The project's need
In the Varto district of Mus, the municipality runs its city bus route not only as a transport service but also as a social support instrument. That placed a burden a cash system could not carry:
The cost of social support could not be measured at all. Discounted or free travel entitlements for students, the elderly and those in need were being applied in practice; but nobody knew the annual cost of that entitlement to the municipality, or how many people used it how many times. Support that cannot be budgeted also becomes questionable in terms of sustainability.
Entitlement was left to the driver's discretion. Deciding on board who travels at a discount produced both inconsistency and unnecessary disputes.
Citizens had no way of seeing their own balance. They could only learn what was left on their next boarding.
Why an akbil system was chosen
Varto approached the project differently from other municipalities: the priority was not revenue growth but making social support visible and calculable. The system was therefore designed from the outset as "akbil + social card". Free or discounted travel entitlement was modelled not as an exception but as a defined card type in the system, so that its use is recorded and reported just like any ordinary passage.
The general structure of the system
- Vehicle layer: Sole validators facing the door were mounted on the buses. When a card is tapped the fare is set by the card type's tariff rather than on the device; when a card with free entitlement is tapped the transaction is recorded in exactly the same way, only the amount is zero.
- Top-up layer: Balance loading is done at a point designated by the municipality, and every transaction is documented with a receipt.
- Central layer: Card type, tariff and social support entitlements are defined centrally. When an entitlement period expires the card automatically falls back to the standard tariff, with no manual intervention required.
Every transaction being traceable
The most critical outcome for Varto is this: social support is now a reportable line item. The municipality can see the number of free and discounted passages, how many times each card type was used, and the monthly value of that. This makes the support possible to budget, and also makes it auditable whether the support actually reaches those entitled to it. The balance and entitlement on a lost card can be frozen and transferred to a new card.
The benefit delivered
- The cost of social support became measurable. Free and discounted passages are reported separately and the municipality can budget for this item.
- Entitlement is not argued on board. The decision is defined by the card type, not left to the driver's judgement.
- Revenue recorded from day one. Route revenue is reported daily and monthly without manual counting.
- The driver's load is lighter. Taking money, giving change and judging discounts have left the vehicle.
- The municipality's own address is on the card. Citizens reach accurate information about the card and the service through the municipality's official channel.
Carrying the card beyond transport
Because the card in Varto was defined as a "social card" from the start, extending it beyond transport is a natural step. The same card can be used at a sports hall entrance, a public canteen, a cultural centre or a library; each service is defined and reported separately in the system. All entitlements the municipality grants to citizens are thus managed through a single identity.
Card designs
Varto Municipality’s cards are colour-coded by tariff: green for the full fare card, red for the student card. The front carries the municipality’s own domain (varto.bel.tr); the back is printed with the terms of use and top-up information.
