Monday, February 27, 2012

Train conductors can cruise through ticket scanning with barcode ...

Posted February 23, 2012

Railroad conductors handle passenger operations during train rides, helping travelers reach destinations safely. Americans use trains to get to a variety of places daily, and rising gas costs have led many people to ride the rails rather than drive. Transportation authorities across the country have considered new ways to reduce expenses, increase conductors' productivity and improve the customer experience due to the rising number of riders.

Thankfully, a barcode scanner can help train conductors in several areas. A reader gives transportation employees the opportunity to reduce costs by enhancing efficiency.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates the rail transportation industry will increase its employment by 9 percent from 2008 to 2018. The change represents a faster increase than a number of other occupations due to economic difficulties which have forced many people to seek cheaper ways to travel. Barcode scanners not only offer an affordable option to transportation authorities, but also can be used as a cost-saving incentive for passengers.

Offering frequent riders the option to purchase weekly or monthly passes featuring barcodes cuts down on transportation expenses. Railroad firms can provide regular passengers a card that they can recharge whenever they choose. A barcode reader can scan the card whenever a passenger rides, which will read the information instantly. Using barcode scanners cuts down on printing expenses and gives transportation authorities the opportunity to use an ID card printer.

Encouraging people to use the cards can help riders as well. Transportation authorities can offer a discount to people who purchase weekly or monthly rider cards, and in doing so, can cut down on employee tasks. The change will allow workers to spend less time processing passenger ticket transactions since the purchases will occur less frequently. In addition, this helps riders because they can receive an incentive to buy passes less frequently.

Barcode scanners can enhance the customer service experience in other ways. A quick card scan by a conductor allows transportation authorities to track the number of riders on specific trains. Passenger rail managers can collect data from the barcode readers to determine staffing and schedule needs. For example, transportation authorities may see data that indicates an increase in staffing and scheduling for trains during busy morning hours can enhance workplace productivity and improve the customer experience.

A cordless, handheld barcode reader delivers an option train conductors can use. The Symbol LS 4278 Scanner offers quick one-pass scanning of barcodes. 

Filed under: ID Card systems

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