Capacity-based ticketing technology facilitates a safe, predictable bus service for University riders
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented operational challenges for many organizations. Among the issues faced, a key factor is providing safe plans for return to school and work, including public transportation alternatives for entities like universities that need to conduct some or all operations in person.
Academy Bus and Betterez recently teamed to deliver a service and technology solution for Columbia University. As the University began planning for Fall 2020, commuter shuttles were added to the Transportation services as a travel alternative for faculty, staff and students returning to campus.
The project was large in scope and required logistical coordination among the University team and partners in order to:
- launch quickly after service approval (in less than 30 days)
- provide for capacity management (to help implement social distancing on buses)
- provide for reservations to give riders confidence in planning their travel
- remain flexible in schedules, fares, products and other aspects of service (to adjust to the changing Covid-19 and education environment)
- provide a contactless boarding experience for passengers and drivers
- provide for an intuitive, easy to use passenger experience
Academy developed a network of over 180 schedules per day with a combined 84 origins & destinations, and partnered with Betterez to provide ticketing technology, with a platform that provided:
- real time capacity management across all channels to ensure consistency
- mobile responsive passenger booking, allowing for a regular commuter to book multiple days
- easy to use, self-service to manage routes, schedules, pricing, and capacity, to meet service launch
Since launch, the project has utilized Betterez API’s to deploy additional functionality to help manage the large number of schedules and adapt the system as authorized riders are added.
As transportation providers and passengers continue to adjust services, features such as web-based, real time capacity management, easy to book reservations, and a cost effective platform architecture can help restore rider confidence and provide a quality user experience, while also delivering longer term benefits in service planning, asset management, passenger loyalty, and reporting and reconciliation, among others.
Need a safe, reliable, innovation transportation service provider? Please get in touch with Matthew Schapiro, Strategic Planning Director, Academy Bus – mschapiro@academybus.com
Interested in testing a pilot approach to capacity-based ticketing for your corporation, educational institution or other organization ? Please get in touch with Betterez.