Paper-wrapped? Still indispensable for a long time

The question has been on the table for a long time:

Will the conventional paper ticket be replaced by the e-ticket?

Dipl.-Ing (FH) Klaus Baldig, Development Manager at GeBE, sees the clear answer to this question as being somewhat further away for several reasons than one might currently think.

Paper tickets? Still indispensable for a long time to come.

Basically, there shouldn’t be any paper tickets anymore – their end has been predicted many times for about 20 years now. Nevertheless: the demand for thermal printing heads is increasing annually, because there is an increasing amount of printing – including tickets. Yet there are technical solutions that could make them obsolete long ago. So what still speaks in favor of the printed ticket?

The principle of ticketing in the traditional sense has long been tried and tested and works well in a completely offline environment. Tickets are available at the vending machine, on the bus or at the kiosk at any time, and the invalidated tickets are easy to verify. Neither the storage nor the verification require additional equipment, and for a refund by the employer or the tax authorities, the ticket serves as proof at the same time.

Alternative ticketing systems

With alternative solutions such as magnetic cards or chip cards, paper is no longer just being replaced in metropolises worldwide; the trend towards e-tickets is also continuing unabated. In practice, this looks like this:
The plastic card is already purchased or recharged on-site; payment is made in cash or online. Although automatic access control is sufficient, folders are needed in case of errors in reading. There is no place for sales points, vending machines, or staff here.

In ticketing systems without paper tickets, cash payments, vending machines, and sales points, tickets are purchased using a mobile, internet-capable device (e.g., a smartphone). Subsequent printing on A4 paper (as proof of purchase) is disproportionately expensive. And what if the internet connection is lost? Even in the long-established e-ticket area, attempts to access the boarding cards on the smartphone at the gate are often futile. The fact that a breakdown of the internet connection and thus the ticketing system in public transport would have fatal consequences for all involved is self-evident.

Would you prefer „black on white“?

The widespread implementation of purely internet-based ticketing systems is hindered by the fact that many people cannot or do not want to use their smartphones for purchases. And for many, printed paper is also considered particularly reliable. „I have it in black and white!“ counts – even (and perhaps especially) with increasing digitalization.

„There are people who don’t even have a mobile phone or deliberately choose to have only a landline without internet connection. (…) In Germany there are 11 million people like that, called offliners in technical jargon. 99 percent of them are 65 years old and older…“ (Süddeutsche Zeitung online: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/kommentar-recht-auf-papier-1.3506081). That is a not insignificant number of potential passengers.

Furthermore, the question of how personal data is handled in the case of plastic cards and internet-based solutions is constantly sparking controversial discussions. If you pay with an EC card, at least it is recorded that certain amounts have been spent on trips. If you want to be on the safe side in this regard, you are probably better off buying a paper ticket and paying in cash.

Advantages of alternative ticketing:

– Purchase also without cash
– Plastic cards are reusable
– Passenger behavior can be evaluated
– lockable in case of loss
– Cost savings through the reduction of sales outlets, vending machines and staff

Advantages of paper tickets:

– Technology suitable for children or the elderly
– no plastic waste, especially for single tickets
– Passenger behavior hardly understandable (data protection)
– direct proof (e.g. for employers)
– high forgery security

Outlook from the perspective of the thermal printer manufacturer GeBE:

OEM customers from the public transport sector are increasingly relying on the specialization and individualization of their components. The focus here is, among other things, on reducing costs through the level of service. In addition to redesigns, developments for completely new generations of devices for public transport are also being commissioned without any reduction in quality. Therefore, the departure from the paper ticket is still some way off.

From the operators’ perspective, the advantages are: paper tickets are inexpensive and the thermal printers are maintenance-free. They do not require any color ribbons or toners; only the paper needs to be refilled. If the vending machines have an extra large paper supply (sometimes up to two kilometers), this reduces costs. The lifespan of thermal printers, with up to 200 kilometers of run time, is usually significantly longer than that of inkjet or laser printers. Only the regular handling of the cash at the vending machine represents a relatively large effort.

All common systems have been used purposefully. Paper tickets are particularly attractive for one-way trips. They are easy to handle, well-preserved, relatively environmentally friendly, and tamper-proof. For multi-trip or perpetual tickets, chip cards are interesting. They fit into any wallet and can be locked in case of loss. They are more robust than paper tickets, but their lifespan is limited. Here, the waste issue must be kept in mind and a deposit system could be improved upon.

In the long term, purely internet-based ticket management will likely prevail. However, many inherent disadvantages still need to be eliminated first, and it is ultimately necessary to determine to what extent such a fundamental service as mobility should be oriented towards the (among other things relied upon by) public transport users, and whether the „offline“ users can actually be turned into „online“ users. Until then, the printed ticket remains indispensable.