Blog: No long queues with Chalo ?

Context :

Aaditya Thackeray launches BEST app for real-time bus tracking, online ticket booking / Free Press / 22 Dec

Extract :

Now commuters can book their tickets online and live track the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) buses through the ‘BEST Chalo’ application, launched by state minister for tourism and environment Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday.

The minister also launched the ‘BEST Chalo’ bus card which is a tap-to-pay travel smart card that can be recharged to pay for tickets.

BEST General Manager, IAS Lokesh Chandra, said that this is the first-ever digital bus project of such a magnitude in India. He said, “With this upgrade, Mumbaikars will have a digital bus travel experience; better than global cities like London, Singapore and Hong Kong. This new app will help passengers to obtain information regarding the bus timings, routes, fares and much more.”

He said through this app commuters can even check if the bus is crowded. “Moreover, the digital tracking and online payment is reliable and will make the passengers not worried about carrying loose change anymore,” he added. Chandra said the smart card launched on Tuesday can be used by commuters who do not wish to use the app. It is a rechargeable, user-friendly card, he said.

Aaditya Thackeray

@AUThackeray

Dec 21, 2021

Immensely happy & proud to unveil the BEST ‘Chalo App’ & ‘Chalo Bus Card,’ ushering a new age of convenient & stress-free commute for Mumbaikars Key features include:

•Mobile Tickets & Passes

•Live Bus Tracking

•Live Arrival Time

•Live Crowd Indicator

•Tap to Pay Smart Card

MY TAKE :

Ø I am very happy that BEST has implemented my 5 year old , following suggestion :

PUBLIC TRANSPORT AS A SOLUTION ? …………………….[ 15 Feb 2016 ]

Extract :

QUESTION :

Why people don't use public transport but opt for their own private vehicles ?

REASONS :

* Own car is available at a moment's notice ( Convenience )

* Own car is air-conditioned ( Comfort )

* Own car is not packed with " Standee Passengers " ( Crowding )

* At public transport bus stops , there are long queues - or worse , crowds !

SOLUTIONS ( even, if partial ) :

* Gradually change over to air conditioned buses

* Do not allow standee passengers ( this will require adding many more buses )

* Introduction of BRTS ( Bus Rapid Transit System )

* Bus Arrival Time Indicators ( linked with GPS in all buses ) at all bus stops

* A tablet type digital device fitted behind each seat, where passenger to touch

his destination on route map displayed .

Passenger will also touch his smart phone to the device which will transfer the

fare amount to the bus operator, through a mobile wallet .

No need for a conductor - as practiced in many foreign countries !

This will tell the driver, at which stops, which passengers are getting off

and seat/s are falling vacant

If bus is already FULL and no passenger is getting off at the next bus stop, then

driver will not halt the bus, since he cannot accommodate any standee

passenger

If a passenger is supposed to get off at, say XYZ stop, digital device will flash

signal / ring a bell, a few minutes before reaching the stop

The Bus Arrival Time Indicator, at the stop will also display the " No of

Vacant Seats " in this bus

This (No of Vacant Seats) sign will also appear prominently on the bus

itself as it pulls into the halt

It is equally easy to introduce such an integrated traffic management system in

Inter-City buses as well

Entire intra-city bus traffic will be monitored and controlled from the Central

Traffic Control Station of the

City traffic department, much in the same way ATC control air traffic or railways

control train traffic

It is just a question of extending an existing ( but slightly modified ) technology

to city traffic

As far as density of traffic on various roads is concerned, mobile apps are

already available

Based on the situation, Central Traffic Control will order additional buses to be

injected on any particular route, at any given time

In some foreign countries, even elevator systems in large office buildings are

designed to gauge

* the number of persons waiting for elevator at each floor ( and how many

want to go UP and how many want to go DOWN ),

* the number of persons riding at any time, within each elevator ( and

their travel intentions )

and adjust their stopping/halting pattern accordingly, automatically

without human intervention !

Implementing such a system could not be a big problem for a country which takes pride in calling itself ,

A SOFTWARE SUPER POWER !

Only thing lacking is political will

===================================================

Dear Shri Aditya Thackerayji,

Thank you for implementing my suggestion ( better in certain respects )

But I urge you ( and the CHALO team ) to consider the following :

# Many bus-travellers may not come to know about BEST CHALO app

# Those who do download / install App, may find it daunting to use

# Assume I am standing at Shoppers Stop bus stand ( Andheri ) and waiting for

a bus to take me to Goregaon. In Chalo App, I find that one bus which is

currently at Shivaji Park and expected to arrive at Shoppers Stop after 50

minutes, has SOME EMPTY SEATS ( no idea, exactly how many seats )

Between Shivaji Park and Shoppers Stop, there could be 20 bus stands

I am sure that, by the time that ( currently ) EMPTY bus reaches Shoppers Stop, it will certainly get FULL !

Only information of practical help to a person standing at any Bus Stand is :

“ How many empty seats are there in the very first bus arriving at this Bus Stand after 6 minutes ? “

The BUS ARRIVAL INDICATOR at the Bus Stop, reads : 4 empty seats in next bus

Even the LED streaming on front of Bus roof, reads : 4 empty seats in this bus

But there are 6 persons in the queue ahead of me !

No chance to board the next bus !

Dear Vinayak

( Chalo Team ),

Coming soon: LED indicators with ‘ETA of buses’ at 400 stops / TNN / 25 June 2021

From this report, it seems my above-mentioned suggestion is under implementation

Congratulations for developing an outstanding / user-friendly App

With regards,

Hemen Parekh / hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 22 Dec 2021

A Trail-Blazing Urban Transport ? …………………………….[ 22 Sept 2017 ]

Extract :

On 12^th Sept , Shri S R Jadhav ( Traffic Manager – Planning & Control ) sent to me following email :

From: transport@bestundertaking.com [mailto:transport@bestundertaking.com]

Sent: 12 September 2017 14:58

To: Hemen Parekh

Subject: re: fw: A COMPREHENSIVE BEST SOLUTION

Sir,

This refers to your letter dated 21.08.2017 addressed to the General Manager, BEST Undertaking.

At the outset, we thank you for providing suggestions in connection with BEST bus operation.

The BEST Undertaking is in the process of developing App for BEST buses. Besides, we are also planning to install GPS on buses to get Real Time Information for updated Passengers Information System.

In connection with this, we have also noted your suggestion for Bus Route Indicator at bus stops.

We would also like to inform you that MMRDA is carrying out study for 'Dedicated Bus Lane' on major corridor of Mumbai.

Yours faithfully,

S.R. Jadhav { Traffic Manager - Planning & Control }