LARISSA URBAN KTEL S.A., the transportation provider of the city of Larissa, is on the side of passengers for more than 50 years, contributing to the improvement of urban transportations and the substantial prosperity of the city. Since 1939, when the first effort was made with only two buses of 19 seats, until today, the corporation has made remarkable actions in order to provide the best services. The extensions of lines and the creation of new one, the installation of wireless communication systems in buses, the placement of ticket issuing machines at key points, the function of a touristic train, the increase and the renovation of bus fleet considering the needs of people with disabilities and the successful contribution to the transportations of the Olympic Family to the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games are some of its main significant achievements.

   Making one more step ahead concerning new technologies, efficient transportations and need for punctuality, the LARISSA URBAN KTEL S.A. is the first urban transportation company in Greece, which applied and implemented successfully an integrated telematics system for passenger dynamic information and city bus automatic ticket issuance within the homonymous project under the auspices of Infotrip S.A.

   The main objective of the project is the creation of an integrated telematics urban transport management system, which includes dynamic information systems for citizens and automatic ticketing systems with the use of advanced technological means. Additionally, the electronic ticket, using smart cards, is being applied in Greece for the first time. Especially, the project includes the following 10 basic functions:

• 12 ticket vending machines in specific city spots, so that the citizens are able to purchase tickets anytime during day and night.

• 12 smart stops located in high population concentration points, which inform passengers for the actual arrival time of the next bus.

• Software for transport monitoring and software for real time passenger information.

• Ticket and smart card monitoring software.

• Provision of information to passengers through the Internet. The material published on the Internet includes timetables, routes and stops.

• Information of passengers about the actual arrival time through the smart stops, the Internet and using SMS.

• GPS and telecommunications equipment for voice and data communication between buses and the control centre.

• Automatic fare collection system inside buses with the support of smart cards and conventional tickets.

• Visual and audio announcement system inside buses for informing passengers about the next stop and the interchanges and connections.

• Integrated urban transport control centre, which provides statistical data to draw conclusion regarding itineraries observance and their rescheduling, and the configuration of rational policy in cooperation with the competent state organs, such as Municipality and Prefecture, according to the actual needs of urban cities’ residents.

    Not only the tools, but also the outcomes of the project, could be very useful for the services provided by journey planning applications, such as GYM’s. Concerning the software for transport monitoring, it could be a valuable tool which would help journey planners assess faster and more accurate the optimum way of transportation regarding the reduction of travel and waiting time. In the same direction, the statistical data, which are provided through the urban transport control system, could contribute essentially to the rescheduling of the existing itineraries and hence to the optimization of waiting time at interchanges and connections. Furthermore, the input of the electronic ticket choice on a journey planning application could make passengers’ life easier as they would stop caring about having whether or not tickets for their transportations.

The LIFE GYM [LIFE14 ENV/GR/000611] project is co-funded by the LIFE programme, the EU financial instrument for the environment.

The sole responsibility for the content of this report lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EASME nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Start Date: 15 September 2015 – Duration: 35 months