In Odesa, the mobile application Transpod has ceased operations, through which residents had paid for travel on trams and trolleybuses for several years. The city authorities explain the decision by numerous service failures and at the same time promise to accelerate the launch of a full-fledged electronic ticket system. This was reported by Hmarochos.
Fare payment in Odesa: why the Transpod app was disabled
The Transpod mobile application, which operated since 2021, has officially ceased operations. According to city authorities, passengers have regularly complained about its unstable performance lately, and the service has disappeared from the App Store and Google Play.
Nevertheless, already purchased electronic tickets through Transpod remain valid. The city council also notes that most passengers continue to use electronic payments via PrivatBank QR codes, through which hundreds of thousands of tickets are purchased monthly.
Electronic ticket in Odesa: what the city authorities plan
The disconnection of Transpod has once again drawn attention to the issue of creating a unified electronic ticket system, which has been discussed in Odesa for many years.
Currently, the city authorities are finalizing the preparation of documentation for holding a competition to determine a single operator. The winning company is to create a cashless payment system for the entire city transport at its own expense.
One of the most challenging stages will be the integration of private minibuses. One option assumes that all funds from ticket sales will go to the city budget, and private carriers will be compensated for the actual transport work performed. This model is already used in many European cities.
The experience of other Ukrainian cities is indicative. In Kyiv, the implementation of the electronic ticket has been ongoing for over ten years, but private minibuses are still not integrated into a unified system. In contrast, in Lviv, the Leocard system has been working for several years not only in public transportation but also in route buses.
Let us remind you that the fare in Odesa for route buses has been raised to 25 UAH.