Vix Enables Stagecoach Smartphone Ticketing Trial

Source: Vix technology

Cambridge, UK, June 26, 2012. Transport operator Stagecoach Group has announced plans to trial a new Smartphone application developed by Vix.

The trial will allow a cross section of bus users to receive, store and validate their bus tickets using their mobile phone. The initial trial will be conducted on Stagecoach buses across Cambridgeshire including the Cambridge Park & Ride and Guided Busway services.

Stagecoach Group Finance Director, Martin Griffiths, commented “Smart phones are playing an increasingly important role in helping people manage their busy lifestyles and are already used across many areas of life. We believe this technology can also make public transport easier and more convenient to use. Once this trial is complete, we will carry out a review of the findings and assess the potential to expand the scheme further for our passengers.”

The application utilises near field communication (NFC) and has been developed on the Android platform. The Vix application is the only rail/bus application that provides a complete solution on the handset in the United Kingdom.

Using the application, passengers have the ability to purchase tickets on the bus or online, tag the phone against an electronic ticket machine in the same manner as traditional smartcards and view a full history of purchases and ticket status.

“We are delighted to have delivered this NFC application to Stagecoach and Everything Everywhere – a first in the UK mobility market.” Said Vix UK Region Director, Peter Eccleson.

Vix has also recently released a Real Time Information Services application available on a number of the popular mobile phone platforms, which allows users in the Cambridgeshire area to use this application to plan their journeys.