Flowbird, the bus ticketing and payments specialist, has launched a new bus technology package that will help operators transform the travel experience for customers… and fully participate in a vibrant future.
The company’s Bus Back Better offer ticks all the boxes for contactless payments and capped ticketing set out by the Department for Transport (DfT) in its vision for the future of bus travel.
The Flowbird package not only offers easier, safer transactions for passengers but also positions bus operators strongly to participate in the Enhanced Partnerships with local transport authorities that will be so important to the future viability of providers of bus services.
“We know that successful bus provision and use is critical for the effective functioning of our society and economy,” says Alistair Aitken, Business Development Executive at Flowbird.
“The National Bus Strategy for England and the funding opportunities unveiled by government reflect this key role, so as technology partners for bus operators, we have developed a package that makes investment in contactless ticketing and payments both future-proof and affordable.”
The new Flowbird package includes a driver console, contactless cEMV, capped fares capability, Bus Open Data Service compliance and ITSO certification, along with cloud hosted back office software and a long warranty. In addition, flexible payment terms, low transaction fees and monthly charges make this offer attractive to large and small bus operators.
“Our Bus Back Better offer supports the immediate needs of operators in optimising available Government support while at the same time delivering the digital systems specified in Enhanced Partnerships that will open up new opportunities for bus companies,” adds Alistair.
High on the list of priorities for the DfT’s bus strategy are:
• Simpler bus fares with daily price caps
• Better service integration and ticketing across all transport modes
• Contactless payment on all buses.
“Besides meeting government requirements, the new solution offers straightforward integration with other applications such as passenger apps and m-ticketing, as well as validators for ‘touch on, touch off’ – perfectly preparing operators for the new era of fare payments and wider mobility systems.”
The package also provides a pathway to Flowbird’s bus-oriented mobility hub – which is available for operators and local transport authorities – opening up new retailing opportunities and on-demand service provision as the wider transport sector moves towards greater multi-modal integration.
Bus transport will play an even greater role in getting people out of cars onto sustainable transport – and bus operators can be confident that this package will provide them with a reliable solution today and a future-ready platform for tomorrow.”
Included in the Bus Back Better package is CloudFare, a powerful cloud-hosted back office that provides operators with a range of features to run, manage and monitor bus operations, support growth in ridership and help deliver enhanced passenger satisfaction.
CloudFare provides complete control over fare pricing and ticketing structures, manages existing schemes, while enabling the introduction of new payment options. It is hosted by Flowbird as a secure software service and includes a settlement system, operator and customer facing web portal, Payment as a Service and automatic fare collection.
The Bus Back Better package is the latest innovation from Flowbird in its position as a core technology partner for bus operators in towns and cities around the world. Flowbird systems are enabling the sector to respond to growing consumer demand for frictionless travel, while speeding up boarding times and making it easier, quicker and safer for people to access and use public transport.
For example, for Lothian Buses in Edinburgh, the company provided the enabling technology for Scotland’s first ever ‘tap and cap’ contactless system. At the same time, Flowbird’s back office expertise is creating flexible, modular and scalable solutions for the management and control of network assets and systems, including ticket retailing infrastructures in France, Northern Ireland, the United States, Finland, Australia and beyond.
To find out more about the Flowbird Bus Back Better package, call 01202 339 452 or go to www.flowbird.group/transport/bus-back-better/
