Atif Hussain oversees manpower planning, payroll, attendance, performance and training for 1,300+ employees across 26 stations, two depots, servicing yards and two substations. OLMRTS runs HR software for public transportation on Resourceinn to keep those records in one place.
Challenges
Choosing HR software for public transportation means solving problems an office never faces. Any HR software for public transportation has to fit staff, shifts and sites that are never in one building.
Paper Records and Manual Checking
When OLMRTS started operations in 2020, employee records arrived as a pile of documents. HR staff checked by hand whether each person was present, absent, late or early, again and again. HR software for public transportation should return those hours to planning and people.
"All those things you got to see on a pile of paper, and then your HR personnel are sitting and they're checking each and everyone repeatedly."
No Single System for Four HR Domains
OLMRTS needs HR support in four areas: talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, performance and policy, and training. In its market research, the HR team found no product that covered all four. One tool handled attendance well but not training. Another handled training well but not payroll. The team wanted one HR software for public transportation that did every job.
"One was way too good for the training part. The other one was not good when it comes to the payroll."
Attendance Across 30+ Locations
More than 30 locations hold OLMRTS staff. Attendance machines at every site are costly. HR software for public transportation has to record attendance where people actually work.
"When my workforce is scattered, they are not just in one location, but they are in multiple locations."
Headcount and Late Arrivals at Scale
Staffing also had to stay inside approved positions, so a role capped at 100 people could never reach 101. Late arrival was the other pressure point. HR software for public transportation must show lateness on the day it happens.
"That's where the problem lies so many times. People are not coming on time."
Solution
OLMRTS chose Resourceinn to run HR on one platform. For OLMRTS, HR software for public transportation means one HRMS that every station and depot can use.
Centralized Digital Records and Self-Service
OLMRTS moved its records off paper into a centralized HRMS. The work ran through 2020 and 2021 and ended with 100% of employee profiles built in the system. Employees use the employee self-service mobile app for attendance, leave and requests. Payslips and income tax certificates came later, as Resourceinn evolved with OLMRTS’s requirements. Good HR software for public transportation grows with its operator.
"Imagine the amount of cost that we saved on doing this digitization and automation. The paper cost was saved a lot."
One HRMS for Recruitment, Compensation, Performance and Training
One HR software for public transportation now supports all four HR domains. OLMRTS staffs one dedicated HR resource for every 100 employees, split across talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, performance and policy, and training. It works as an HRMS for public sector organizations and as training management software HR can rely on. Tahir Mubeen, Manager Stations, reads attendance for his 350+ employees in the same system.
"One single window where we can get all the information. After that we can evaluate the staff."
Geofenced Mobile Attendance
Every station, depot and servicing yard is geofenced, and employees mark attendance from the app only at their assigned location. Geofenced mobile attendance turned each phone into an attendance machine and removed the cost of fitting machines at 30+ sites. Atif tested the control himself, using fake geo location apps to mark his own attendance, and the system blocked him. Arif Ali, Deputy Manager MIS, worked on a cafe system that uses real time attendance to prepare meals for 26 stations. He says the project is in a queue and the team is very happy with it. Attendance data from HR software for public transportation now serves departments beyond HR.
"But then I saw that you guys have really blocked me in doing any of those activities."
Manpower Planning Locks and Live Dashboards
Manpower planning is one of Atif’s favourite modules. He locks a position at its approved count, so no 101st person can enter a role capped at 100. That is what headcount planning software should do: keep hiring inside the number leadership approved. The manpower planning software also shows open, in process and interview stage positions on one small screen. The HR analytics dashboard software adds the daily view, so HR can spot attendance patterns early and ask the people involved what is going wrong. Daily visibility like this is what a large transit workforce needs from HR software for public transportation.
"You can easily identify in real time… today 20 people, 30 people, they did not reach on time."
Impact
- Paper Records and Manual Checking: with HR software for public transportation in place, paper compliance fell to zero and the cost of paper was saved.
- Paper Records and Manual Checking: HR staff moved from paper checking to work that improves efficiency.
- No Single System for Four HR Domains: one HR software for public transportation now covers talent acquisition, compensation, performance and training.
- No Single System for Four HR Domains: the training modules are delivering optimally, according to Atif.
- Attendance Across 30+ Locations: HR software for public transportation put a mobile phone in place of the attendance machine at every geofenced location, and Atif’s own fake location test was blocked.
- Headcount and Late Arrivals at Scale: HR software for public transportation locks positions so no role goes over its approved count.
- Headcount and Late Arrivals at Scale: HR software for public transportation shows the same day when 20 or 30 people did not arrive on time
Results
OLMRTS set its HR goals year by year. In 2020 and 2021 the goal was full digitization and 100% employee profiles, and paper compliance went to zero. From 2021 to 2023 the focus moved to a 100% tally of payroll sheets. Payroll software for transportation companies earns its place on one test, whether the numbers are right, and Atif reports that payroll processing handled transactions in the millions without errors, delays or excess payments. In 2024 and 2025 the team used its HR software for public transportation for advanced performance management. Atif credits the Resourceinn team’s 24/7 availability for hitting those goals on time.
