Advanced technology alleviates congestion in bus terminals

Guangzhou's bus terminals have begun to use facial recognition technology to verify tickets. [Photo/xkb.com.cn] 

Guangzhou's bus terminals are utilizing facial recognition technology for ticket verification during the Spring Festival travel rush, which began on Feb 1 and will last until March 12.

The new ticket-verification system will shorten wait times for passengers and assist police in tracking suspicious persons at bus terminals.

The whole process makes use of the latest technologies and takes about three seconds, said one passenger at the Guangdong Provincial Bus Station on Feb 1.

The system not only offers convenience but also makes travel much safer for passengers, according to staff members from Guangzhou's transportation department.

"We just take a picture of the passenger and match it with the photo on their ID card. The whole process is extremely quick and extremely accurate."

A passenger uses the facial recognition system at the Guangdong Provincial Bus Station before boarding. [Photo/xkb.com.cn] 

Many bus terminals in Guangzhou began to implement the technology early in December of 2017.

Apart from ticket verification, facial recognition has also been used in duty reports for bus drivers to help confirm their qualifications.

Guangzhou's transportation departments also use other technologies to check luggage, monitor bus conditions, avoid overloading and make sure drivers are wearing their seatbelts. 

A bus driver reports for duty using a self-service machine featuring facial recognition technology at the Guangdong Provincial Bus Station. [Photo/xkb.com.cn]