HCLTech, an Indian technology company, has been engaged by the Department of Transport and Planning in Victoria, Australia. The initiative aims to automate the concession entitlement process for public transport users, a significant advancement in enhancing travel experiences in the region.

Revolutionizing Concession Entitlements

Victoria’s public transport network, with over 605 million trips annually, has a substantial proportion of concession cardholders, comprising students, retirees, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Approximately 35% of these trips are made by concession users. To improve the concession process, HCLTech will develop the Concessions Entitlement Validation Platform (CEVP), a novel solution designed to enable instant proof of concession entitlement and offer a user-friendly interface for passengers to manage their concession rights.

Innovative Features and User-Centric Approach

The integration of credit card and concession card, facilitated by the CEVP, will be a pioneering feature in the nation. This integration aims to provide increased payment flexibility for concession cardholders, an important step in making public transport more accessible.

HCLTech’s plan involves deploying digital workflow orchestration solutions and adopting agile development methodologies to implement the CEVP across Victoria. The company also commits to ongoing maintenance, customer center support, and training for Department of Transport and Planning employees.

Michael Horton, Executive Vice President and Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand at HCLTech, emphasized the ‘human-first’ approach in designing the solution. Horton highlighted the importance of catering to the needs of concession travelers, who often include some of the most vulnerable members of the community. He stressed that using technology to support these users is as crucial as unlocking business value.

Enhancing Public Transport Experience

This collaboration between HCLTech and the Department of Transport and Planning is poised to significantly improve the public transport experience in Victoria, aligning with the growing global trend of digitizing public services for enhanced efficiency and user satisfaction.