Oxfordshire's bus passengers will be the first in the country to benefit from a new service providing personalised real-time journey updates, helping them to travel safely as coronavirus restrictions begin to ease.
Tech start-up Zipabout’s Passenger Connect service will tell passengers how disruption and crowding may affect their journey, as well as providing alternative travel options.
Passengers will be able to access the service on their phones via Facebook Messenger in the coming weeks.
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Passenger Connect also identifies key workers and essential journeys, helping transport operators and local authorities plan timetables to meet changing demand.
The service has been successfully piloted by a number of train operators and National Rail Enquiries over the last 18 months. This is the first time the technology will be used to support those reliant on buses, with plans being developed to extend the service to incorporate tram and metro networks across other regions.
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The project has been funded by an Innovate UK grant of nearly £50,000 and will be delivered in collaboration with Oxontime, a bus information service run by independent bus operators and Oxfordshire County Council.
Zipabout Co-founder Alex Froom said: “As people emerge from lockdown and begin returning to work, transport operators and local authorities will need to provide accurate, timely travel information across all services to ensure the safety of passengers.
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"We have been delivering personalised communication to rail passengers for years and now we’re delighted to begin adding bus, tram and metro support.”
Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment at the county council, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to lead the way in the next level of personalised messaging to bus users. This next step will open up the benefits to many more users.”
“Hopefully it will be be a key tool to enabling people to use buses safely through the next phases in the Covid-19 response. We hope that by working with Zipabout, DFT, Oxontime and partners that this will provide a benchmark for the rest of the UK.”
Founded in 2016, Zipabout works closely with transport industry to address everyday travel problems and improve the passenger experience through personalised, timely and relevant travel information
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