3 April 2007
New Technology Makes Bus Travel More Convenient
Bus passengers can now get to destinations faster and book while the bus is en route thanks to new technology introduced
by nakedbus.com this week.
"eWaybill" technology means bus drivers can receive bookings while travelling between cities. That means no visits to
empty bus stops and a quicker service for time conscious passengers.
nakedbus.com’s Managing Director Hamish Nuttall says the move to the new technology is about making the service more
efficient for drivers and their passengers.
“Every nakedbus.com driver will have a java enabled phone with an application we have developed called "eWaybill". As
bookings are received, (while the bus is in motion), the booking system will transmit bookings in real time to the
application on the phone. The phone will alert the driver if a new booking comes in and the driver will know to stop at
that stop.”
What that also means, says Nuttall, is no time wasted pulling over at empty bus stops.
The driver will have the booking reference of each passenger on the phone, and will be able to mark each passenger as
having boarded - this information will be transmitted to the back office so the office will know whether passengers have
been picked up.
-More-
"eWaybill" will mean that those passengers leaving bookings until the last minute will also have greater flexibility.
Previously the internet booking was stopped before the bus left the depot - sometimes the day before so that the
paperwork could get to the driver.
Now bookings will be accepted up to a few minutes before the bus leaves each departure point.
Online ticketing service nakedbus.com, famous for its $1 city to city bus fares, has experienced rapid growth since its
launch last September.
nakedbus.com is developing a nationwide network of ticketing agents such as backpackers and i-sites to further increase
the availability and convenience of its service.
The ticketing agents will have access to the eWayBill technology allowing passengers to book a ticket just minutes
before boarding – a New Zealand first for the bus transport market.
For more information check www.nakedbus.com
ENDS