Public transport to shift to unified payment system by late 2012

The operations will be actively conducted to create a unified system of payment in public transport in Azerbaijan in the second half of the year, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport Namig Hasanov told media.

He said that it is planned to create a unified system of payment in public transport within the second stage of creating the intellectual transport management. Its implementation is planned to be launched in the second half of the year.

"After the operations are over within the first phase of creating the intellectual transport management system, the operations on the second phase of the project will be launched by late June," he said. "Perhaps, one can start talking about creating a unified payment system in public transport by late 2012."

He said that the creation of a unified payment system requires certain time, as it is necessary to obtain all the necessary equipment, to create a single database, to coordinate all systems with the center.

"That is, the database must be created," he said. "This requires time."

Intelligent transport management system worth more than $ 95 million was launched in December last year.

The implementation of the intellectual transport management project is envisaged in three phases.

If the first phase of the system covers Baku, the second phase will cover the surrounding areas of Baku and Absheron peninsula. It is planned to cover the major highways of the country at the third phase.

After launching all three phases, the system will be controlled from the center of Baku.

The creation of the system involves the installation of 664 units of information terminals and 48 units of the information boards which were posted on the streets of Baku. It was planned to create about 639 sites for bus stops and about 140 sites for taxi.


/Trend/