Technology and innovation

Creativity and the latest in modern, consumer thinking help us deliver for our customers and drive our performance. 

At Transdev, we’re always seeking out ways to break new ground by harnessing the latest innovations designed to help us to help you – we’re people serving people, and rapid advances in technology are key to our mission to deliver amazing customer service.

Ticketing technology

We’re proud to have been the first bus operator outside London to pioneer contactless payment options, on The 36  between Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds back in 2015.

Today, all our buses offer contactless payment as standard with many providing easy ‘tap & cap’ travel too. 

We were also the first bus network anywhere outside London to introduce tap & cap contactless payments. This easy-to-use, ‘touch in and touch out’ system is now live on our networks in Yorkshire and set to expand further. It allows customers to simply tap on and off at the start and end of their journey using their own contactless bank card or payment device, and in an instant our system works out the best price for their journeys, capped at the day or seven-day price.

Customer information

Keeping the customer fully informed at every stage of their journey with us is a key responsibility for us. That’s why we use up-to-the-minute technology to keep you in touch – and to share information which we think you’ll find useful as you go. 

Over 70% of our frontline fleet is fitted with next stop information. It has formed a standard element of our new bus and vehicle refit specification since 2016. 

We are now rolling out advanced on board displays that don’t just explain the next stop, but also our expected time of arrival and live bus connections at key interchange points. 

On The 1 and Witchway in Lancashire, we show live rail connection information too, all part of our commitment to ‘one network’ integrated travel. 

On our information screens on board your bus, you’ll see live journey times displayed – so you’ll know when you’ll arrive at your destination. This is directly linked to our real time systems, so the information we give reflects any traffic congestion further along the route and helps you to relax while we take you from A to B.

Many of our buses now have countdown timers on both the destination display on the outside and on the information screens on the inside – along with an audible announcement on board the bus – to help keep you informed when we’re waiting to depart. These audio-visual announcements are linked to the timer on the bus ticket machine, so you can be confident that we go when we say we will. 

You may well recognise the voices used on our talking buses. Some of our announcements come from local celebrities, while others are brought to life by real customers too. This preserves that local, familiar feel alongside the rest of our product presentation. 

• Coronation Street soap star Jennie McAlpine on Witchway between Burnley and Manchester
• Former BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration on The 36 between Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon
• Customers Dave Metcalfe and Emma Taylor on Mainline in Burnley
• Customers Ian Slack and Kara Rhodes-Gilrane on The 1 between Blackburn, Darwen and Bolton

On board safety systems

Sometimes we have to follow a diverted route when incidents up ahead mean we can’t go the usual way – and especially on our longer journeys, that can mean our drivers soon find themselves on unfamiliar ground.

As many of our busiest services are provided using double-deck buses, knowing what height restrictions might be just around the corner really matters when it comes to keeping everyone on the bus safe.

That’s why our drivers can count on technology-driven navigational support warning of low bridges and other road access restrictions, such as weight limits, if we need to make a diversion.

All buses are fitted with a range of audio and visual CCTV cameras for your on board safety and are often used by local police for wider surveillance. Customers rate our on board safety record with us very highly, even when travelling at night. 

This is also in addition to our Greenroad telematics system that allows our drivers to be fully aware of their fuel efficiency and general driving performance, with an in-cab dashboard display and a bespoke colleague mobile app. We have preserved thousands of gallons of fuel in the process since we helped design this system over 8 years ago and it continues to help us provide smooth and environmentally conscious driving standards. 

Working together to serve you better

Advances in ticketing technology aren’t just good news for us – they also help to make smooth partnerships with other bus and coach operators easier as well as great value.

• National Express and Megabus - Customers using these coach services for a longer-distance journey can change in Manchester, Bradford, Leeds or York to one of our buses to complete their trip, all on one ticket. Our destinations appear on their journey planner, and one ticket can be bought and used for the entire journey.  
• First West Yorkshire, Leeds add-on return  - Customers travelling into Leeds on The 36 can buy an add-on return ticket for just £1 and change onto a First bus in Leeds City Centre to reach MRT city destinations such as Elland Road Football Stadium, the White Rose Shopping Centre, University of Leeds in Headingley or the Royal Armouries.
• National Rail Network  - As well as participating in the UK-wide PlusBus ticketing scheme in our local towns and cities, we also have partnered with train operating companies to provide ’all in one’ tickets to key destinations. This means that a number of locations without a rail service feature on the network via a bus connection. It allows you to buy one ticket to use for the entire journey, whether it be by bus or rail. Destinations include Whitby, Picketing and Eden Camp on Coastliner and Leeds Bradford Airport on FLYER.