Ticketer is proud to be partnering with Safeguard Coaches, by installing contactless ETMs across their fleet of 12 service vehicles covering bus routes in Guildford, Surrey.
John Clarfelt, Ticketer’s Managing Director, comments: “The installation for Safeguard, completed within a tight timescale, is evidence that it is vital for bus operators of all sizes to provide contactless payment technology in order to remain competitive and Ticketer’s approach makes it easy for any operator to do so.”
With a host of competition on bus routes in the area, it was important for Safeguard to offer contactless payments to passengers, as Managing Director Andrew Halliday explains: “We did not want to be left behind and contactless payment options are increasingly expected by passengers, so we set Ticketer a very demanding deadline to move us over to contactless to ensure that we weren’t at a commercial disadvantage.”
The new Ticketer ETMs have been fitted to all the vehicles in the Safeguard bus fleet and these are exactly the same ones Ticketer has been fitting for bus operator fleets up and down the country. John Clarfelt comments: “It is very important to us that all of our customers are treated equally and that they are all able to offer the same payment options to passengers, regardless of the size of the operation.”
Safeguard’s drivers found the new ETMs very easy to adapt to, following their initial training. The Ticketer portal, that provides back office information, was also found to be easy to use. Staff have already started using the driver messaging function to advise of road closures or congestion, improving customer service and negating the need for expensive radios.
The vehicle tracking function has also been used effectively; as Andrew Halliday adds: “I am able to track the vehicles on my phone. So not only is it useful to me and my operations staff, but it also enables us to provide great customer service by being to be able to tell waiting passengers, in person, that their bus is literally around the corner and to give them an accurate arrival time.”
Safeguard Coaches chose Ticketer because of the company’s reputation in the industry, as Andrew Halliday explains: “I knew about Ticketer as I had heard good things through fellow ALBUM members. Other operators in our area use Ticketer, so we also felt that it would be useful if there was ever a need for a centralised ticketing offer. We also know that our Local Authority is able to support RTPI through Ticketer, so there were many good commercial reasons for choosing Ticketer as our ETM supplier and I am pleased to say that our experience has proved this.”
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Ticketer is here to personalise public transportation, through ticketing software and devices that are customised for operators and individualised to the lives that passengers lead.
Committed to making public transport better, Ticketer drives transportation income, insight and operations for operators, and makes travel easier for passengers. Operators can access ticket sales data, view performance and manage fares from anywhere with an internet connection. Nothing needs to be installed on site as the system is supported by a hosted service, and the annual per ETM license ensures that there are no hidden costs, giving the product the lowest Total Cost of Ownership around.
A UK-based company with all software and devices manufactured here, Ticketer offers market-leading ticketing technology, combined with personalised, responsive support.
About Safeguard Coaches
Safeguard Coaches is a family owned company established in Guildford in 1924. It has provided bus services in the west of Guildford since 1927 and has served the Westborough and Park Barn areas since they were built.
For further information please contact:
Mercedes Llewellyn
mercedes.llewellyn@ticketer.co.uk
