We deal with all areas of tariffs, from tariff design to tariff management and revenue sharing to the strategic development of tariffs.
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Areas of Expertise
What is it about?
Tariffs are a regular political issue in the public debate. They are caught between the conflicting demands of transport and social policy on the one hand and aspects of economic efficiency and financial viability on the other. The tariff should be easy to understand, be perceived as fair and encourage customers to choose public transportation. In addition, it should provide a solid financial basis for transport companies.
Decision-making based on profound principles
Reconciling all these requirements is ultimately a task for the political decision-makers. We contribute our expertise when it comes to deciding which tariff systems are suitable for a particular area, how the product range can be designed and what effects tariff adjustments have in terms of transport demand and tariff revenues. In this way, we provide transport companies, transport associations and politicians with the necessary basis for their decisions.
E-tariffs are becoming increasingly important from a strategic point of view, as they enable passengers to use public transport without the need to know the tariff and to have cash. Often, e-tariffs also include a best-price logic, which determines the cheapest ticket combination for all journeys made during the billing period, e.g. a combination of individual journeys into day passes or season passes.
Current e-tariff solutions either use the existing conventional tariff structures (range of tickets, price logic, etc.) for billing or are based on a separate tariff logic, e.g. based on a basic price and a distance price.
How we support you
- We advise you on the further development of tariff systems.
- We evaluate the effects of tariff measures, such as the further development of tariff structure, the expansion of areas of validity or areas of transport associations, adjustments to the range of tickets or pricing measures.
- We determine the effects of tariff measures from different perspectives (passengers, transport companies, public authorities), calculate through-tariffing and harmonisation losses as well as financing requirements and revenue changes.
- We support you from the beginning when generating ideas and defining targets, during the entire coordination process as well as during implementation up to the introduction of the measures.
What our clients appreciate
- Our clients appreciate our integrated way of working, which, in addition to tariff-related issues, also includes the analysis of traffic situation, project management and the moderation of coordination processes.
- Our clients confide in us to guide them from strategic orientation to general and detailed conception up to the software-technical implementation.
- Our clients know that we always consider the consequential effects of tariff changes, such as the impact on revenue sharing and the need to adapt the revenue sharing process.
Your
Contact
Our
Experience
- MVV tariff structure reform (Munich Transport and Tariff Association)
- Tariff management system in the Lower Saxony Tariff
- Tariff management and revenue sharing system in Baden-Württemberg tariff
- Tariff management and revenue sharing system in VRB tariff (Tariff Association Region of Braunschweig)
What it is about
Public transport tariffs are subject to permanent change. On the one hand, tariff measures are continuously implemented, e.g. to sharpen the strategic orientation of a tariff (e.g. new types of tickets to attract new target groups). On the other hand, the tariff must always reflect infrastructural (e.g. new stations) and timetable changes.
Effective tariff data management enables the handling of all tariff data within one software as well as the feeding of all dependent systems (e.g. sales systems) with current data.
The Intraplan tariff management system
Based on the requirements for effective tariff data management, we developed a tariff management system (TMS). The TMS is currently in use for instance in the Lower Saxony tariff, the Schleswig-Holstein tariff and the Baden-Württemberg tariff, and is planned for use in the Verkehrsverbund Region Braunschweig (VRB). With the TMS, the entire tariff data (stations, timetables, range of tickets, price levels, prices, etc.) can be maintained. In addition, the TMS enables the calculation of revenue sharing ratios. The TMS thus creates a seamless link between tariff and revenue sharing.
Tariff data is managed in a tariff data management system. Essential tariff data are:
- Tariff regions (e.g. tariff zones) with their geographical boundaries
- Stations and stops with information on the geographical location and allocation to one or more tariff regions
- Lines and timetables, i.e. detailed information on public transport services. This data is used to calculate routes for all possible relations in the tariff area. Based on this and other data such as demand load curves, distribution ratios can be calculated for the revenue sharing procedure.
- Ticket types, i.e. the range of tickets to be differentiated in single tickets, day passes, seven-day passes, etc.
- Tariff distances (in relational tariff systems)
- Prices, per ticket type and tariff distance or number of zones
In many cases, passengers can choose between different routes to reach their destination. In the relational tariff system, there is the possibility to treat different routes as equal. In this case, the passenger does not have to decide for one of several alternative routes when buying the ticket, but can flexibly decide which route to use. This is particularly useful for season tickets, as these are used several times during the period of validity.
The decision whether different routes of a tariff relation are to be treated equally in terms of fares is made by the tariff manager in consultation with the stakeholders involved. The tariff equivalence will be registered in the tariff management system. For this purpose, different routes are grouped and priced equally. On the ticket, the equalisation is indicated by the printed route description, e.g. “HN/KA” trip via Heilbronn or Karlsruhe allowed.
How we support you
- We advise you on the adaptation of an existing or introduction of a new tariff management system.
- We perform ongoing tariff data management services or support your fare manager.
- We train your staff in data management and software operation.
What our customers appreciate
- Our customers appreciate our distinctive depth of processing. We carry out tariff data management services for you and use our know-how to support you in tariff-related development and enhancement.
- We not only offer you custom-fit software for tariff data management, but also the associated server system if required.
- We react flexibly to changing requirements and offer you suitable solutions at short notice.
Your
Contact
Our
Experience
Unser praxisbewährtes Tarifdatenmanagementsystem ist in verschiedenen Tarifräumen im Einsatz, darunter:
- Tariff management system in the Lower Saxony tariff
- Tariff management and revenue sharing system in the Baden-Württemberg Tariff
- Tariff management and revenue sharing system in VRB tariff (Verkehrsverbund Region Braunschweig)
