CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction

The advent of technology has revolutionized the way we book and reserve seats for various

events, transportation, and venues. The traditional method of booking tickets in person or over

the phone has become cumbersome and time-consuming. To address this, online booking and

seat reservation systems have emerged as a convenient and efficient solution.

An online booking and seat reservation system is a web-based application that enables

customers to search, select and reserve seats or book tickets online for various events,

transportation, or venues. This system streamlines the booking process, reducing errors and wait

times. It also provides customers with user-friendly interface to view availability, select seats,

and make payments securely.

The system aims to provide a convenient and efficient way for passengers to book and reserve

bus tickets online. This means that passengers can easily search for routes, select their preferred

travel dates and times, and pay for their tickets online, without having to visit a physical

ticketing office or wait in line.

1.1 Background of the study

The prevalent view in various global circles is that man is presently living in an age growth of

information gathering, processing and dissemination, popularly called the information age. For

this reason, managers and other users of information especially in transport industries are

demanding more kinds of information to support management and operations. They must

therefore respond to the increasing requirement for information and data management.

Electronic tickets, or e-tickets, gives evidence that their holders have the permission to enter a

place of entertainment, use a means of transportation, or have access to some Internet services.
The design of this online system will be beneficial to the company because it has not existed

before. Therefore, Cross Country Transport Company, Lafia, a viable investment owned by the

state government whose primary objectives are: to spread comfort and hospitality to passengers

away from their home, to make profit, will definitely appreciate a system which can automate

its manual operations in the area of bus ticket reservation in order to meet customers increasing

demand during peak and off peak seasons. The ultimate expectation is to inspire a feasibility

study aimed at providing proper guidance and awareness to any future potential investors,

particularly those in the bus industry, to consider utilizing the Imo transport, as a gateway to the

fertile soil of unlimited opportunities in the south-east Nigeria. Currently, staff at the bus ticket

counter is using an internal system to sell tickets at the counter and customers who are unable to

buy bus ticket online at this moment would have to go to the counter to a buy bus ticket.

Sometimes, customers’ needs to queue up a long queue to buy bus ticket and ask for information

and this brings a lot of inconveniences to customers. However, Online Bus Ticket Reservation

System enables the customer to buy bus ticket, make payment, and ask for information online

easily. Furthermore, staff can sell bus ticket using Bus Ticket Reservation System after checking

the bus ticket availability for the customer and print the bus ticket to the customer.

1.2 Statement of problem

Currently, the type of system being used at the counter is an internal system which is manually

used in selling the bus tickets. The problems facing the company are that customers have to go

to the counter to buy bus ticket or ask for bus schedule, customers will also have to queue up for

a long time in order to secure a bus ticket and will also need to pay cash when they buy the bus

ticket. Some factors that trigger the development of a new system are:
1) Time consuming: The manual system is very time consuming, stressful and more prone to

errors in purchasing a ticket, storing of data, and accessing of data.

2) Insecurity of data: This means lack of security of data or information. In the manual method,

records are kept in the office and several people may have opportunity to check all the files

because all the files are kept in an appropriate way, this will lead to losses of data and even theft

of the records that are valuable.

3) Data Inconsistency and Redundancy: In the manual method of keeping records for processing

and manipulation, man has in course of time, devised certain tools which include 4 paper, biro

and pencil which he used in recording of data or information and using these manual tools

makes him to have duplicate copy of stored data, with this redundancy of data and human errors

may be encountered and also many papers are wasted and consume many spaces for storing the

record.

4) Delay in Accessing Data: In the manual method of keeping records, accessing data or

information become very tedious, because all the files that contained information are not well

arranged the way that can be accessed in an appropriate and accurate manner, this will lead to

losses of stored information.

5) Ineffective Retrieval of Data: Considering the manual method of keeping records, retrieving

on information become very tedious, all files that contained the records are kept in sales office,

therefore retrieving are done by checking the files one after the other, this will consume time,

misplacement of data or information and wasting of energy. With this many errors will be

encountered. And it took time for the staff in the company to know all transactions.
1.3 Aim and objectives of the study

The aim is to design and implement a user-friendly online booking and seat reservation system,

providing a convenient and efficient way for passengers to book tickets and helping bus

operators manage booking and sakes effectively.

Objectives

• Design a user-friendly interface for customers to search and book seats

• Develop a robust database to store information on events, seats, and bookings

• Implement a secure payment gateway

• Create an administration panel for managing events, seats, and bookings

• Ensuring system security and data privacy

1.4 Significances of the study

This research survey identifies the need of developing and promoting a comprehensive Online

Bus Ticketing System web portal of various bus operators in Nigeria. This study explores views

from the bus ticketing companies as the service providers and the customers as the system users

upon the adoption of this system.

In this business competitive era, Information Communication Technology (ICT) is placed on a

platform by many organizations as their key indicator for success. Online data handling has

been a major tool to provide better customer service. By adapting ICT as a tool to provide the

bus operator’s management, it will not only improve operations efficiency, gaining competitive

advantages, delivering higher-quality services, but it will also lead an organization to superior
control over the booking process which will allow the customers to choose their services from

other competitors.

1.5 Scope of study

The reservation system has three modules. First module helps the customer to enquire the

availability of seats in a particular bus at particular date, the second module helps him to reserve

a ticket and with the third module he can cancel a reserved ticket. The current bus booking

system relies on buying tickets from the conductor for commuting to and from a location

through public transportation. The task can be tedious if the number of commuters is large.

1.6 Definition of terms

During the course of writing this seminar work, some words that need explanation are as

follows:

• Online system: A system that capture information according to a records classification system,

manage. store and provide access to records and their context over time.

• Reservation: The written record or promise of an arrangement by which accommodations are

secured in advance.

• Ticket: Is a fare that indicates that an individual is entitled to travel on a vehicle such as bus

ticket.

• Administrator: Refers to an authorized official of the airline who has the authority to change

and update the databases.

• Counter: The place where you pay for ticket when travelling.

• Cancellation: To invalidate the bus ticket before the departure of the bus.