Contactless payments come to all First Glasgow buses

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Posted: 7 November 2017 | Intelligent Transport |

First Glasgow look to speed up boarding times and edge closer to a cashless ticketing approach by introducing contactless payments on every bus it operates…

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf MSP (left) with First Glasgow Managing Director Andrew-Jarvis

Humza Yousaf MSP, Minister for Transport and the Islands, has hailed the introduction of contactless payment technology on all buses operated by First Glasgow.

Attending the official launch of the new technology on buses operated by the city’s biggest operator on 6 November 2017, the minister said new payment and ticketing options are an important factor in encouraging people to choose public transport.

First Glasgow sees contactless payments as a way of speeding up boarding times and making the journey even easier for customers by reducing the need for cash on buses. It is also accepting Apple Pay and Android Pay as part of the contactless roll-out.

The launch of contactless follows the introduction of mobile payment by First Bus mTickets, and the roll-out of a new First Bus multimodal journey planning app earlier this year.

Speaking at the launch, Yousaf said: “I believe making public transport easier to access, through new payment and ticketing options, can only benefit passengers and encourage those people looking to make public transport their regular way to travel.

It’s great to see this latest development in payment technology being offered by one of Scotland’s biggest bus operators. By making contactless payments available to their passengers, First can speed up boarding times and make bus a great option for day to day journeys.”

The minister was speaking before addressing delegates at the Confederation of Passenger Transport Scotland Conference at the Trump Turnberry Hotel in Ayrshire.

Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director of First Bus in Scotland, said: “We’re very proud to be at the forefront of introducing contactless technology on our vehicles and would like to thank the minster for joining us to celebrate the launch.

“Contactless technology is just one of the ways First Glasgow is innovating to make bus travel even easier for our customers and follows the roll-out of our mobile mTickets, free on-board Wi-Fi and our new journey planner app.”