Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan's Transport Ministry will start introducing a card payment system in public transport buses from early 2013, spokesman Namig Hasanov said on Wednesday.

The card payment system is being implemented within an intellectual transport management (ITM) system, which was launched in December 2011. The ITM system costs more than $95 million. After full commissioning, it will be controlled from a center in the capital Baku.

According to Hasanov, the ministry recently held a meeting to discuss the payment system in public transport. All the necessary instructions were issued to enhance and accelerate the introduction of the card payment system in buses.

"This process takes time," Hasanov said. "Work in this area will be accelerated over the next three months to start implementing the new payment system in 2013."

Hasanov said the issues of installing turnstile gates and devices for cards, terminals for ordering the cards, and determining the entrance and exit systems in public transport remain open.

First, making payment will be possible​ by both cards and cash. Turnstiles will be placed in 3,000 buses.

Despite the large workload envisaged within the new system, the Transport Ministry plans to start introducing the card payment system next year.

"It is difficult to talk about a precise date, but all the necessary work will be carried out for the new system to start working in 2013," he said.

Hasanov said earlier in November that in the frame of the card payment system, bus drivers will start receiving a fixed salary.

"The drivers' salary system will be formed after a shift to the card-based system. After receiving payments from passengers' cards, entrepreneurs will transfer salaries to drivers' bank accounts. However, the wage will be agreed between the driver and his employer, the ministry will not interfere in this," Hasanov said.

According to the Transport Ministry, there are about 150 companies engaged in passenger transportation in Azerbaijan.

Beating target worth human life?

The number of bus accidents has recently increased in Baku. Studies on the matter show that bus drivers violate traffic rules while trying to exceed the targeted daily amount of money they pay to their employer, which determines their earnings. So, stable wages for bus drivers may solve the problem.

"Drivers violate traffic rules to make more money and breaking of the rules leads to accidents," says Kamran Aliyev, an official of the Main State Traffic Police Department. According to him, the number of accidents will go down after the shift to the card-based system.

The drivers themselves say if they receive the fixed monthly salary of 500 manats ($637), their driving culture and passenger service will radically change for the better.

Creation of the ITM system envisions installation of 664 information terminals and 48 billboards which have been placed along the streets of Baku. In order to introduce the system, 639 special parking areas will be created for buses, along with about 140 such sites for taxis.

The first phase of the system covers Baku, while the second phase will cover the surrounding areas and Absheron Peninsula, and the third phase will cover major highways of the country.

The Transport Ministry completed the installation of communication devices in buses under the ITM system implementation in May. The devices provide data on bus trips and drivers, which is under centralized control.

Creation of a unified payment system in public transport is planned within the second stage of the ITM system.

According to the ITM center, introduction of intelligent transport management systems in the whole territory of Azerbaijan is planned to be completed in 2014-2015.