Ticketer continues to support bus operators, their customers and authorities including the government while the landscape in the bus industry is undergoing changes because of coronavirus COVID-19.
The partnership with the government has seen Ticketer work with the Department for Transport by helping to inform Downing Street briefings on national public transport usage on an hourly and daily basis via anonymised and aggregated data.
Operators have also benefited from that partnership. Ticketer is “in a prime position” to help them to accelerate submissions for and payments of grants by collaboratively developing the necessary data for the COVID-19 Bus Services Support Grant.
Ticketer has additionally prioritised the development and support of initiatives to provide additional key functionality to operators free of charge during the pandemic. They include:
- Implementing the £45 EMV contactless card limit through a seamless transition. It has given additional means of safeguarding passenger and drivers by encouraging the use of contactless card payments
- Passenger counting to allow enhanced capacity management. That has delivered accurate, immediate bus-by-bus reporting for additional operational efficiency and passenger safety. It was delivered in less than a month
- Road restriction alerts, providing enhanced safety for new drivers and new routes
- New functionality during the first user check. Defect reporting is automated to remove paper and simplify the process, with checks and faults captured electronically. That reduces engineering staffing levels and cuts the contact required between drivers and engineers
- Wheelchair space availability monitoring. By recognising the importance of this, operators can now view remotely and advise wheelchair users whether there is space for them, avoiding the need to wait in crowded areas unnecessarily
- Bus capacity monitoring at stops. That enhances passenger safety and increases the operator’s capacity awareness. Drivers are advised if specific vehicle capacity has been reached, allowing operational staff to review and react remotely. They can also alert passenger via app
- Automation for Bus Open Data Service reporting. With the increased frequency of timetable changes, Ticketer can directly supply this data, taking away the pain of manual processing and enhancing accuracy.
Says CEO John Clarfelt: “This is a critical time for our industry. As a business, we have had to remain agile and adapt to a new world. Fresh thinking, commitment and complete flexibility to meet ever chancing requirements have been key.”
