Development of Public Transport Fare Payment Systems in the Republic of Belarus

Abstract

The Republic of Belarus uses traditional and modern systems of fare payment for public passenger transport. In the traditional system, paper tickets are used as proof of payment; such a system is common in all settlements of the country. Electronic tickets generated in mobile applications of various electronic systems, on physical media – contactless smart cards, as well as records of relevant transactions from bank card accounts are used in modern fare systems to confirm payment for a transport service. Both single trips and multiple travel tickets can be recorded in the form of an electronic ticket or an electronic entry on the contactless smart cards. The paper proposes measures aimed at increasing the level of payback of public passenger transport, analyzes the volume of passenger traffic for 2016–2020, the decisions of local authorities in force in the cities of Belarus that establish regulatory and cost indicators for fares in public passenger transport. The comparison of modern fare payment systems implemented in cities is carried out. TapXphone and T-PAY systems are recommended for distribution on public passenger transport in Belarusian cities on the basis of the comparison of the positive аnd negative aspects of the functioning of electronic fare collection systems from the position of a passenger and a carrier.