World’s largest mobile-ticketing scheme launched at Arriva

Date: 20/11/2009

Transport company Arriva launched the largest mobile-ticketing scheme in the world this week, allowing purchase of a variety of tickets for its 1,000 bus routes in England, Scotland and Wales.

The ticketing programme is designed to enable passengers to use their mobile phones to purchase tickets, which can then be used as proof of payment when viewed on the mobile phone’s screen.

Drivers will view tickets, which the company believes will be hard to forge, according to a report from Register.

Mike Cooper, managing director of Arriva Bus, said: "We believe the convenience that having their ticket on their mobile will encourage more customers to take up our multi-journey tickets."

Arriva, Concept Data Technologies and mBlox created the mobile phone application, which is a free download, and supports payment through a registered card or by purchasing credit from a PayPoint outlet.

Only GPRS phones are enabled at present, and a BlackBerry and smartphone programme is scheduled to launch early in 2010.