A citizen’s key to city life
Tomasz Grodecki
Atos Poland Consulting Manager
New digital technologies can put access to a whole spectrum of city services into the palm of people’s hands, helping to make life better for residents and visitors.
Using connected “city card” solutions, public administrations can offer citizens their own personalized card, similar in appearance to a credit card, which can be used to buy and store tickets for public transport and other amenities. As well as the card, a mobile app and an internet portal each provide similar functionality. Multiple operators and organizations can be linked into the city card system, each with its own set of services and data store while still being part of a seamless citizen experience.
A number of cities have already implemented this kind of city card solution — among them, Poznań (a city in Poland with a population of just over half a million) and the region of Małopolska, also in Poland and home to around two million people. Citizens benefit from the speed and convenience of being able to pay for and store tickets and other services electronically. Public authorities have a more efficient way to manage and monitor usage of city services, with data available for analysis to improve planning and future provision.
Multiple devices
Each citizen’s city card can become their own digital identifier with their name, address, tickets purchased, information about services used and other data stored for use by different systems and operators around the city. This same information can be held in the mobile app, which brings the added advantage of instant alerts about upcoming events, community news, traffic disruption and other day-to-day information.
Complementing the card and the mobile app, an internet portal is also available with two main areas: a public section for information and gateways to services, and a private password-protected area for each citizen to update their personal details, buy tickets and register for services.
Using public transport
One of the main uses of the city card is for citizens to buy and store tickets for public transport around the city. Given that many cities operate multiple tariffs for different transport modes and routes, city cards can accommodate fixed-term travel cards, single ride fares, non-standard tariffs and each citizen’s own customized routes. Regional transport can also be integrated, with the same level of functionality and flexibility.
Real-time passenger information can be relayed from buses, trains and trams and other systems and displayed on the mobile app and at bus stops, railway stations and on digital boards around the city. This can show precise departure and waiting times, together with timetables, weather details, air quality metrics and other updates.
Sustainable travel
A city card creates opportunities for cities to market a wider choice of environmentally sustainable transport options. Given that many want to promote their park and ride schemes to ease traffic congestion, they can be integrated into the city card to make things as fast and frictionless as possible.
City bike schemes can also be connected so that citizens can easily reserve, pay for and unlock a city bike, and see via their mobile app where bikes are available. This kind of system can also be used to encourage car sharing and promote access to electric vehicles, with an app whereby citizens can hire and charge electric vehicles and plan routes that take account of charging points.
More city life
There are many other aspects of city life that can be brought under the city card umbrella. For example, citizens could use their cards to request waste management services (based on their home address) or register for local government support such as meal services or other social care based on their individual needs.
Residents and visitors could also use their city cards and apps to buy tickets for events organized by the city, with live updates or value-added content via the app, such as QR codes and even augmented reality films as part of their experience. The mobile app, in particular, provides opportunities to promote the city to tourists all over the world and make them feel at home once they have arrived.
Huge potential
Critically, a city card system enables authorities and operators to track the effectiveness of services and use machine learning and analytics to predict and pre-empt future requirements. They are also a mechanism for public administrations to influence important behavioral changes. Loyalty points and rewards can be offered to encourage and recognize certain positive choices, such as using public transport or minimizing waste.
The technology for a city card system already exists, and once a system is up and running, its potential is almost boundless. While full delivery of integrated city card solutions is still at an early stage, they are likely to become an indispensable part of life in many of our cities in the near future.
Topics
Innovation in a Box Workshop
Let’s get started solving your challenges together
Public Data Platforms
Discover solutions for Public Sector & Defense