Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) launched an easier way to pay across its entire Bee Network bus and tram network earlier this week. Vix Technology CEO Aaron Ross was among the crowd that came to mark this milestone and celebrate alongside TfGM and Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham.
Aaron Ross comments, “Being in Manchester to witness the transformative impact of our technology was truly inspiring. TfGM has raised the bar for regional transport, creating a safe, reliable, integrated, affordable and effortless travel experience for everyone. The introduction of multimodal Tap and Go enhances daily travel for millions and highlights Greater Manchester’s innovative spirit.”
TfGM is the first local transport authority in England to use bus franchising powers to take control of its bus network. Building on the successful launch of contactless payment on the tram network in 2019, the scheme has now been successfully extended for use on both bus and tram travel across the Bee Network. A major milestone in the delivery of an integrated Bee Network for Greater Manchester.
Simplified fare payments
Tap and Go prioritises convenience and ease-of-use. Accepting Visa and Mastercard contactless payments, passengers can use a physical card as their ‘travel token’, or a payment device with a digital wallet like Google Pay or Apple Pay.
A single tap-on is all that’s needed to ride on buses, whereas tram users must tap-on and tap-off. They don’t need to do mental gymnastics to work out how to get the best value – if they use the same token for all their trips, Vix’s account-based ticketing back office works out the best available fare based on the number of trips they make.
Helen Humble, Head of Ticketing at TfGM, said: “Tap and Go is a real game changer for the Bee Network as the quickest and easiest way for passengers to pay for their bus and tram travel.
“Contactless technology means that fares are automatically calculated to ensure our passengers pay the best value up to the daily or weekly cap under a much simpler fare structure.
“This week is the culmination of years of hard work to deliver a public transport network that is in line with other global cities and we value the expertise that our partners at Vix have been able to provide on this journey.”
Popular with passengers
TfGM is confident that multimodal Tap and Go will be warmly received by Greater Manchester’s bus and tram users, which total more than 100 million a year. Contactless EMV fare payments have seen strong adoption from the start, and last week TfGM announced the tram network reached a milestone of 50 million contactless journeys.
Aaron Ross says, “It’s been incredibly rewarding to partner with TfGM in transforming the way Greater Manchester travels. In under 18 months, we’ve helped deliver a seamless, stress-free travel experience that’s redefining regional transport standards in the UK. Manchester is now a beacon for inclusive, accessible, and affordable mobility, and we’re excited to help other public sector partners achieve similar success and set new benchmarks for their communities.”