[jonno_atamaniuk]

So I was reading through news coming in from VIA Rail Canada, and I noticed that they are now doing e-ticketing . Not only this, but it seems that instead of going the route Amtrak did in the USA and going with the iPhone equipped with a scanner, they're going to be making use of BlackBerry devices with connected scanners. It seems to be a pilot program between Montreal and Qu�bec, but still pretty cool that they'd be doing that in my opinion! A great example of how BlackBerry devices are still relevant and useful for businesses.

this is the link i saw it on:

http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-r...lot-all-aboard

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

[jefftam68]

Interesting and good to see. Funny they show the actual e-ticket on an iPhone though..

[Michelle Haag]

Interesting and good to see. Funny they show the actual e-ticket on an iPhone though..

Well, you can view your tickets on your "smartphone"... so that's what the pic represents I'm guessing.
The scanning bit using BlackBerry smartphones is cool though. Glad to see it.

[jonno_atamaniuk]

Interesting and good to see. Funny they show the actual e-ticket on an iPhone though..

yeah, I had to laugh a bit at that as well, but then I remember that the iPhone is technically the most globally recognised smartphone out there to the average user.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

[Rootbrian]

This is.... Awesomesoup. I look forward to this when I finally get to travel on the VIA train, if taking a trip somewhere where distance would be overwhelming to travel by bike. I haven't taken the VIA train at all in my life, so this would be a first. I hope the pilot project succeeds!!

[jonno_atamaniuk]

This is.... Awesomesoup. I look forward to this when I finally get to travel on the VIA train, if taking a trip somewhere where distance would be overwhelming to travel by bike. I haven't taken the VIA train at all in my life, so this would be a first. I hope the pilot project succeeds!!

If you've never taken a Via Rail train trip, I suggest a weekend trip to Ottawa! It may be worthwhile checking to see which trains offer a baggage car, as it's otherwise not possible to take your bike with you. Best thing is, the trains are equipped with WiFi, so noticing how your particular particular service is with Wind in your profile there, you can avoid at least some roaming charges while using your device still.

[Disparishun]

This is fantastic. As much as RIM is making great strides in becoming more developer-friendly, I believe that this kind of initiative -- working with business to integrate RIM products into their workflow, and building custom apps and even hardware around it -- is exactly where RIM needs to be concentrating its efforts. If anything, the most important and most worthy BlackBerry and PlayBook apps will be those that emerge from this kind of effort.

If they're not already, RIM should be aggressively going after one or two companies in leading vertical segments like these, and basically working with them at cost or even for free to develop solutions like this. The deal could be that RIM doesn't charge for its employees' time, doesn't charge for any software development, retains all rights to any software developed (in order to reuse and release the generic bits as apps/services), and charges at cost for the hardware. RIM is already giving money away to developers. For a business- and solutions-oriented company like RIM, this is even more important.

[blackberry-unlocking710]

This is great and i hope more project and stuff like those will come up for Blackberry.