OPAL Card readers on buses

[freqwaves]

I am interested to know how OPAL card readers work on buses? I have noticed that they are being rolled out on bus fleets not just STA but private operators as well.
Is it a case that when a user taps on it records into a onboard computer the GPS location of the bus with the card.When the user gets off & taps off it makes another recording.I have read that when the bus gets back to the depot the card recordings are then downloaded into a computer which uploads the data to the OPAL website.
My theory was that since all the buses have GPS & some fleets are using DMR radios that the taps on & off could be sent in real time on a digital data channel back to a central system. The GPS interfaced with the system to give positions.
Was GPS tracking also introduced for phone apps which people can access to see where their bus is?

Interested to know.
Thanks, John.

[rustynswrail]

I am interested to know how OPAL card readers work on buses? I have noticed that they are being rolled out on bus fleets not just STA but private operators as well.
Is it a case that when a user taps on it records into a onboard computer the GPS location of the bus with the card.When the user gets off & taps off it makes another recording.I have read that when the bus gets back to the depot the card recordings are then downloaded into a computer which uploads the data to the OPAL website.
My theory was that since all the buses have GPS & some fleets are using DMR radios that the taps on & off could be sent in real time on a digital data channel back to a central system. The GPS interfaced with the system to give positions.
Was GPS tracking also introduced for phone apps which people can access to see where their bus is?

Interested to know.
Thanks, John.

John,

I don't think things go back to a central location, the card stores the location, bus and fare data from the Opal interface (as opposed to a reader) on the bus, station or wherever. The GPS bus tracking is a separate system.

R

[Scotty]

I'm thinking the tap on/off data on each bus must be uploaded to a central Opal database in almost real time (or at least very regularly) to allow for the correct calculation of cost for 'transfer' and 'journey' fares for interconnecting services. Don't know if it's done by radio or 3G.

Each bus stop is programmed in by its GPS co-ords, and I assume this data is stored on each individual bus. When a bus gets within a certain distance of a stop, the reader automatically activates and allows tapping on/off. No input from the driver appears to be required, and readers only seem to activate at bus stops relevant to the route you are travelling (likely due to the GPS). This effectively means that every bus with an Opal reader is GPS tracked, even if the tracking data is not uploaded in real time.

[Longreach]

Maybe the answer might be here, given they built the system for the NSW Government.

http://cts.cubic.com/en-us/home.aspx

Cheers
Matt

[BrisbaneScan]

i would suggestion reading the Brisbane Case Study as it goes into a little bit more info, aswell as the publication of the DCU http://cts.cubic.com/Portals/CTS/public ... l_Unit.pdf

[Scotty]

I can't seem to find any specific info at either of those links (including case studies) about how the NSW bus system operates. Is there specific info actually in the links?

There's a number of discussions around the net regarding the system but no confirmed answer.

[techman]

There is not a lot written but it was rumored the cards do store some information, mainly what dollar amount remaining on the card and last x number of tag on/off. What may confirm this view is the ticket police do carry handheld devices which can read this info from the card and can see recent trips and if you are found lacking in funds or tagging on/off write you up if they see fit. The speed of how fast the readers work indicates they are not network connected devices (it is almost instant).

I do recall when it was rolled out in SEQ the data was uploaded from buses etc when they went back to depot or large interchanges by wifi network was installed. I'm not sure if the busses etc are now 3/4g connected or just wifi depot theory. Train stations were closer to real time due to having access to a local wan connection which connected into the ticket booths and then interconnected onto the tag stations.

[freqwaves]

Thanks for the feedback. Brisbanescan's link show a good diagram of a system used on a bus.
I did have my Opal card read by a inspector with a handheld scanner after it failed to read at a station I was leaving.It did seem to tell the inspector if I had tap off successfully but was told to confirm my taps by logging onto the website & checking my account.
Two guys that work in for my company do rail bus on the weekends for the private operators which have Opal readers on board so might get them to tell me what the model is of the interface unit under the dashboard.

Thanks, John.