Member Article

Contactless payments just got a whole lot easier on Go North East’s buses

Contactless payments have just got a whole lot easier for Go North East customers with the introduction of ‘Tap On, Tap Off’ on further bus routes.

The region’s largest bus company launched contactless payments on all its services way back in July 2017.

Go North East have now improved this even further on its electric buses on Voltra 53 and 54 services around Gateshead and Newcastle, as well as QuayCity Q3 that connects Wallsend and Great Park with Newcastle city centre and the Quayside.

On these services, with ‘Tap On, Tap Off’, all customers need to do is tap their contactless bank cards, or phones with Apple Pay or Google Pay, on the reader when they board, then on the exit reader when they got off.

There is no need to get a ticket or tell the driver where they are going, the clever technology just works out the best fare for the journeys made, be it a one-off trip, multiple journeys over a day or throughout the week.

The roll out of this new ticketing technology will act as a proving ground and pave the way for future innovations for other bus routes.

Martijn Gilbert, managing director at Go North East, said: “The introduction of the North East’s first ‘London style’ tap-on, tap-off ticketing is great news for our customers.

“We’re always looking to make things easier for our customers and this technology does exactly that.

“Customers no longer have to worry about researching which ticket they need for their journey, ‘Tap On, Tap Off’ simply provides them with the best value on Voltra or QuayCity.

“Building upon the major roll out of smartcard and then contactless bankcard acceptance from 2017 on bus ticket machines across the region, as well as advancements in app based mobile phone ticket options, this further innovation cements the position that buses have as the most advanced, flexible and dynamic ticketing system of any public transport mode.

“We will be continuing our work with partners, including through Network One Ticketing, to make further use of this technology to help play our part in improving the ticketing offer for public transport users across the region.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Go North East .