BusKaro

Project Title

BusKaro

Project Area of Specialization Cloud InfrastructureProject Summary

The situation of the public commutes in the metropolitan city, Karachi, is in shambles. Despite the advent of modern technologies, applications, and exemplary transportation systems, no such system is visible in Karachi.

Approximately 6,400 buses operate in Karachi, though their availability isn’t reliable. Commuters have to wait for the buses to arrive, with no actual information about the arrival times on the destination points. 

By implementing our idea on public commutes, we’ll be able to digitize the process and improve our transit systems. From route information to arrival times, live-tracking and digital wallets, the application can massively help people travel, with a little more comfort. By utilizing card payments, we’ll be able to help commuters carry less cash and feel safer in their commutes.

Project Objectives

Once implemented, the project aims to solve the following problems: (long-term goals)

1. Help commuters avoid trouble while boarding public buses in Karachi
2. Introduce a card-payment system which supports pay-as-you-go schemes and allows cashless transactions for commuting.
3. Digitize the entire public bus system of Karachi
4. Digitize the transportation system of the Metro Bus System or any other Mass Transit System
5. Cover several organizations with a scalable transportation system (includes universities, ambulances, cars, rickshaws, etc.)

Here’s a list of the most prominent objectives of the project: (short-term goals)

1. Develop an application to assist commuters in traveling
2. Retrieve information about the buses
3. Inquire about bus routes
4. Allow commuters to easily pay their fares via payment cards (readers will be installed at supported rides).
5. Calculate the arrival time of the bus
6. Allow commuters to be able to track their buses

Digital wallets to pay the fares for drivers (vendors) to collect fares rather than collection points across the city
 

Project Implementation Method

Following are the key features of the proposed system:

1.  Tracking

Currently, there’s no proper mechanism for tracking the local buses in Karachi (even in whole Pakistan). This system will provide a real time location of the bus in order to keep the commuters updated.

1. Arrival and Departure Times

The system will be able to calculate the estimated time of arrival and departure of the bus. It will further benefit the commuters. 

1. Driver Information or Bus Information

User’s personal security plays a very important role in any system. Therefore, this system will hold the necessary information regarding the driver as well as the bus.

Sharing the information will further enable communication between drivers and commuters to help entertain commuter’s basic queries.

1. Payment

Local buses can run on a subscription-based payment system. The commuters can book their ride for the bus for a certain period (month, day, week). Once the card payment systems are installed on the rides, the users can simply swipe their cards and automatically pay their dues. The card can be loaded with prepaid balance by paying through online payment gateways, local kiosks, or a different payment system (subject to permissions from vendors like EasyPaisa, JazzCash, etc).  

Incorporating either or both of the afore-mentioned payment solutions will make the payment procedure smooth and hassle free for commuters as well as conductors and drivers. 
 

Benefits of the Project

The following are the benefits of implementing a modern digital, electric-based transportation system:

1. Ease of payment 

2. Ease of travel

3. Easy to schedule the rides to/from a location

4. Easy to hail bus-rides which are cheaper for mass-transit

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

The final implementation of the software system will include the following:

1. Usage of Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud to host entire applications and streamline user-data and user-pools.

2. Usage of Google Maps API to get exact routes, timings, and delays for easier travel

3. Usage of RFID card readers for the system to accept payments and send them to intended personnel.

4. Usage of React-native and JavaScript technologies to make cross-platform applications 

5. Usage of NodeJS servers to implement an API system for cross-platform calls and concurrent usage of application for hundreds of users

Final Deliverable of the Project Software SystemCore Industry TransportationOther IndustriesCore Technology Cloud InfrastructureOther Technologies OthersSustainable Development GoalsRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	80000
Raspberry Pi	Equipment	2	5000	10000
Mobile Phones	Equipment	2	10000	20000
Arduino Boards, Wirings, Cards, Readers	Equipment	1	10000	10000
Google Maps API	Equipment	1	10000	10000
AWS API	Equipment	1	12000	12000
Trackers	Equipment	2	4000	8000
Web Hosting	Miscellaneous	1	6000	6000
Travel Cost	Miscellaneous	1	4000	4000