Europe is combining six, 17-seat low-emission minibuses with the concept of Uber to create a new mode of transportation called PickMeUp, Oxford Bus Company’s new “Uber for buses” service. The PickMeUp app and service officially launched in June 2018 as the new public way to travel in Oxford by bus. Residents simply download the PickMeUp app and order a bus to a virtual stop on demand; they set up the pick-up and drop-off points within the app’s chosen zone and add extra passengers as applicable. Users can see their route and estimated time of arrival on the app. The route… Read more »
Category: Buses in the News
The Rare Reason More People are Buying Buses
There are several reasons why people are buying buses at record clips right now. As we mentioned previously on our blog, cities are looking to buses once again to expand their mass transit networks as urban centers rapidly grow. In the era of rideshare, people are more often looking for cost-effective ways to transport large groups of people, even if they don’t know one another. Group travel is 2018’s transit trend, and we’re fully behind it. But there’s another reason why more people are buying buses that has recently arisen and it’s one that is so interesting and unique, it’s… Read more »
Bus Travel Popularity Increases in Seattle
When you think of Seattle, you probably think about coffee or the Space Needle, but these days, two other words might come to mind: public transportation. Seattle is experiencing an influx of new citizens and they are all looking to the Metro systems to get them where they need to go. If you are still unsure of how big bus travel really is in Seattle, then all you need to do is look towards the numbers. The fact of the matter is that Seattle is one of the fastest growing cities in the country with nearly a quarter million new… Read more »
Ford Launches New Shuttle Bus Service App
A trial of a Ford-operated, commuter ride-share service app was approved for launch in London this past January. Chariot, the business providing the ride share services through the app, will allow passengers to pay a premium over a regular bus fare price for pre-booked trips running along four routes. As shared mobility services reach all-time popularity levels, vehicle manufacturers such as Ford are turning away from a traditional industry platform and toward a more user-friendly model. The ride-share service is part of an effort to ramp up what Ford calls their microtransit plan. The use of the Chariot app is… Read more »
Trends in Public Transit across the Country for 2018
2018 is the year of public transit’s revival, as cities nationwide increasingly look to limit congestion, cut back on car exhaust, and make their streets more enjoyable for everyone. With the push to go green, focusing new attention on public transit, especially in regards to buses, will be instrumental in future development. The first major trend involves the experimentation of BRT, or what’s known as bus rapid transit. In Indianapolis, work will begin this year on a 13-mile rapid transit line which will run across the city. When done, buses are expected to pick up passengers from stops every ten… Read more »
Wi-Fi Improves Commute for Bus Riders
Most people don’t enjoy riding the bus to work. Some people do it because they don’t have any other transportation options, while others do it because it’s the quickest way to get from point A to point B in the morning. But very few people actually enjoy waiting for the bus to arrive and then crowding into the bus once it gets there. That could change in the very near future for many people, though, as public Wi-Fi is starting to be incorporated into more and more forms of public transportation. Public buses, in particular, are starting to be outfitted… Read more »
Tokyo Bus Rescues Delayed Party Goers
In Tokyo, the celebration of Bonenkai is lifting off as young professionals and university students rush after-hour cocktail parties, clubs, and bars to drink away their troubles. The holiday, whose name in Japanese literally means “forget the year gathering,” is celebrated month-long in December, and although a 2015 study determined that Japanese citizens are drinking less and less, Bonenkai is still expected to turn out crowds. What better excuse does a transport company have for capitalizing on the waves of binge-drinking party goers who will be taking buses back to their apartments at the end of each night? The “Oversleeping… Read more »
Zonar App Helps School Buses Track Student Passengers
The school year is starting up in districts all across the country, and many bus companies are implementing new measures to keep students safe as they travel to and from school. In densely-populated urban areas, it’s particularly important for school bus drivers to be able to accurately track students and make sure they reach their destinations safely. That’s why Zonar, a Seattle-based fleet management company, is offering a new app that automatically counts students as they board and exit their school bus. In addition to helping bus drivers make sure all students are accounted for, the app also eliminates the… Read more »
King County Bus Routes Will Soon Have One Standardized Fare
Are you a regular bus rider in King County? If so, you’ve probably have noticed that calculating your fare can be a little confusing sometimes. Currently, bus fares in and around Seattle vary depending on when you catch a bus and where you’re it, which can make it difficult to calculate your fare on the fly. But according to The Seattle Times, King County Metro Transit is preparing to make things a whole lot easier in July 2018 by switching to a single all-day, all-zone fare of $2.75. It will be a welcomed change for many riders—four out of five… Read more »
Proterra CEO Makes Bold Prediction About Electric Buses
Since the company was founded 13 years ago in a suburb of Denver, Colorado, Proterra has become the most well-known electric bus manufacturer in North America—and possibly the world. Proterra’s fast-charging technology, which allows its buses to be recharged in as little as 10 minutes, has prompted many former skeptics to rethink the potential of electric bus transit. Now, Proterra CEO Ryan Popple has made a remarkable prediction that highlights his optimism about the future of electric bus development: By 2020, one-third of all new transit buses will be electric. Furthermore, Popple expects electric buses to account for half of… Read more »