Who was the first with Free WiFi/USB/Contactless?

[RustySpoons]

Seems to be pretty commonplace now for service buses to have Free Wifi, USB charging and contactless payments, but who (and when) was the first to introduce it?

 

[PeterC]

I recall seeintg wifi mentioned on the Oxford Tube before it was normal on buses in the area. I don't know about contactless but it seemed to take off pretty quickly around the time that it was introduced in London.

 

[goldisgood]

Outside of London I think Stagecoach were the first to introduce contactless (in Oxford).

EDIT: I've looked into it a bit more. Contactless was introduced on 20 October 2016 to Stagecoach's Oxfordshire services.

 

[Man of Kent]

A Ticketer press release from March 2017 states that Reading were the first operator to go contactless with Ticketer.
https://www.ticketer.co.uk/press-ar...oduces-fleet-wide-wave-and-pay-with-ticketer/

 

[radamfi]

If you don't include operators that only allow slow boarding by insisting on manual issuing of paper tickets, then are there any other operators than TfL and NX West Midlands?

 

[RustySpoons]

I recall seeintg wifi mentioned on the Oxford Tube before it was normal on buses in the area. I don't know about contactless but it seemed to take off pretty quickly around the time that it was introduced in London.

I do seem to remember massive 'FREE WIFI' branding applied to the NeoPlans, but not sure when exactly that was.

Outside of London I think Stagecoach were the first to introduce contactless (in Oxford).

EDIT: I've looked into it a bit more. Contactless was introduced on 20 October 2016 to Stagecoach's Oxfordshire services.

Excellent! Cheers!

A Ticketer press release from March 2017 states that Reading were the first operator to go contactless with Ticketer.
https://www.ticketer.co.uk/press-ar...oduces-fleet-wide-wave-and-pay-with-ticketer/

On a separate note, it's pretty impressive Ticketer have come in a relatively short space of time. It doesn't seem like too long ago that they were only really used by smaller independent operators, now they seem to be (at least) dominating the market!

 

[Jordan Adam]

On a separate note, it's pretty impressive Ticketer have come in a relatively short space of time. It doesn't seem like too long ago that they were only really used by smaller independent operators, now they seem to be (at least) dominating the market!

Probably because by far they have the best ticket machines on the market!

On another note i'm fairly certain FirstBus were the first of the 5 major UK operators to have contactless UK wide.

 

[goldisgood]

Probably because by far they have the best ticket machines on the market!

On another note i'm fairly certain FirstBus were the first of the 5 major UK operators to have contactless UK wide.

Personally I prefer the Vix machines - whilst they don't have the QR code scanner, I find that they process the payment/smartcard much faster and that the driver changeovers seem to be a lot faster.
You're right that First were the first operator to have contactless across the UK, followed closely by Stagecoach around 2 months later I think.

 

[radamfi]

First are now more than 6 years late in rolling out touch in touch out contactless payment.

https://www.firstgroupplc.com/news-and-media/latest-news/2011/03-09-2011-ukbus.aspx

FirstGroup, the UK’s largest bus and rail operator, today revealed it is to invest £27m in revolutionary new ticketing technology for its 5,000 strong bus fleet in England, outside London.

The company intends to be the first bus operator outside London to offer customers ‘touch in touch out’ contactless payment. The new ticket machines, designed to read contactless debit or credit cards, in addition to ITSO smartcards such as concessionary bus passes, will be introduced to buses from the autumn and will initially allow customers with an ITSO smartcard to touch in. Contactless bank cards will be accepted across England from late 2012.

 

[RustySpoons]

Just been looking back at old pictures of the Oxford Tube on Flickr. There's pictures of the Neoplans from 2005 with 'Internet Onboard' branding. Can only imagine it was very slow mobile internet back then, pre smart-phone days and probably not free in the early days.

First are now more than 6 years late in rolling out touch in touch out contactless payment.

https://www.firstgroupplc.com/news-and-media/latest-news/2011/03-09-2011-ukbus.aspx

Transdev are working on a touch in touch out contactless payment system at the moment, although no launch dates have been set yet...

 

[ag51ruk]

Transdev are working on a touch in touch out contactless payment system at the moment, although no launch dates have been set yet...

And Kinch (owned by Wellglade) are already using touch on/touch off with contactless on the Skylink Derby service

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Personally I prefer the Vix machines - whilst they don't have the QR code scanner, I find that they process the payment/smartcard much faster and that the driver changeovers seem to be a lot faster.
You're right that First were the first operator to have contactless across the UK, followed closely by Stagecoach around 2 months later I think.

Stagecoach only completed their contactless roll-out in December 2018, when East Scotland's new TP5800 machines came out to play.

 

[goldisgood]

Stagecoach only completed their contactless roll-out in December 2018, when East Scotland's new TP5800 machines came out to play.

Yes, First completed their rollout in September 2018, then 3 months later Stagecoach completed their rollout in December.

 

[jon0844]

Just been looking back at old pictures of the Oxford Tube on Flickr. There's pictures of the Neoplans from 2005 with 'Internet Onboard' branding. Can only imagine it was very slow mobile internet back then, pre smart-phone days and probably not free in the early days.

3G was still quite new, so I can imagine the service was quite 'interesting'. That said, smartphones weren't in mainstream use (Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm etc were still more for business use, or techies) so demands for data was quite low. Video streaming wasn't that big a thing (plus low-resolution displays/video and bitrates) either, so the demand on the network was probably proportional to what was offered.

 

[RustySpoons]

3G was still quite new, so I can imagine the service was quite 'interesting'. That said, smartphones weren't in mainstream use (Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm etc were still more for business use, or techies) so demands for data was quite low. Video streaming wasn't that big a thing (plus low-resolution displays/video and bitrates) either, so the demand on the network was probably proportional to what was offered.

I don't think built-in WiFi devices were too common back then either, unless they had a chunky external antenna. Like you say, it was probably more useful for business users to check their emails and such whilst heading to work in the City.