Dr Bounta Onenavong (left) and Mr Mian Bo on Wednesday sign a contract on the supply and installation of an automatic bus fare collection system.

CARS to supply, install automatic fare collection system for new Vientiane bus service

China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited (CARS Consulting Corporation Limited in Beijing of China), better known as CARS, will supply and install an Automatic Fare Collection System under the Vientiane Sustainable Urban Transport Project.
A contract on the supply and installation of the system was signed in Vientiane on December 6 by the Director General of the Transport Department, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Dr Bounta Onenavong, and a representative of CARS, Mr Gui Chenhuan
 

The signing was witnessed by Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Ngampasong Muongmany; Vice Mayor of Vientiane, Mr Phouvong Vongkhamsao; and invited guests.
The contractor was selected following the submission of tenders, with funding for the contracts coming from a loan from the Asian Development Bank Fund worth US$860,000.
The agreements cover the provision of equipment and the system including 130 validators and a complete set of equipment; 50,000 top-up smart cards (initially); 10 inspection tools (handheld and GMS); back-up and disaster recovery system with a database in Laos; a warranty period of one year for hardware and five years for software by the provider; validator installation in Vientiane in June 2023; and installation of other accessories in September 2023.

Government officials join company representatives to witness the signing of the agreement.

The contract also covers the provision of free training and technical support within two years and other items.
The Automatic Fare Collection System will meet the need of the planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service for simple, fast and transparent fare payment.
It can be checked because payments will be made using a prepaid card, not with cash like before. With an innovative tool that is used in public transport systems in many countries, it will create confidence and satisfaction for BRT bus users.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, a representative of the Vientiane Sustainable Urban Transport Project said “The Bus Rapid Transit system will use cashless fast collection technology through a contactless prepaid smartcard. The smartcards will be available at the main BRT bus station. Passengers can also top up the card online and at retail stores as well as at BRT stations.”
The installation of various components of the Automatic Fare Collection System equipment will match with the delivery and deployment of e-buses. On-board validators for e-buses are scheduled to be installed in June next year and the delivery of other equipment will take place next September.
Installation and testing will take place 11 months after the signing of the contract.
Founded in 1950, China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited (CARS) is China’s first railway research institution, and has participated in and witnessed the entire development process of China railway. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of CHINA RAILWAY (CR), it also represents CR’s strategic strength in science and technology innovation.
CARS is the only multi-specialty and multi-disciplinary comprehensive hi-tech group in the Chinese railway industry. With over 9,000 employees, it has 18 subsidiaries and over 50 wholly- or partly-owned companies, whose businesses cover all major technical areas of the railway, including R&D, test and inspection, product manufacture railway engineering, standard management quality inspection and certification, consulting and assessment, talent training, etc. CARS supplies total system solutions for the railway industry.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update December 8, 2023)