From Wellglade Kinchbus
50 Kinchbus and Skylink customers will trial the UK’s first cloud-based contactless payment system that guarantees the best fare on every trip.
By simply tapping their contactless cards when they get on and off the bus, customers’ accounts will be charged overnight with the cheapest possible fare for their exact journeys. Customers can check what they’ve paid via an app or our secure website.
During the December trial volunteers will be able to use their contactless debit or credit cards (initially, Visa and MasterCard branded) to make contactless payments on:
• Kinchbus 2 linking Loughborough, Charnwood villages and Leicester
• Then Kinchbus 9 between Loughborough and Nottingham
• And the skylink route linking Derby, Loughborough and Leicester with East Midlands Airport.
Each person taking part in the trial will be given additional discounts on their bus travel for providing feedback on the new system.
Alex Kerr, general manager at Kinchbus, said: “We believe this is the first of its kind on buses in the UK. It’s as simple as touch on, touch off, and the system works out the best value travel for our customers.
Whilst some contactless trials elsewhere have used standard card readers for buying fixed fares and tickets, we are going the extra mile with contactless touch-on, touch-off, as it’s a quick, convenient method of paying for everyday transactions such as bus fares.
Customers won’t need to remember to have cash or to pre-select a ticket – the best value fare will be worked out for them based on their precise journeys each day.”
Two university students have already been road-testing the contactless payments. One is Nipunika Silva, 20, a natural sciences student at the University of Leicester, who said: “It’s an easy way to pay. You don’t have to have sufficient change or go to an ATM or fish around in your bag. If you’re in a rush to catch the bus, then it’s a great way to pay. Since I started the test I no longer pay in any other way.”
Alex said: “Testing has gone very well so far. Once we have run November’s trial we will be able to see if it is a popular success. If customers love paying with contactless cards, we can consider whether we should roll it out further.”
A UK Cards Association spokeswoman said: “Bringing contactless payments to buses in this trial will make travel more convenient for passengers, who will be able to use the bank card already in their pockets to pay their fare.”
Alexander Peschkoff, CEO of TEDIPAY, the company that provides that game-changing smart ticketing solution, said: “Bus fares are an ideal purchase for contactless payments. Kinchbus is a pioneering partner working with us to bring the benefits to their customers.”
NOW SEE THE LATEST ON THE NEW FOCUS FLICKR WEBSITE
Whilst in the Midlands with this posting we may as well stay here with a couple more albums from the 2016 Showbus event held at Donington Park adjacent to the East Midlands Airport. These can now be viewed by clicking here for a selection of preserved full front double-decks, and here for half-cab double-decks.
FOCUS TRANSPORT APOLOGISE FOR POSTINGS THAT MAY BE CANCELLED, DELAYED OR DISRUPTED OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. No leaves on the line or the wrong kind of snow, just major engineering at the home hub. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.
By simply tapping their contactless cards when they get on and off the bus, customers’ accounts will be charged overnight with the cheapest possible fare for their exact journeys. Customers can check what they’ve paid via an app or our secure website.
During the December trial volunteers will be able to use their contactless debit or credit cards (initially, Visa and MasterCard branded) to make contactless payments on:
• Kinchbus 2 linking Loughborough, Charnwood villages and Leicester
• Then Kinchbus 9 between Loughborough and Nottingham
• And the skylink route linking Derby, Loughborough and Leicester with East Midlands Airport.
Each person taking part in the trial will be given additional discounts on their bus travel for providing feedback on the new system.
Alex Kerr, general manager at Kinchbus, said: “We believe this is the first of its kind on buses in the UK. It’s as simple as touch on, touch off, and the system works out the best value travel for our customers.
Whilst some contactless trials elsewhere have used standard card readers for buying fixed fares and tickets, we are going the extra mile with contactless touch-on, touch-off, as it’s a quick, convenient method of paying for everyday transactions such as bus fares.
Customers won’t need to remember to have cash or to pre-select a ticket – the best value fare will be worked out for them based on their precise journeys each day.”
Two university students have already been road-testing the contactless payments. One is Nipunika Silva, 20, a natural sciences student at the University of Leicester, who said: “It’s an easy way to pay. You don’t have to have sufficient change or go to an ATM or fish around in your bag. If you’re in a rush to catch the bus, then it’s a great way to pay. Since I started the test I no longer pay in any other way.”
Alex said: “Testing has gone very well so far. Once we have run November’s trial we will be able to see if it is a popular success. If customers love paying with contactless cards, we can consider whether we should roll it out further.”
A UK Cards Association spokeswoman said: “Bringing contactless payments to buses in this trial will make travel more convenient for passengers, who will be able to use the bank card already in their pockets to pay their fare.”
Alexander Peschkoff, CEO of TEDIPAY, the company that provides that game-changing smart ticketing solution, said: “Bus fares are an ideal purchase for contactless payments. Kinchbus is a pioneering partner working with us to bring the benefits to their customers.”
NOW SEE THE LATEST ON THE NEW FOCUS FLICKR WEBSITE
Whilst in the Midlands with this posting we may as well stay here with a couple more albums from the 2016 Showbus event held at Donington Park adjacent to the East Midlands Airport. These can now be viewed by clicking here for a selection of preserved full front double-decks, and here for half-cab double-decks.
FOCUS TRANSPORT APOLOGISE FOR POSTINGS THAT MAY BE CANCELLED, DELAYED OR DISRUPTED OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. No leaves on the line or the wrong kind of snow, just major engineering at the home hub. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.
