Objectives

In the past, calculating and clearing revenues from manual ticket sales in stations and on trains required considerable time and effort. Systematizing this work provides immediate access to marketing and sales information and analysis of individual areas of data, which can then be reflected in management strategies, modernizing back office operations.


Functions

The main functions of the system, which comprises different types of on-site terminals and a central host computer, are sales of tickets, calculations of fares, and charges by terminals. The host computer performs operations relating to audits, passengers, and net revenues and can generate linked financial statements and revenue and settlement reports.


Results

The system reduces the work involved in totaling and clearing ticket revenues and back office work and makes it possible to access sales and net revenue information immediately so it can be reflected in management strategies.


Outline of the System

Sales data from POS terminals installed in stations and from portable ticket vending machines carried by conductors on trains is collected on a host computer via management terminals. After undergoing checks, the data is used to provide immediate data on net revenues and to automatically prepare reports.


System Details

1. Host
   1. Data Collection and Distribution
      Requests to collect and distribute data concerning sales from on-site terminals installed in stations are made automatically and the status of data collection and distribution is monitored.
   2. Audit, Passenger, and Net Income Processing
      After checking the collected data, revenue information from stations and districts is confirmed and amounts collected is automatically calculated from data concerning payments made after passage and other payments.
      In addition, data from ticket printers, commuter pass systems, MARS^(*) sales, automatic ticket vending machines, supplementary tickets, and group ticket sales is collected, analyzed, and used to create performance tables and revenue reports.
   3. Data Searches
      The system includes data search functions so that information concerning sales performance of different tickets and key products as well as daily reports on carriage revenue can be provided to the head office, branches, and stations on a daily basis.
      Reports on sales performance and carriage revenues can also be provided each month.
      
      
2. Terminals
   1. Management Terminals
      One terminal is installed in each station and is linked to a host computer by communications line or LAN via a station processor.
      The terminal collects all data for the entire station. The terminals also monitor inventories of promotional items, "Orange Cards" and "iO Cards", as well as inventories and retail sales from ticket counters and windows.
   2. Ticket Window and Ticket Gate Terminals
      Terminals are installed at ticket windows and ticket gates to sell tickets, commuter passes, and products with bar codes such as "Orange Card" and "iO Card", and to collect information concerning sales.
      The terminals also collect data concerning exit fares from sales window registers and other devices, and perform closing processing to produce and transmit online output data for terminals.
   3. LT-POS
      LT-POS terminals are installed at windows where sales terminals such as MARS^(*) terminals are already installed.
   4. On-Board Supplementary Ticket Vending Machines
      These vending machines, which take the shape of a hand-held calculator, allow operators to issue on-board supplementary tickets by using a keyboard to input the necessary data and output the sales data to management terminals via a POS terminal.

Background of Development and Future Enhancements

The system was introduced throughout the company-including all stations and conductor teams-in March 1991 with the objective of modernizing and improving the efficiency of operations through the use of information systems.

Improvements to the Station Revenue Management System, which are to be completed in March 1996, will improve the efficiency of audit operations, enhance the operability of terminals, raise the reliability of data and reinforce terminal checking functions, implement new policies, and rapidly carry out improvements to the system.


*MARS: Multi Access seat Reservation System.