Tap on - Tap Off Introduced in Wales

[GusB]

Arriva and Transport for Wales (TfW) have introduced tap on, tap off to North Wales services.

Arriva and TfW bring tap on, tap off to North Wales - routeone

Arriva Cymru has introduced tap on, tap off contactless payments to its services in North Wales in partnership with Transport for Wales.

www.route-one.net

Arriva Cymru has introduced tap on, tap off capped contactless payments to its services in North Wales in partnership with Transport for Wales (TfW). The concept will be extended to the multi-operator 1bws product in the region later in 2022, the operator says.

In addition to the group’s services wholly within North Wales, tap on, tap off payments are also accepted on its cross-border routes to and from Chester. Work in collaboration with TfW has seen a standalone contactless card reader from Ticketer installed adjacent to the door on over 170 buses. Customers tap on via the conventional ticket machine and Arriva hopes that the means of payment will reduce stop dwell times.

 

[Dai Corner]

I've noticed tap-off readers starting to appear on Newport Transport buses too, though they're not in use down here.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just like contactless itself, I hope this is rolled out nationally as quickly as possible and rapidly becomes the norm. The dwell time benefits are potentially considerable.

 

[Llandudno]

Great idea, but only valid for adult journeys, you can’t use Tap & Go machines for:
1 BWS tickets (not yet anyway)
Family tickets
Child tickets
My Travel Pass tickets
Duo tickets
2 or more people travelling together would need more credit/debit cards
English concessionary pass holders, as they get discounted 1BWS tickets

Certainly a step in the right direction, not sure how easy it is to implement for all the varying ticket types though?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Great idea, but only valid for adult journeys, you can’t use Tap & Go machines for:
1 BWS tickets (not yet anyway)
Family tickets
Child tickets
My Travel Pass tickets
Duo tickets
2 or more people travelling together would need more credit/debit cards
English concessionary pass holders, as they get discounted 1BWS tickets

Certainly a step in the right direction, not sure how easy it is to implement for all the varying ticket types though?

It isn't. But most people on the bus are either travelling alone or would have a card (debit or Welsh concessionary) each anyway. You only have to deal with the majority to get a big speed-up.

 

[markymark2000]

Great idea, but only valid for adult journeys, you can’t use Tap & Go machines for:
1 BWS tickets (not yet anyway)
Family tickets
Child tickets
My Travel Pass tickets
Duo tickets
2 or more people travelling together would need more credit/debit cards
English concessionary pass holders, as they get discounted 1BWS tickets

Certainly a step in the right direction, not sure how easy it is to implement for all the varying ticket types though?

It'll be extremely difficult because the technology isn't there to work out if you are a solo traveller or travelling together. I think the only way of making that side of things work would be using the same camera technology that Amazon Fresh uses where you scan for every member of your party and then you last (so a 'duo', they would have to scan your card, pass back the card, then you scan the card, it confirms with the driver if you are a duo or not, then lets you on. In practise I think it would be a huge fail and be more time consuming than the current system but I think it is the only way to make it work if you so wanted it. Alternatively, perhaps Littlepay (the people who do the actual transactions behind the scenes), let you link up cards as a 'family' and then each member of the family scans their card as normal. It then charges the 'lead family member' or the 'most senior family member', whatever is picked. Again, would be more faff than it's worth but a potential option.

MyTravelPass I think would need for a bank account to be linked to the card. I think it's possible but would require back office stuff from the Welsh Govt. Upon presenting a MTP, it then takes the money from the bank account linked to the card. That's got to be possible surely if it was invested in?

Child tickets shouldn't be sold that much really because all young people in Wales should have an MTP. This is only appropriate for those who do not live in Wales so while it may cause one or two issues, it should be ok.


1Bws, I know that Lloyds buses have TITO machines so that will be good. I hope (but don't have the faith in the operators and Welsh Govt) that on common sections, this would fare cap between operators as they join rather than waiting for everyone to join and then launching 1Bws TITO.
Conc Pass 1Bws, waste of time. I doubt the uptake is there to start with, without faffing around with it. The only way I can see that working is similar to how they apply Conc passes to most DRT schemes (where you pay as you book or whatever, not pay on the bus), you have to ring up in advance and get your card set up as a 'Out of Wales Pass Holder' 'passenger type' and then you are always charged that fare, never charged as an adult, always as a Conc Pass holder. Much more doable but is it worth the faff?