INIT will continue to supply contactless ticketing and vehicle location technology on board Nottingham City Transport (NCT) buses via a new six-year deal.
The arrangement continues a 21-year partnership between the operator and the supplier, which has its UK headquarters in Nottingham’s Lace Market area.
Account-based ticketing (ABT), enhancements of the planning, driver dispatching and rostering system, and an upgrade of the automatic vehicle location (AVL) system will result from the extended collaboration.
Notable prior developments of the partnership between INIT and NCT have included the introduction of contactless payments in 2020 and the groundbreaking roll-out of an “Oyster-style” multi-operator tap-and-go system in 2022.
Among the upcoming changes will be the replacement of the traditional Easyrider card-based system with an Easyrider ABT solution. Passengers will now be able to choose either card or mobile barcode for travel.
NCT bus users will be able to manage both their own and family members’ travel from one account.
INIT’s “MOBILE-ITCS nextGen” automatic vehicle location system, which is also part of the upgrade, is designed to be more scalable and future-proof.
Jens Mullak, Managing Director of INIT, says: “We’re delighted to continue our long-standing partnership with Nottingham City Transport, supporting one of the UK’s most forward-thinking public transport networks.
“This new SaaS agreement marks an exciting new chapter, bringing smarter, more seamless travel experiences to passengers through account-based ticketing and the next generation of cloud capable back office systems.
“By harmonising ticketing, AVL and planning and dispatching, we are not only improving convenience for passengers but also empowering NCT to operate more efficiently and responsively than ever before.”
Anthony Carver-Smith, Head of Marketing and Projects at NCT says: “NCT and INIT have partnered for over 21 years, delivering high quality real time predictions to customers through the NCTX Buses app and website and a ticketing solution which saw the first multi modal, multi-operator capped contactless system introduced in the UK outside London.
“We are delighted to build on this success through our new six-year contract, which will see significant upgrades to both of these systems and our internal scheduling systems at the same time”.
