The current ticket machines were state of the art when they were introduced about 15 years ago, but are now both at the end of their physical life, but also unable to do the things we want them to. We already have to issue all our tickets on paper rather than being able to issue day and longer period tickets on cards. The old card readers had become so unreliable that we have already had to remove them.
Like the rest of Go Ahead’s deregulated bus businesses, we’re in the process of ordering and planning the introduction of new state of the art ticket machines. While it probably sounds like a very simple process, it’s actually very detailed and demanding.
All our machines are programmed to be able to talk to a main server. Every driver has a little black box which is a memory, which he or she uses in the ticket machine on the bus they are working. Each day they ‘download’ the memory box at one of our depots, and it transfers all manner of information into our systems.
That means that we have a single system, which has to be replaced lock stock and barrel in one hit. We have to be able to turn one system off, buses and back office, and fit and turn on the new system, working properly between our last bus in (0130hrs) and our first one going back out again (0430hrs).
In practical terms, our whole fleet of buses needs to be rewired and refitted with all the plates that carry the machines and the power supplies, such that we can effect an ‘overnight’ change to the whole fleet. At least that way we only need to visit every bus at every one of our 7 depot and yards across the Island to swap machines and initialize them!
But we’ve also got to train about 200 staff to use them - and not too far in advance that they will have forgotten when we go live!
All our staff will need issuing with new cards, instructions etc.
Our engineers need to know how to maintain the machines.
That’s the bit that simply replaces our old machines with shiny new ones. The real opportunities though, will come in the following weeks and months.
The new machines are able to carry many more ticket types than the current ones. At the moment the machines just cannot carry any new ticket types unless we remove old ones. We often find ourselves restricted in offering new products and special offers simply because we can’t physically ticket them.
The machines will also be ‘smart card’ enabled, so that we can accept electronic passes like London’s ‘Oyster’ card. What’s more, there is an new transport industry standard which means that they will be able to talk to other operators’ machines.
Initially, we’ll just be concentrating on getting the machines working to deliver the same tickets as we do now, but we’ll be rolling out new products and facilities once that has happened.
The new machines can ‘read’ the free travel cards for over 60s and the disabled, and everyone will be able to have their own card to ‘load’ with travel.
There are all sorts of opportunities to offer more flexible tickets, like 5 days travel where you can choose the days. This one will be great for people who work part of the week, or make regular but not daily journeys.
There are all sorts of opportunities to sell joint products with attractions and other businesses and organisations, and to market offers to card holders. In many ways this could be one of the most significant opportunities that we have in the next few years, making travel better value, more flexible, and more tailored to customers.
The machines should be in use by the end of the year.