New app to ensure safe bus travel across Essex

Stephensons of Essex has partnered with UK technology company, Passenger, to provide bus users with increased confidence ahead of travelling. Passenger’s new mobile app, myTrip, features live information on bus passenger levels, helping improve customer confidence in the ability to safely social distance on board – even before stepping out of their front door. 

myTrip is set to launch on all Stephensons services across Essex on Wednesday October 7th.

Through the myTrip app, passengers using Stephensons buses can purchase tickets for bus routes across Essex using cashless options, as well as view real-time information on bus locations – minimising time spent standing in queues. The app can also share real-time occupancy levels submitted by bus passengers.

Tom Quay, CEO at Passenger, explains why an extra layer of confidence in bus travel is important right now: “With almost a third of the adult population without regular access to a car, public transport is essential for work, education and independence. Finding ways to safely return to normality as we learn to live with COVID-19 is a big task for public transport operators and will impact on how quickly the economy recovers.

“Knowing how crucial public transport is to the economy and how important safety is to public transport users, we quickly began developing the app during lockdown. Our ambition is to provide bus users with a simple way to access safety advice and capacity information for the buses they want to catch, restoring confidence in public transport, particularly as we head into an uncertain winter. We hope that our new platform will empower the public to get back on buses, armed with trustworthy and reliable information that they will have a safe journey from A to B.”

Bill Hiron, Managing Director at Stephensons of Essex, said: “We’re pleased to be bringing myTrip’s extensive functionality to our customers. We want to offer all our customers the peace of mind that our buses are clean, safe and allow for sufficient social distancing. myTrip allows us to do this easily while improving customer experience, with the ability to buy tickets online, too. 

“We hope that myTrip will aid confidence in bus travel around the area and encourage passengers to return to public transport, knowing that we have invested in every measure possible to safeguard their safety.”

Tom commented: “We’re pleased to have Stephensons on board and will work closely with the team in the coming months to ensure myTrip continues to be an effective solution for bus users across Essex. 

“Our mission is to allow for bus users to take control of their journey and feel confident in choosing public transport as a sustainable and safe mode of transit.”

myTrip is available to download from the App Store for iOS and Android’s Play Store now and will be rolled out for use on all Stephensons of Essex routes from Wednesday October 7th. myTrip will also be available on NIBSbuses routes.

Please visit mytrip.discoverpassenger.com to find out more.