Security hole-pattern punch

A ‘security hole-pattern punch’ is a device that can punch patterns in a ticket rather than a simple hole or obliteration. The objective of the device is to improve revenue protection by making it more difficult for passengers to reuse tickets.

The most common form is a punch with a set of pins, usually in a grid, that can be activated or deactivated to form a distinct pattern. When a paper ticket is inserted, a handle or button is pressed, and the pins pierce the paper to make the pattern.

The punch can either be wall-mounted in the interior of the vehicle, or is used by the driver to punch tickets at the point of boarding.

Security hole-patterns are mostly used for single journey tickets, which are pre-purchased individually or in bulk from kiosks and other outlets. This was a common means of ticketing in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

In the typical application, the same pin pattern is set for all the punches on an individual vehicle, but should vary from one vehicle to another. The pattern on the individual vehicle should also be varied from time to time, especially if the bus is regularly operating the same route.

When the ticket is punched, it receives a distinct pattern. When inspection personnel board the vehicle, they first insert a test ticket to identify the pattern, and will then check the tickets on the bus to see if they match that pattern (if not, then the ticket had previously been used on another vehicle).

Benefits of security hole-pattern punch are:

• Very simple technology.
• The ticket is clearly marked.
• The pattern provides a moderate level of protection against reuse of tickets.
• Low cost.
• Low maintenance requirements.

Cautions with regard to security hole-pattern punches are:

• There is usually a limited number of combinations (e.g. 3x3 or 5x5 pin grid).
• In practice, pin patterns are not changed as often as they should be. Regular passengers can retain tickets and reuse them when the board that vehicle.
• Unless diligently monitored, the punches on the same vehicle may have a different pattern, which defeats the security control.
• Sometimes the punch may become stiff, so that the perforation does not function properly. The customer does not realize they have failed to properly punch their ticket, leading to disputes in case of inspection.
• No transaction data are generated to support administrative or planning processes.