Hoeft & Wessel set for two premieres at the IT-Trans 2012:

The company Hoeft & Wessel AG, one of the leading providers of ticketing solutions in Europe, will be presenting the left-hand drive version of their new on-board computer with ticket printer at the IT-Trans in Karlsruhe. With the new unit, transport companies in Continental Europe will also be able to offer high-speed e-Ticketing, and even NFC-Ticketing, on their buses and trams. Hoeft & Wessel is currently in the process of equipping the United Kingdom’s biggest private bus transport operator, the FirstGroup, with more than 4,000 ticketing systems of the new almex.optima bl product series. 

During the conference, Hoeft & Wessel AG will also be presenting a newly developed mobile control terminal for electronic tickets. The reader with a very small and convenient form factor can recognise and read e-Tickets based on RFID, OCR and barcode technologies. This makes the new almex.motive terminal suitable for use with the e-Ticketing standards ITSO, Calypso and VDV-KA. Available options are WLAN and NFC technology. A world-first in this new development is that the terminal can be connected to a handheld over a secure Bluetooth connection and can thus function as an external expansion of handheld devices.    

The business-line version of the successful on-board computer product series almex.optima comes with a new multi-functional reader that is able to recognise credit cards featuring EMV contactless technology (MasterCard PayPass^TM and Visa payWave^TM) as well as e-Tickets conforming to the standards in use throughout Europe. This facilitates the operation for passengers, since they only need to present their e-Ticket, credit card, mobile phone or printed ticket to the reader, which then checks the validity within less than 500 milliseconds. This will speed up boarding and, in combination with the background system, makes for an efficient ticketing system. 

The large 8” touch display provides the driver with an optimally equipped workstation, while retaining a clear view ahead, thanks to the unit's compact design. The almex.optima bl can be fitted to all types of buses and tram systems. Moreover, the unit supports ITCS and telematics applications. An additional feature of the new almex.optima bl is the slightly angled display presenting information to passengers. The display is level with the side-mounted electronic reader, making it easy for passengers to view the information. Moreover, persons with mobility restrictions can also reach and view this integrated operating panel quite easily. 

Over recent years Hoeft & Wessel AG has supplied more than 25,000 electronic on-board computers with ticket printer throughout Europe and to South Africa. Customers have a choice between the business-line model almex.optima bl and the comfort-line model almex.optima cl with a vertically adjustable driver display and a separate module aligned so as to allow passengers boarding the vehicle to select ticket functions.