Passengers could help fill buses quicker by switching from traditional cash tickets to new mobile tickets, according to new research.
First, which operates a number of routes across Manchester, has carried out research which revealed that if passengers paid for tickets via their smart phone bus boarding times could be up to 75% fasters.
The company experimented with the time it takes to board 50 people onto a bus with customers paying by cash versus customers using mTickets.
The results were revealing – boarding 50 cash customers took 10 minutes 30 seconds, while 50 customers using their smartphones took two-and-a-half minutes – a massive eight-minute reduction, some 75 per cent.
First Manchester said that if enough passengers make the switch, boarding times would become so much quicker that average journey times would reduce, despite the ever increasing congestion on the city’s roads.
Ian Humphreys, Head of Commercial at First Manchester, said: “Our research has demonstrated that converting customers from cash to mTickets or other forms of smart ticketing has a huge impact on boarding times, and will help us in the battle to speed up the bus, despite the very stark congestion issues that we face.
“We are determined to transform the experience for all our customers and I am delighted that technology is now able to deliver so many benefits for our passengers. The combination of journey planning, free wi-fi, real time information and mTickets, really does make the bus an increasingly attractive option for so many journey needs.”
The ‘Catch The Bus With Less Fuss’ campaign raises awareness of a range of simple to use technology that is helping First Manchester transform bus journeys.
For more information about the technology that is helping customers use the bus, click here.
Picture courtesy of Mikey, with thanks.