Addis Ababa Bus Service Implements Distance-based Prices with Digital Ticket Upgrade

To tighten control over operations and implement distance-based fares, the Addis Ababa City Bus Service Enterprise is rolling out a new digital ticketing system.

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These Handheld Ticketing Terminals are portable devices utilized for issuing tickets, aimed at streamlining processes, enhancing efficiency, and improving the overall passenger experience

Samuel Tesfaye, Communication Director at the Addis Ababa City Bus Service Enterprise, informed Shega that the enterprise has completed its preparations and is ready to commence the service in a more modernized and digitized manner.

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The device will provide users with a printed receipt detailing their travel duration and fare, aiming to eliminate overpayments by passengers. Traditionally, users paid the full fare regardless of their actual distance traveled, but with this new system, the receipt will reflect the actual kilometers traveled.

Samuel clarified that there will be no changes in pricing due to the implementation of the new device. “We are not responsible for setting the tariffs,” he stated, “It is the duty of the Minister of Transport to establish tariffs for the service. We simply input that information into our device and issue receipts accordingly.”

According to the Communication Director, the enterprise has received over 100 of the devices so far and has been providing training to ticketing staff on their usage, having already conducted tests.

The Addis Ababa City Bus Service Enterprise operates approximately 182 deployment lines with a fleet of 1,150 buses, serving over one million passengers daily.