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Chalo is a comprehensive public transport tracking application that streams real-time location data of public transport vehicles through a mobile app. The platform provides users with Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) for buses, metro trains, and inter-city trains. With coverage across 17 cities in India and integration with over 15,000 public vehicles, Chalo helps millions of daily commuters optimize their travel time and routes.
In metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Delhi, public buses serve as the backbone of daily transportation, moving 10-15 million passengers daily. Despite this massive scale, service providers struggled with outdated systems, manual processes, and revenue leakage. As Chalo expanded its GPS tracking services to over 15,000 public vehicles across 17 cities, the limitations of existing infrastructure became increasingly apparent. The reliance on third-party vendors for hardware and software solutions often led to synchronization issues, creating inefficiencies and errors that impacted both operators and passengers
The existing hardware setup posed significant challenges with its small screen and obsolete interface. The e-ticketing machines used embedded systems programmed in Objective C, with varying hardware specifications across different cities. This fragmentation made it difficult to maintain consistent service quality and hampered the implementation of modern features.
Multiple databases managing depot-specific information created a complex web of data management issues. The lack of real-time synchronization between systems led to delays in data updates, causing discrepancies in fare calculations and seat allocations. These technical limitations directly impacted the accuracy and efficiency of the ticketing system.
Service providers faced significant challenges in protecting revenue streams. The reliance on physical currency made the system vulnerable to theft and fare evasion. Additionally, passengers struggled with balance refunds and seat allocation issues, leading to customer dissatisfaction and operational inefficiencies.
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What's your biggest challenge in modernizing transport systems?
Legacy hardware integration
Real-time data synchronization
Payment system modernization
Fleet tracking implementation
Unthinkable's approach focused on creating an integrated ecosystem that would address both immediate operational challenges and future scalability needs. The team began by evaluating existing hardware and software solutions to identify improvement opportunities. This comprehensive assessment led to the development of a modern, Android-based e-ticketing system supported by a robust backend infrastructure.
A comprehensive Automated Fare Collection System was developed, featuring an intuitive Android-based interface for conductors. The system enables seamless login, duty marking, trip management, and ticket issuance for various passenger categories. Real-time data synchronization ensures accurate fare collection and reporting, while support for RFID cards and QR-based mobile tickets provides flexible payment options.
The new backend solution unified route management, stop coordination, and duty allocation under a single platform. Integration with e-ticketing devices through WiFi connections significantly reduced data transfer times from 5 minutes to near-instantaneous updates. The system's modular design allows for easy feature additions and modifications to meet evolving operational needs.
To ensure system integrity, KIOSK mode was enabled on Android devices, restricting unauthorized access and ensuring conductors could only perform predefined operations. The migration to Amazon Web Services eliminated the need for physical presence at depots for data synchronization, providing anywhere access to the backend system while maintaining robust security protocols.
With Unthinkable as their technology partner, Chalo has revolutionized public transportation operations across India. The implementation of the smart e-ticketing system has fundamentally changed how bus services are managed and accessed. The platform now successfully handles complex operations across 15,000+ public and private buses, with each GPS device sending location updates every 5 seconds for real-time tracking.
The new dashboard provides operators with comprehensive visibility into system performance, including real-time data flow status, vehicle locations, arrival times, and delay metrics. This enhanced operational insight has dramatically improved service reliability and efficiency. The integration of digital payments through RFID cards and mobile QR tickets has significantly reduced revenue leakage while improving the passenger experience.
Looking ahead, Chalo is leveraging this robust technological foundation to expand their services to other modes of public transport, including trains, metro systems, ferries, auto rickshaws, and taxis. The scalable architecture ensures they can seamlessly integrate new transportation modes while maintaining consistent service quality.
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