Passengers will soon be able to pay for their bus tickets with contactless payment options, which will make catching the bus even easier, thanks to the introduction of new ticket machines on all First York vehicles.
Figures from the British Retail Consortium suggests that over half of purchases are now made by card. The body has reported that debit cards have overtaken cash, as more retailers have invested in payments technology to accept cards and "tap and go" contactless payments. This trend is set to follow onto the region’s bus services as First York will now offer customers the option to pay for bus travel, up to the value of £30, via a contactless payment.
Contactless payments will mean that customers can switch from paying with cash to using their card or mobile, which will make it easier to catch the bus, as customers will not need to worry about having the right change for their bus fare. The switch from cash will also have a huge impact on boarding times; helping in the longer term, to speed up bus journey times. Representatives from First York will be available to share further information on contactless, at this weekend’s Resident’s Festival.
Marc Bichtemann, Managing Director of First York, said: “The introduction of contactless payments alongside our success with mobile ticketing is pivotal as we continue to make bus travel a convenient, simple and attractive experience for our customers. Use of mTickets is exceeding our expectations and continues to grow daily, so I fully expect customers to welcome and grasp contactless bus travel with the same enthusiasm.
“If more customers converted to using mTickets, contactless or the York by Bus smartcard, then this would have a huge impact on boarding times and would help us in the battle to speed up the bus. 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, contactless and mTickets, really does make the bus an increasingly attractive option for so many journey needs. We are sponsoring the Resident’s Festival again this year and we will be on hand this weekend to explain the benefits of contactless – we look forward to seeing you all there.”
Contactless is a simple and secure way to pay for bus travel without needing cash. It can be used to purchase any paper tickets up to the value of £30. To use contactless, simply request the ticket you wish to purchase from the driver, present your contactless card or mobile and you’ll receive a receipt along with a ticket for your journey. Payment cards displaying the contactless logo from Visa, MasterCard or Maestro logo can be used. Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay and bPay are also accepted.
Contactless is set to launch across First York bus services from 28th January.