Bern, 21 May 2021. FAIRTIQ, the innovative ticketing app, is set to make travelling by public transport even easier. Its new 'Smart Stop' feature helps detect when users have forgotten to end their journey in the app and checks out for them. As well as offering this handy feature, FAIRTIQ will continue to make sure that its users are always charged the lowest possible fare for their journey.
Since its launch, the FAIRTIQ ticketing app has made it extremely easy to use public transport: one swipe on the smartphone at the start of the journey and another at the end is all it takes for the app to work out the route travelled based on the smartphone's location data. It then uses this information to calculate the cheapest fare for the journey. Five years on and the technology behind the FAIRTIQ app is even more advanced: it now offers users the option of receiving a reminder at the end of their journey or even letting the app check out for them.
The new Smart Stop feature was developed in response to the large number of queries from concerned FAIRTIQ app users who had forgotten to end their journey. As FAIRTIQ founder and CEO Gian-Mattia Schucan explains, "We have created a powerful and innovative technological solution that improves passenger convenience because users no longer have to worry about checking out." Smart Stop is driven by extremely intelligent technology, which does more than detect when the user is no longer on public transport and then send them a reminder. This is important because sometimes the user may be on a multi-leg journey that requires them to wait for a connecting service or walk from one stop to another. The FAIRTIQ team therefore has trained the technology to identify different types of movement. By analysing geodata, it can tell whether the app user is walking or stationary, and whether they have switched from the bus or train to another form of transport (e.g. from a bus to a private car or taxi). The system will then calculate the fare and charge the user only for the legs of the journey that it detects to have been travelled on public transport.
No matter how clever the technology is, the user remains in control at all times. Smart Stop does nothing without the user's permission. As soon as the system suspects that the user is no longer on public transport, it triggers a countdown and sends a push notification to the user's smartphone. The person is then free to decide to let the system take over and automatically end the journey. Alternatively, the user can check out manually or stop the countdown if their journey is not over. Smart Stop is not automatically activated; users have to activate the feature in the FAIRTIQ app settings before they begin their journey. It should go without saying that it is the public transport user’s responsibility to ensure that she/he has a valid ticket for his/her journey.
Smart Stop is now available to all FAIRTIQ app users. After a closely monitored pilot phase, the innovative and handy new feature has been gradually rolled out in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein over the last few months. The FAIRTIQ took on board feedback from test users and fine-tuned the system based on these valuable insights.
About FAIRTIQ
FAIRTIQ is an innovative Swiss start-up from Bern which aims to make travelling by public transport as easy as possible. The ticketing app developed and operated by FAIRTIQ is free and can be used across the entire public transport network in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, as well as several parts of Germany and Austria. With over 26 million trips made to date, FAIRTIQ is now the most successful iPhone- and Android-compatible check-in/check-out solution worldwide. FAIRTIQ has built up an impressive partner network of public transport providers and associations in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein. FAIRTIQ technology also powers Easy Ride, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) app.
How a journey with FAIRTIQ works
Before boarding the train, tram or bus, users check in to the app with a single swipe. This will generate a valid ticket for all public transport in the given region. Once the traveller has arrived at their desired destination, they can end the journey by either swiping the stop button or activating the Smart Stop feature, which will carry out the process for them. The app recognises the distance travelled based on the device’s location data and charges the customer the best possible fare for the journey. For example, if the cost of a single journey exceeds the price of a one-day pass, the customer pays the cheapest of the two fares.
Share