Flowbird Smart Ticketing Systems for Bus Operators and Wider Mobility
Leading technology provider Flowbird will be presenting its latest smart ticketing systems at Euro Bus Expo 2022 (NEC, November 1-3).
Alongside innovations in ticketing, payments and mobile apps, the company will be demonstrating its latest back office ‘CloudFare’, a modular cloud-based platform facilitating network-wide management and analytics of both Flowbird systems and third-party applications through a single sign on.
“The flow down of technological improvements offers many benefits to bus operators and authorities and it can be complex, but we aim to make it simple to manage and beneficial for passengers.” said Paul Rogers, Flowbird Sales & Marketing Director. “Visitors to Euro Bus Expo will see our modular bus systems and connected back-office infrastructure, designed for performance and integration to make it easier for passengers and operators.”
Among the highlights on the Flowbird stand will be:
Open payments validator – One of the most widely used range of certified open payments validators in Europe.
Driver console – ITSO and BODs ready on-board ticketing system. All-in-one or modular configuration.
CloudFare - Cloud-based, multi-modal and multi-operator back-office for control of ticketing and payments assets and system management. The architecture enables operators to take a network-wide view of performance in real-time through a single sign-on.
Account Based Ticketing (ABT) – Seamless Pay-As-You-Go travel for passengers using cEMV bank cards (or smart devices) or smart travel passes. Customer taps are recorded and consolidated, and the business rules compute the best fare calculation, enabling operators to apply system wide changes more easily and apply fares rules such as daily or weekly capping fairly to all passengers.
Monapass – one app, one account for multiple transit modes, third party subscriptions and associated services. Monapass, developed by Flowbird for the Principality of Monaco, is a MaaS app that uses account-based ticketing, secure in-app m-tickets storage, combined ticket purchase for parking, EV charging, travel and destinations (eg, museums, cinemas, tour buses), integrated journey planning with parking, public transport and active travel. Uniquely, its ‘open ticket portfolio’ functionality makes it possible to import and manage third-party ID-based passes and subscriptions, including transit and active travel accounts.
Payments – Flowbird is a certified payment service provider. Our systems support unattended, mobile and online payments. Flowbird Payments can be integrated with existing bus ticketing systems, providing a secure roadmap to omni-channel payments.
To find out more about Flowbird’s systems, visit Flowbird on Stand T84 at Euro Bus Expo.
Media enquiries to:
Philip Colley, Harvest
Tel: 023 9244 9655 / 07785 306378
[email protected]
FlixBus and Volvo agree standard coach specification
Volvo Buses and FlixBus reached agreement earlier in 2022 on a standardised coach specification, they have confirmed. The two parties say it will simplify the vehicle order process for the scheduled service provider's partner operators through the creation of a trim level that “meets the demands of FlixBus for comfort and performance.”
The specification will be available across countries that are part of the FlixBus network. That includes the UK, the vehicle OEM has confirmed. It adds that development of the ‘off the shelf’ specification will “make fleet development easier for FlixBus partner operators… by lowering the efforts required on [their] side during vehicle procurement.”
Speaking about the collaboration, Volvo Buses in Europe Vice President, Coach Sales Niklas Orre says: “Volvo Buses and FlixBus have the same view of people transport – it must be sustainable, safe and reliable. Our cooperation agreement and our partnership give us the opportunity to develop this concept together.”
Adds FlixBus Chief Operating Officer Fabian Stenger: “Volvo Buses is a partner that shares our values concerning climate friendly travel and supplies premium coaches that can guarantee the FlixBus quality that our customers are looking for.”
Zeelo, Zenobe partner on ZE trials for SME operators
Smart bus platform Zeelo and electric fleet specialist Zenobe are working together to enable Zeelo’s network of operator partners to trial battery-electric vehicles, including the use of temporary charging infrastructure.
The two businesses say that the approach will help to “drive an affordable and accessible transition” of private coach and bus transport towards battery-electric. The trial vehicles and infrastructure involved will be owned by Zenobe and operators that use them will be charged a monthly fee.
They hope that the ‘taster’ approach, along with the offer of electrification solutions by Zenobe, will permit zero-emission uptake among Zeelo’s 200 operator partners to “happen in an environmentally and financially sustainable approach” and mitigate the high upfront costs of those vehicles and associated infrastructure.
Zeelo and Zenobe add that in partnership, they will work to identify opportunities for large-scale fleet electrification. The collaboration between the two suppliers has already seen them support London operator AirSym in its introduction of a Yutong TCe12 battery-electric coach onto a private home-to-school service, and before that, a previous TCe12 for use shuttling McLaren Automotive staff and at Heathrow airport.
Speaking about the partnership, Zeelo CEO Sam Ryan says the supplier has an “ambitious vision” to both switch over eight million journeys per yet to battery-electric within the next three to five years, and to support its operator partners to be able to invest in the necessary vehicles.
“Through our partnership with Zenobe we can help to kick-start a national transition out of a reliance on diesel amid the fuel crisis. That doesn’t just mean cutting people a deal, but actually ensuring that battery-electric buses feel comfortable and safe to drive, and easy to charge," continues Mr Ryan.
Zenobe already supports 580 battery-electric vehicles globally. It plans to grow that number to 3,000 by 2025. “With this collaboration, we are allowing these operators to trial the technology,” says Co-Founder Steven Meersman.
“Electrification of both coach and bus will play a pivotal role in transport decarbonisation and can help Zeelo and its customers to achieve their zero-emission commitments. We hope that together, we can build confidence and appetite for a permanent solution.
“To be a truly sustainable working relationship, this needs to deliver environmental and financial gains for Zeelo and its partners while providing cleaner, greener transport for students and commuters."