Press Release - Scheidt & Bachmann Fare Collection Systems, a leading provider of system solutions for public transport, is unveiling its new fare gate, FareGo PG|50, for the first time at InnoTrans 2024 in Berlin. Visitors will have the opportunity to see firsthand how its features can significantly improve public transport for both operators and passengers.
Shape tomorrow's public transport with the new FareGo PG|50
Transport companies are continuously faced with the challenge of improving access to public transportation. Future-oriented digital fare management systems are aimed at reducing cumbersome barriers to passengers and can tackle these challenges head on while raising ridership in the process. This is the only way for public transport to be a strong pillar of sustainable urban mobility in the future. To support customers in this endeavour, Scheidt & Bachmann has developed the new FareGo PG|50. With its intuitive operational features and seamless integration of digital ticket media, passenger usage issues are efficiently minimised and public transport becomes significantly easier. At the same time, the FareGo PG|50 cuts down on service costs and prevents fraud attempts, helping transport operators lower operating costs.
But improvements are also evident when closely examining specific features. The new overhead display provides passengers with important travel information, while the second screen shares helpful validation details to guide passenger flow. Meanwhile, clear LED indicators identify the available gates, preventing passengers from walking in the blocked opposite direction and causing congestion. A simple tap with a common contactless ticket medium, like a smartphone wallet or smart card, quickly and effortlessly moves passengers through the gate, effectively reducing queues during rush hour. Typical operating errors – such as selecting the wrong card reader – are prevented by the ergonomically angled validation module, which unambiguously communicates to passengers how and where to place their contactless ticket medium. The result is a better user-friendliness enjoyed by all types of passengers and an associated increase in the use of public transport overall.
The advanced sensor system of the FareGo PG|50 also plays an incredibly important part, accurately distinguishing between people and objects and reliably identifying fraudulent attempts. Whether a family with children or a person in a wheelchair – the fare gate automatically adjusts to the individual needs of each passenger, recognising wheelchairs or luggage, for example, and therefore not closing doors prematurely. At the same time, the risk of tailgating – two people passing through under a single ticket – is minimised due to the sophisticated sensor technology, while staff are informed about the potential fraud attempt. Consequently, revenues are stabilised without compromising passenger satisfaction or accessibility.
The modular design, which allows for flexible and continuous expansion of the FareGo PG|50, forms the basis for a decades-long product lifecycle: ‘With the new FareGo PG|50, we have created an innovative fare-gate platform that enables our customers to operate their access controls successfully and cost-effectively for the next few decades and, thanks to its high modularity, to continuously develop them further,’ explains Oliver Hörkens, Head of Product Management. This allows transport operators to proactively respond to the dynamic transport landscape. The modular separation of the validation unit and core functionalities, which allows for easy replacement of the validation unit, enables operators to keep pace with future technological changes in ticket media. Scheidt & Bachmann’s long-standing experience in the fare management sector was especially crucial during the development of the FareGo PG|50:
We benefit from our nearly twenty years of worldwide experience in operating fare collection systems and were therefore able to significantly reduce the life-cycle costs of our new fare gate based on a total cost of ownership approach. We are particularly proud of our advanced sensor system, which effortlessly balances fraud detection while maximising passenger comfort, thus ensuring the outstanding performance of the FareGo PG|50 to optimise passenger flow. – Oliver Hörkens
With the FareGo PG|50, passengers benefit from improved access to public transport, while operators can reduce operational complexities, allowing them to focus on what matters most: shaping a sustainable mobility for the future with a digital and future-oriented public transport system.
