The implementation of the electronic passenger registration system in public transport is stuck in Daugavpils / Article

Daugavpils has been looking for a modern solution for ticketing and payment systems aimed at user convenience in public transport for at least 2 years, and passengers are also waiting for these changes.

It is planned that instead of 100 conductors, “Daugavpils satiksme” will operate an electronic passenger registration system. It is necessary, but its implementation in the city is stuck and is going slowly, admitted Artis Druvinieks, a member of the board of Daugavpils satiksme:

“The situation is very complicated. The process has already dragged on for 2 years. We need to come to some result. It is necessary for “Daugavpils satiksma” and the city of Daugavpils as a whole. The project is large and includes several components, and this can explain why this tender has dragged on.”

Everything boils down to the offer amounts, because they are not small, said Druvinieks:

“The specification is very wide and the procurement is difficult. Everyone is very surprised by this relatively high price offer. We expected a more friendly price.

Currently, two prices have been offered: association SIA “DTM” and AS “SW Traffic” – 4,020,100 euros, SIA “Transact Pro” – 5,650,000 euros.”

Considers the possibility of canceling the tender

The funding that must be provided for the implementation of the electronic passenger registration system in Daugavpils, looking at the tender offers, surprises even the city council management, but the desire to introduce the most modern technology in the city is there, said Aleksejs Vasiļjevs, 1st Deputy Chairman of the Municipal Council of Daugavpils State City (“Union of the Russians of Latvia”):

“We did not expect such large amounts.

There, the offers included options to pay for driving with a bank card, QR code, mobile application, including route planning systems. It was the most modern system in Latvia at the moment.”

The manager of the company Druvinieks also had similar thoughts about the development vision with the perspective of “Daugavpils satiksmė”: “If we do it, then, as the Latvian saying goes, we do it well. We would use one of the best systems in the country.”

The municipality is also considering the possibility of canceling this tender for the implementation of the electronic passenger registration system and announcing a new one, stated the non-partisan Daugavpils State City Council Deputy Chairman Valērijs Kononovs:

“It is better to talk about the results. Evaluation is underway, the final decision will be made by the Procurement Commission. I do not rule out the possibility that a new procurement will be announced after evaluating the relevance of this service package.”

Such an option has its negative sides, said Druvinieks: “It is scary that it can prolong the implementation process. That would be negative.”

At the same time, the deputy chairman of the city council, Vasilijevs, admitted that there is not much time for reflection:

“We cannot completely abandon the implementation of this system. These are state requirements. We must implement it by the end of 2024.”

The municipality of Daugavpils will have to decide in the near future – to announce a new competition or to allocate 4 or 5.6 million euros for passenger registration in public transport.