Transformations in the Ticket Distribution Network for Public Urban Transport in the Processes of Implementation of Electronic Fare Collection Systems

In many cities in Poland and worldwide, systems of electronic collection of fares for the use of public urban transport are implemented ever more widely. The most common starting point for assessing the efficiency of such systems is the comparison of costs of the currently functioning system with those of a system using electronic cards. Using the example of the Silesian Public Services Card project, implemented in the central part of the Provence of Silesia, by municipalities that form the Municipal Transport Union of the Upper Silesian Industrial District an attempt has been made to compare the costs of existing system of sale and distribution of paper tickets, and the system of electronic fare collection based on the electronic Silesian Card of Public Services (SKUP). Attention should be paid to the fact that modern systems, which are based on electronic tickets, give much wider possibilities of efficient management of process and transport service offer, hence they are related to obtaining greater external advantages, which is of much importance for investments financed using public funds.