Web based passenger ticket reservation and management system1

Chapter oneIntroduction1.1 Background of the StudyIn the advanced world like China, Britain, Australia and the United State ofAmerica, ticketing system are usually automated with the use of internet and e-commerce. Smart cards are usually used to make payment and ticket generatedafter. The use of electronic ticketing system has increasingly helped to address theproblem of long queue and time wastage problem. (Watts, 2012).An electronic ticketing system is a computerized system that is designed to collect,store and retrieve information as well as conduct transactions related to passengersand trains. The idea behind a web-based road ticketing and payment system wasoriginally designed and incorporated by bus operators. (Clifford, 2010). E-tickets or card indicates that its holder has right to a specified service, right orconsideration. Electronic tickets (e-tickets) give evidence that their holders havepermission to enter a place of entertainment, use a means of transportation, or haveaccess to some internet services. E-ticket system is an easy and quick way to payfor train services. (Cooper, 2007).Electronic ticketing is a way of documenting sale, checking ticket usage andaccounting for a passenger's transportation without the traditional usage of paper“value documents”. Passengers can make payment and print their e-ticketsubiquitously. Passenger ticketing system is an essential system designed to addressthe problem of long queue and unnecessary time wastage associated with busticketing. Ticket counter is generally associated with long queue; the problem is soclear and visible that it demands an urgent step in addressing the situation. Asidefrom the problem of long queue and time wastage, passengers also experiencestress and frustration. Reasons for the long queue that is associated with thetraditional bus ticketing includes the limited counters available to deal withpassengers at peak time and transaction time. (Bent, 2011).Making payment online saves time as payment can be made anytime around theworld. It also gives the transport corporation insight into what logistics will beneeded for each journey. The aim of the system is to make bus ticketing quick, easy and less frustrating. The system attempts to reduce the service time ofchecking route and obtaining bus, train ticket. The System will make it possible for transport customers to manage their paymentelectronically, and the administrators to work on the databases in a user friendlymanner. The customers are to register online before getting access to the database.Once a user is registered, the user has an account which the user can use for query.The user can check availability of bus service for a particular day, make paymentand print the electronic ticket. The user account will contain adequate informationabout the user entered during the registration and will also allow the user to getaccess to his previous transactions, make enquiry about the travel fare, checkavailability of seats, make payment and update his account. The bus administratoris required to login using an administrative password, once the password isauthenticated, the administrator will have access to register another administrator,modify all the information stored in the database of the system. The informationstored in the database will include; description of the bus, train stoppages attributesand statistics of stations, and physical description of coaches, all the reservationsthat have been made, etc. (Henry, 2002). In view of the above this research work is to Design and implement web basedpassenger ticket reservation and management system for Agofure transportcompany.1.2 Statement of the Problem Some of the problem associated with the study are stated below:i.The passengers will have to stay on the queue for long hour before beenattended to make enquiry, check bus, bus schedule and purchase their travelticketii.Inefficient customer service which leads to long queue during peak period(productive time is wasted on the queue). iii.Business manager lacks the capacity to provide specialized service becausethey don’t have real time information.iv.Poor financial management.v.No customer database.