban services into the system. Both of these steps are integral in continuing to make transportation easier for residents and tourists in the state of Puebla.
“Growing our relationship with Conduent was an easy decision, especially after the increased ridership we saw following Line 1 implementation,” said Cinthia Chavez, director of Mass Public Transportation in the state of Puebla. “The automated fare collection system provides a convenient and consistent user experience, and we aim to bring that to as many people as possible.”
