myTrip ticketing designed for small operators
Technology company Passenger is launching myTrip, a mobile ticketing and tracking app for buses. Aimed at the needs of smaller operators, the app is intended to boost customer confidence as they return to travel.
Due to be released in August, myTrip is being developed to help smaller operators without existing apps (including school and shuttle bus services) as the UK emerges from lockdown. myTrip users will be able to buy bus tickets from their mobile and see live bus locations for the services operating in their area. As well as the live location, they will be able to see information about the bus itself via Passenger’s new Enhanced Vehicle Information feature, including when the bus was last cleaned and whether the bus is ‘quiet’, ‘moderate’ or ‘busy’. The technology specialist believes this will help to welcome customers back on board as the economy opens back up.
myTrip is designed to be an affordable offering, with features including mobile ticketing, live bus tracking, in-app/contact free verification service (for student or other ID-verified discounted tickets) and free Bus Open Data Service (BODS) hosting. Users will also be able to contribute feedback on how busy a bus is. This information is then weighted and analysed against data from electronic ticket machine (ETM) hardware suppliers, drivers and other sources to show the buses occupancy in real-time.
Passenger CEO, Tom Quay, said: “Safely returning to normality as the COVID lockdown is lifted is hugely important and a big task for the UK’s public transport operators. Bus operators must balance user’s needs and government guidance. myTrip will help extend support – to every operator – to meet these needs confidently, on a fantastic app platform and supported by our hugely dedicated and passionate team.”