BRTC to introduce e-ticketing on all their city buses

After the private operator, now the state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has taken initiative to bring all its city buses under e-ticketing system by the next month. 

BRTC is going to introduce e-ticketing in some 71 buses operating from Gazipur to Dhaka today (Tuesday) as part of the process to bring all buses operating only in the city and adjacent areas under the system in phases. 

"By this December, we want to introduce e-ticketing in all of our buses running in Dhaka city and adjoining areas. We will do it in phases. As part of that, we will inaugurate e-ticketing in 71 buses which run from Gazipur to different destinations in Dhaka", BRTC General Manager and spokesperson Amjad Hossain told The Business Standard. 

"We have been piloting the system at our buses in eight routes in the city from the previous year. After being successful in that move, we are now heading forward," he added.

He hoped that the service would reduce the hassle of the passengers and improve service effectively. 

BRTC is operating around 350 buses on 40 routes in and around the Dhaka city. 

On Sunday, the private bus operators (around 30) introduced e-ticketing for all of their buses operating from Mirpur. 

The day before, Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association (BRTOA) announced the opening in a press conference. 

In a press conference, bus owners announced that 60 more bus companies will introduce e-ticketing system from January 31, 2023, while 97 other companies will take the system from February 28. 

Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association (BRTOA) Secretary General Khandkar Enayet Ullah said, "E-ticketing will be launched in all public buses of Dhaka city by 31 January and in Dhaka and surrounding districts by 28 February".

Meanwhile, on the first day (Sunday) of the E-ticketing system, passengers and the transport workers expressed satisfaction. But some buses of different companies did not use the POS machines for issuing e-tickets while workers of some other companies had little or no idea about using the device.

However, passengers hoped if this system is implemented in all transport, the suffering and the charging of extra fares will reduce.

The Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association Secretary General Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said if e-ticketing is introduced in all buses, passengers will not have to pay extra. 

"We want four types of information in the e-ticket – bus name, destination, distance and fare,".