The public utilities of the city of Osnabrück (Stadtwerke Osnabrück) were awarded the STADTWERKE AWARD 2020 for their check-in/be-out system by eos.uptrade
The Stadtwerke Osnabrück won first place in the STADTWERKE AWARD 2020 with their development of a digital check-in/be-out system with its associated best price procedure for the city’s public bus transport. Their innovative idea helped them prevail against 39 competitors from all over Europe. The check-in/be-out system is a particularly customer-friendly alternative to traditional ticketing. The jury was impressed by the new concept. It received special praise for its simplicity and fairness towards customers, as well as for its high digital maturity.
Check-in/Be-out (CiBo) is an innovative, simple and fast form of ticket purchasing that enables passengers to travel at the best possible price at all times - fully automated and not requiring an in-depth knowledge of fares. With a swipe in the app, passengers check into the bus. When they get off the bus, the CiBo system automatically logs them out. This is the first time that such a convenient ‘be-out’ procedure is being used in Germany, in this case by the Stadtwerke Osnabrück. At the end of a week, all journeys made are added up and the CiBo system calculates the cheapest price. Customers will therefore maybe only buy a short distance ticket, but never pay more than the equivalent of a weekly ticket.
Passengers only need to install the CiBo app and activate mobile data, Bluetooth and GPS on their smartphones. With a swipe on the check-in button in the app, you actively confirm the start of your journey. The rest is virtually an all-round carefree package. Beacons on the buses communicate with the smartphones via Bluetooth. The transmitters are supported by the GPS function and the motion technology of the users’ mobile phone. These three elements are used to obtain the data required for the distances covered by the bus, including possible transfers. This way, passengers can be sure to always use the cheapest fare without having to invest time and without the process getting on their nerves. The system is not only convenient, but also very secure: data and interfaces remain the property of the transport company; the reporting, tracking data and analysis options are of course GDPR compliant.
The CiBo app and the technology behind the app was developed by Siemens Mobility, eos.uptrade and HaCon. Software specialist highQ Computerlösungen GmbH as the main contractor of the project is responsible for the billing.