News

The Seville Metropolitan Area Transport Consortium has awarded the firms SICE and Sistemas Indra the contract following the tender process announced in May for the acquisition of equipment for contactless ticket-checking systems, which are scheduled to replace the current magnetic-strip season tickets within the next six months.

The new checking system is already prepared to be compatible not only with the future Metro Line 1, but also to allow Seville season tickets to be used on public transport in Andalusia’s other metropolitan areas, with no need to obtain a different card.

According to the Consortium, which represents thirty local authorities including Seville, the Seville Provincial Council and the Andalusian Regional Government, which chairs the Consortium, has bought 1,024 machines, each of which will be installed on a bus belonging to the Tussam fleet and those of other companies operating in the metropolitan area, besides portable inspection units. The investment of over 1.8 million euros has been provided by the Regional Government’s Department of Public Works and Transport.

The Consortium sources also stated that the system will be operational, if everything goes according to plan, by next spring. The fact that the new checking model requires no contact — the season ticket only needs to be held close to a reader unit — will speed up the process of passengers getting on buses, particularly at busy stops and therefore to a certain extent also reduce the time spent by buses at bus stops.

The new model will also accommodate prepayment, in other words season tickets need not necessarily be for ten journeys or a certain period of time, as they have been to date, but will allow users to credit their cards with any amount they wish. This system is already in use on public transport in the metropolitan areas of Granada and Malaga, the same sources said.