Soon, you can use UPI apps, ATM cards to buy tickets in APSRTC buses

On a pilot basis, the APSRTC has introduced e-pos machines in Vijayawada and Guntur-II depots in the buses on Chennai, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Bengaluru and Visakhapatnam routes.
Image of APSRTC buses used for representational purposes. (Photo | Prasant Madugula, EPS)
Image of APSRTC buses used for representational purposes. (Photo | Prasant Madugula, EPS)

VIJAYAWADA: To encourage cashless transactions and overcome the shortage of lower denomination currency notes, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has decided to introduce e-pos machines for issuing tickets to the passengers, instead of the Ticket Issuing Machines (TIMs).

Passengers can pay the ticket fare through UPI, credit/debit cards and QR code scanning and also through cash. On a pilot basis, the APSRTC has introduced e-pos machines in Vijayawada and Guntur-II depots in the buses on Chennai, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Bengaluru and Visakhapatnam routes.

As many as 290 e-pos machines were given to the two depots. In all, an estimated 14,950 e-pos machines are required in the State. Based on the feedback from the employees and passengers, the facility will be introduced in the bus depots across the State.

RTC senior manager (IT) Srinivas said that the Corporation has entered into an agreement with Ixigo-Abhi Bus to introduce the e-pos machines for issuing tickets, replacing the TIMs. The company is designing the e-pos machines with modern technology after examining the ticketing procedures of the RTC. A special training camp has been conducted for two employees each from various bus depots in the State on the functioning of the e-pos machines.

The training programmes will be held for all the drivers and conductors in the depots after analysing the feedback in the Vijayawada and Guntur-II depots, where the pilot project is underway. Highlighting the benefits of e-pos machines, the IT manager said that passengers and employees can overcome the shortage of lower denomination currency notes while purchasing the tickets. Initially, the management has proposed to introduce the e-pos machines across the state from June 15, however the final date for introducing the machines is yet to be fixed.

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