BEST to allow commuters to book tickets, renew passes via mobile app and website

In a good news for bus commuters, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) is introducing a new system with which allow customers to book tickets, avail passes, renew passes etc via their smartphones. The BEST on Friday said that they system is expected to get functional by end of November.

Despite heavy losses, BEST is still the second biggest transporter in the metropolitan after suburban trains, carrying an estimated 32 lakh commuters daily.

Under the new system, commuters will be buy tickets and renew passes by simply visiting the BEST website or their mobile app. It will work on the lines of the mobile ticketing system adopted by the Central and Western Railway, wherein commuters are sent a Quick Response (QR) code after booking their ticket.

The passengers will be able to show the QR code to the conductor after boarding the bus.

According to Jagdish Patil, general manager BEST, the system is already in implementation phase and is expected to be demonstrated to the committee members in the subsequent week.

BEST also plans to invite a panel of regular commuters to thoroughly use the online system. Any feedback or suggestion given by them will be incorporated before making the system available to everyone.

Like railway’s Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Seva (JTBS), the BEST is also planning to adopt a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) smart card program, wherein vendors outside bus stations and bus depots will also be able to sell them.

Currently, the sale and renewal of smart cards can be done only at 64 centres, which are mainly at bus stations or depots. Once the system is online, users will be able to make the purchase at any of BEST’s authorized franchise.

The BEST has also setup a marketing cell to ensure more corporations offer their employees a bus pass, similar to how they are given a railway pass.