Use the cellphone, hop on to bus

Use the cellphone, hop on to bus
GIANT LEAP: Book KSRTC Tickets With Your Mobile Handset
Deepa Bhasthi | TNN

Bangalore: If using the internet for all utilities seemed like the last frontier of modern convenience, the tech option took a giant leap with the mobile phone — from booking to surfing the web to chatting. Interestingly, public utilities have also kept pace in this race.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will soon introduce ticket booking via cell phones for the state. This will enable over booking for 2,000 routes.
Officials told TOI that talks with vendors are in an advanced stage. Passengers will only need to register with the providers and can book tickets and make online payments. The details of the system are now being worked out, said officials.
The tickets can be paid for through a secure payment mode. The passenger needs to create an account with the system. Officials said that it will be the vendor’s responsibility to ensure the system of generating tickets works well. One likely method for this is the generation of a code once the transaction is completed.
This code will later be converted into a ticket, though the method would depend on the vendor.
There have been similar experiments in other areas where movie tickets can be booked and railway PNR status can be checked over mobiles. With mobile booking, KSRTC hopes to enhance the reach of this public transport system and make it more popular.
The KSRTC already has counter bookings through agents in and around the state. There are 243 online reservation agents in Karnataka and 40 in neighbouring states.
Bangaloreans can also book tickets at the 16 BangaloreOne centres as well as 133 counters of the state transport unit. The corporation introduced e-booking about a year ago. Officials said that tie-ups with travel portals was also being considered as well as IVRS and SMS options for booking tickets, sources said.
MOBILE MODALITIES
Booking on mobiles will depend on vendors. In most cases, the system works like this: the customer can download an application form or send an SMS to be taken through a series of steps where the number of tickets, destination and starting point will be keyed in.
The payment may be made by entering the credit card number. After the transaction is complete, a code is generated which the customer can use to get tickets at the point of boarding the bus or pick it up earlier.
The system will be available all over the state as well as outside the state, across all handsets and all mobile network service providers.
HERE IS HOW
Will enable booking for 2,000 routes Passengers will only need to register with the providers and can book tickets, make online payments Tickets can be paid for through a secure payment mode Passenger needs to create an account with the system Booking on mobiles will depend on vendors Once transaction is complete, a code is generated, which customer can use to get tickets at the point of boarding or pick it up earlier