Coach Services goes live with Passenger QR on TransMach ticket machines

Following the launch of its own mobile ticketing QR schema in April, today Passenger announces its first successful rollout with smart ticketing specialist, TransMach, for local bus operator Coach Services in Norfolk.

The new QR schema has made it possible for Passenger’s popular mobile app technology to interact securely with contactless ticket machines and validators, supplied by TransMach. 

Scanning a QR code on mobile app tickets makes it easy for the bus driver to know whether a ticket that’s scanned is valid or not. As such it is an important part of mobile ticketing apps, with the QR schema providing the necessary instructions for how ETM providers should validate app tickets.

Rob Crawford, Financial Director at Thetford-based Coach Services comments, “We’re delighted to have worked with Passenger and TransMach on this. Introducing QR scanning to our buses will reduce the need for our drivers to check mobile tickets being shown to them on the myTrip app. With one thing less to think about, this means they’ll be able to concentrate on maintaining the first-class experience our customers have come to expect from Coach Services.” 

TransMach, a ticketing technology provider based in the UK has collaborated on the development with Passenger and implemented the schema within its TM920 handheld and TM500 on-bus ETMs. Coach Services uses TM500 ETMs across its 16-bus fleet. 

Minesh Vandra, Director at TransMach comments, “By working closely with Passenger we’ve been able to offer this new mobile ticket scanning capability to Coach Services. We’re delighted to be collaborating with our partners to make it easier for them to deliver a high-quality service.”

Dan Claydon, Product Manager at Passenger adds, “Our thanks go to Coach Services, who have worked closely on this project with us. The capability is now available as a turn-key solution for any bus operator using Passenger’s myTrip multi-operator mobile app with TransMach’s ETMs”

With mobile app-based tickets being used increasingly by operators to drive revenue growth through B2B channels, such as through ticketing arrangements with colleges and universities, QR codes have rocketed in popularity. Previously this market was dominated by smartcard-based tickets. QR-enabled mobile apps can be distributed instantly, validation is secure and passengers need only to carry their mobile device with them.