With the advancement of technology, public transport companies need to pay attention to new developments.
We are increasingly connected to our cell phones, because they are easy to use, because they allow us to solve problems with just a click, and because we always have almost everything at our fingertips. Nowadays, it is almost impossible to meet someone who does not have a cell phone, especially the latest ones, which allow us to do a lot of things in just a few seconds. We have easy access to news sites, banking apps, music, movies, calls, in short, almost everything we need to get things done in just a few seconds. Cell phones have practically become an extension of us and it is very difficult to give them up.
Although smartphones can sometimes be seen as a major villain, they are now becoming great allies in many areas that we never even imagined before, such as medicine, agriculture, commerce, industry and even public transportation. Yes, even in public transportation, cell phones play a major role. Have you ever stopped to think about that?
Find out now what this role is and how it works!
Use of cell phones on public transport
Despite being major villains in traffic, being the third biggest cause of traffic accidents in Brazil, behind only accidents caused by speeding and mixing drinks and driving, smartphones are playing a major role in the modernization of public transportation, both by indicating bus routes, indicating bus timetables and making it easier to pay for tickets, but also in the issue of urban mobility, since we can now order cars and motorcycles through applications on cell phones. However, when it comes to buses, there is still a lot to be done, since the sector is very resistant to change and, especially, to technological innovations.
The use of cell phones in the provision of services has increased significantly, and, despite the difficulties already mentioned, the use of the device as an innovation tool in public transport has been growing, and some solutions are already being adopted by some systems, which are improving services.
Applications
Some companies have already invested in apps that are very helpful for users who depend on buses, and they inform them of the time they will arrive at the bus stops, show the location and even the route where the transport will take place, helping people to better organize their schedules. One example of this is the Cittamobi app, which has been present in around 300 cities and has been used by more than 27 million Brazilians since its creation in 2014. The app also allows people to pay for tickets using their cell phones.
This payment system is also in operation in some cities in the country, such as Sorocaba, in São Paulo, in Alagoas and in Minas Gerais, through the Pagmob app, from the company Primova. Another company that also aims to transform payment methods in Brazilian public transportation to digital is Autopass, with the TOP app. The company, from São Paulo, recently signed a partnership with Google, and will bring TOP to Google Wallet, so that payments can also be made via cell phone. One of the company's actions is also WhatsApp TOP, which aims to allow the purchase of tickets through the app, with payments via PIX, making life even easier for users with busy lives who use public transportation to get to and from work.