"We wanted to make sure that this goes to 0%. And that's something we achieved through Resourceinn."
Atif also says OLMRTS has been recognized repeatedly at the Employer of the Year awards, winning the gold category. Atif’s research showed that HR software for public transportation has to cover every HR function, and Resourceinn did. OLMRTS has now run HR on Resourceinn for six years, since 2020.
Why Public Transportation Companies Choose Resourceinn
1,100+ companies across 30+ industries run HR on Resourceinn. Public transport operators have staff spread over stations, depots and yards, large payrolls and strict headcount caps. HR software for public transportation has to cover all of that in one system, the gap Atif found when he compared products.
HR software for metro rail and workforce management software for public transit must work where the staff are. Resourceinn gives each employee one record for attendance, leave, payroll, performance, training and recruitment, so station managers and payroll teams read the same data. That is why HR software for public transportation works best as one system. Read more success stories from companies that moved HR onto one platform.
M. Awais, Payroll Specialist, has worked in performance, talent acquisition and payroll on Resourceinn:
"Resourceinn is a very good platform where you can manage your manpower."
Mudassar Ali, Assistant Manager CNB, manages the leave, attendance and payroll modules:
"With their support, with their technical skills, I am much satisfied with their support and technicalities of this system."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is HR software for public transportation?
HR software for public transportation is a system that manages attendance, leave, payroll, recruitment, performance, and training for transit staff working across stations, depots, and yards. It replaces paper registers and separate tools with a centralized employee record. At Orange Line Metro Train (OLMRTS), Resourceinn covers these areas for 1,300+ employees working across more than 30 locations.
How does a geofence attendance system work for staff at stations and depots?
Employees open the mobile app at their assigned location, and check-in is accepted only when their phone is inside that location’s geofence. Each station, depot, and servicing yard is geofenced, allowing a mobile phone to replace a physical attendance machine at every site. OLMRTS’s HR manager tested a fake-location app against the system himself and was blocked.
How does headcount planning software keep hiring within approved positions?
A manpower planning module allows HR to set and lock a headcount limit for a position or department, preventing hiring beyond the approved number. OLMRTS’s HR manager uses this feature to lock a position at a fixed count, such as 100 employees, so a 101st person cannot be added to that role. Recruitment dashboards also display open positions, applications in process, and candidates at the interview stage on one screen.
Is HR software suitable for a metro rail workforce of 1,300+ employees?
Yes, provided the system supports multi-site attendance, payroll, and all major HR functions in one place. OLMRTS manages 1,300+ employees using Resourceinn, with one dedicated HR resource for every 100 employees. The HR team is divided across talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, performance and policy, and training. Station managers also have a single window for accessing attendance and staff information.
What should a public transport company look for in HR software?
Public transport companies should look for a single system that combines attendance, payroll, recruitment, performance management, and training. OLMRTS’s HR manager found during market research that some products handled attendance well but lacked training features, while others supported training but not payroll. Companies should also evaluate mobile attendance with geofencing for distributed locations, layered security, and real-time dashboards.
How can HR analytics dashboard software show late arrivals in real time?
HR analytics dashboards use live attendance data to identify employees who have not reached their assigned locations on time. At OLMRTS, HR can see when 20 or 30 employees have arrived late and follow up with them to understand the reasons. These dashboards also help HR identify areas where labour discipline and attendance require attention.
How accurate can payroll software for transportation companies be at scale?
Payroll accuracy improves when attendance and leave records feed directly into payroll instead of being manually re-entered from paper records. OLMRTS set a goal of achieving 100% payroll sheet reconciliation from 2021 to 2023 and reports processing payroll worth millions of rupees without errors, delays, or excess payments. Employees can also access their payslips and income tax certificates through the system.
How long does it take a transit operator to move to paperless HR software?
Moving to paperless HR is a phased process rather than a single cutover. At OLMRTS, the focus in 2020 and 2021 was on digitizing core modules and creating profiles for 100% of employees, reducing paper-based compliance to zero. Payroll reconciliation followed from 2021 to 2023, performance management was implemented in 2024 and 2025, and training management followed in 2025 and 2026.
What results can a metro or transit operator expect from HR software?
Results depend on the organization’s starting point and implementation approach. OLMRTS reports 100% digitization of its core HR modules, paper-based compliance reduced to zero, and error-free payroll processing. HR staff who previously spent time checking paper records and maintaining files can focus on higher-value work. Real-time attendance data also supports other operations, including a cafe system that prepares meals based on actual attendance across 26 stations.
How secure is employee data in a cloud HR system?
Employee data security depends on multiple layers of protection rather than a single login check. OLMRTS’s HR manager says Resourceinn’s multi-tiered security provides the organization with an additional layer of protection and reports that the organization has not experienced hacked-account or ID-related problems. Attendance is also linked to geofenced locations, helping prevent attempts to manipulate check-ins using fake-location apps.
