A BUSINESS specialising in apps and websites for public transport has won a five-year contract with Go-Ahead Group bus services.

Westbourne-based Passenger will deliver 15 apps and six websites for the company, which has previously developed its digital platforms in-house.

Passenger’s expertise covers mobile ticketing and real-time systems. It will manage the migration of customers – including those with active tickets – to the new platform.

Katy Taylor, Go-Ahead’s chief strategy and customer officer, said: “Go-Ahead is focussed on delivering the best experience for our customers. We already have close to one million users of our mobile apps and we hope to see that increase as Passenger help us welcome customers back after the pandemic. Our new five-year partnership will help us to build on this success across all our UK bus companies.”

Passenger chief executive Tom Quay said: “Our platform has developed over the last five years into a powerful tool to deliver the kind of customer experience that we all want to be on the receiving end of. Especially as we are re-evaluating how we travel and what is important to us, in the wake of the challenges we’ve all faced over the last year.

“I’d like to welcome Go South West, Go North West, Metrobus and Oxford Bus Company, who we’ll be working with for the first time. A huge thank you goes to the Go-Ahead teams we have worked so closely with over the last few years and who have been our biggest advocates.”

Each of the Passenger-powered apps and sites will offer integrated web-to-mobile c-commerce, so customers can buy tickets on the internet and use them instantly in apps. Brighton & Hove Bus customers will also have a portal showing contactless payment history alongside mobile ticketing in its app and website.