Lezzgo

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

lezzgo is a mobile ticketing - Application for spontaneous travel by public transport in Switzerland. It is aimed at casual users of public transport who do not want to deal with complicated tariff systems. The app was developed under the direction of BLS AG . lezzgo exists both as an independent app and as an integral part of other apps.

Functions

At the start of the trip, the user checks in. The journey can be carried out with any means of transport such as train, bus or tram within the same tariff network with any number of changes. At the end of the trip, the user checks out, whereby a reminder function prevents the checkout from being forgotten. Billing is done at the end of the operating day, i. H. at 05:00 the following day, whereby the user is only charged for the best ticket . Zone and half-fare subscriptions are also taken into account, provided the user has stored them in the app. The desired class can also be selected directly in the app. In comparison to single tickets, the cheaper day ticket is charged if this condition applies. The final amount is then usually debited on the following day from the Visa, Master or PostFinance card.

functionality

The trip is determined with the help of the location services of the terminal. Because of this, the app must always remain open or not completely closed and an internet connection is required. A code is displayed to the control personnel, which can be read out and checked. If a trip is not recorded correctly, the user can change it manually. However, this can lead to delays in billing if the support wants to check the trip again.

history

prehistory

In Switzerland there are more than 200 licensed transport companies that are obliged by the Passenger Transport Act (Switzerland) to mutually sell and recognize tickets. This regulation led to the introduction of direct traffic as a national tariff. There are also 15 tariff and transport associations with different regulations. All of these tariff systems can be sold through a central national distribution system. On August 1, 2015, the public transport card project introduced an electronic control system for the SwissPass that can be used for all electronic tickets. This control element can be read by the control devices of all transport companies and is an element of the eTicketing apps that have been developed in Switzerland since then. A second core element for the digital sales channels is the NOVA platform, which went into operation in December 2016. All tariff systems are included in this platform.

Motivation to develop the app

Individual transport users can start and change trips spontaneously. In public transport, passengers have to decide in advance which route they want to take and buy a corresponding ticket. If the trip changes, users have to exchange the existing ticket, which is time-consuming and costly. Together with the very complicated tariff system, public transport is becoming less attractive for occasional users.

Earlier approaches such as the EasyRide project by SBB , PostBus and the Association of Public Transport (VöV) around the year 2000 required a smart card and installations in vehicles. Other models like the Oyster card use gates or check-in devices at stops or platforms. In both cases, the investment and operating costs are significant. lezzgo should be significantly cheaper to develop and operate than these well-known technologies. Therefore, the app only uses the functions of modern smartphones (see working customer ) as well as existing topology and timetable data.

Development of the app

The development of the app was started by BLS AG in 2015 . After basic tests on the accuracy of the smartphone sensors for path recognition, development of the prototype began in autumn 2015. This prototype was used in a field test in February 2016 in the Libero tariff association in the canton of Bern . Based on the positive feedback from users and the press, the management of BLS decided to develop a productive version of lezzgo and gradually introduce it in Switzerland.

Introduction of the app

lezzgo was made available on May 30, 2016 as a "closed user group" app for iOS in the Libero tariff association. Open versions for iOS and Android were released from August 2016. In September, the Passepartout tariff association was included in the cantons of Lucerne , Nidwalden and Obwalden , in October Frimobil in the canton of Friborg and in December Onde Verte in the canton of Neuchâtel . On May 29, 2017, the Mobilis tariff association in the canton of Vaud joined. The national pilot test lezzgoPLUS, which includes the national tariff system in addition to the associations, also started at the end of May 2017 as a closed user group. This enables "seamless" travel with practically all Swiss transport companies. On November 16, 2017, the Strategic Committee for Direct Transport (StAD), as the responsible national body, approved the use of automatic ticket systems based on the standard developed in lezzgoPLUS from January 1, 2018. Lezzgo has been available throughout Switzerland since January 10, 2018. This makes Switzerland the first country in which a national automatic ticket system has been introduced. It comprises more than 200 transport companies and 16 tariff systems. Since the Lezzgo functions have been integrated into the BLS Mobil app, Lezzgo will no longer be available as a stand-alone app from 2021.

lezzgoPLUS

Switzerland-wide use was carried out on a test basis with a limited user group in the lezzgo PLUS project. Use is limited to routes with stops within Switzerland. Routes such as B. Brig-Domodossola are not included as Domodossola is in Italy. The regular range of tickets is offered. Supersaver tickets cannot be taken into account, as they can only be used on a certain route / line and a certain train and time, multi-trip tickets, city tickets and boat trips, special house rates, night surcharges and 9 a.m. day tickets in direct traffic. With the takeover of the national functionality in lezzgo, lezzgoPLUS was discontinued on January 31, 2018.

Integration in other apps

Lezzgo has been part of BLS AG's own BLS Mobil app since March 5, 2018 . Since April 4, 2018, lezzgo has also been part of the ZVV app ZVV-Tickets .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Swiss IT Media GmbH: Swiss IT Magazine - SBB is launching the Swisspass in August . In: IT Magazine . ( itmagazine.ch [accessed April 4, 2018]).
  2. ↑ Starting in 2006, “Easy Ride” in public transport? | NZZ . In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . February 9, 2001, ISSN  0376-6829 ( nzz.ch [accessed April 4, 2018]).
  3. ↑ inside-it.ch: BLS is testing new ticket app "with GA travelcard convenience". Retrieved April 4, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Stefan Schnyder, Head of the City of Bern @ schnyderlopez: The new BLS ticket app is here . In: Berner Zeitung, Berner Zeitung . August 23, 2016, ISSN  1424-1021 ( bernerzeitung.ch [accessed April 4, 2018]).
  5. ↑ Zentralplus, MMV online AG, Hirschengraben 43, 6003 Lucerne: With «lezzgo» simply through Lucerne . In: Zentralplus . September 22, 2016 ( Zentralplus.ch [accessed April 4, 2018]).
  6. ↑ Lezzgo - get in, drive, drive, drive ... pay! Retrieved May 30, 2017 .
  7. ↑ With this app, you no longer have to buy a public transport ticket (throughout Switzerland) before traveling . In: watson.ch . ( watson.ch [accessed April 4, 2018]).
  8. ↑ BLS is also reducing IT positions and investing in automation. In: inside-it.ch. February 15, 2019, accessed February 24, 2019 .
  9. ↑ https://lezzgo.ch/faq-plus/#question-45
  10. ↑ Florian Schoop: The ZVV app now automatically searches for the cheapest ticket | NZZ . In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . April 4, 2018, ISSN  0376-6829 ( nzz.ch [accessed April 4, 2018]).