Yellow Buses has taken more than a million payments by passengers using contactless technology since it was introduced across the fleet just over a year ago.
The Yellows wanted to make travel as easy as possible and invested in the Littlepay and Ticketer’s new generation payment system.
Those who had effectively abandoned cash and hadn’t bought a travel card found they were unable to use the Yellows’ services.
But now ‘impulse journeys’ on a Yellow Bus are an option for all and this has been reflected in growing passenger numbers across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and east Dorset.
It is anticipated that soon more than half of all payments will be made by the ‘tap n go’ method.
With pubs and other formerly cash-centred businesses now using easy payment systems it follows that all bus companies are likely to go down that road and follow Yellow Buses.
Managing director David Squire, who led a management buyout of the company from its French owners in July, said: “I’m delighted that we have notched up a million contactless payments in a little over a year.
“The Littlepay and Ticketer’s new generation payment system has been incredibly well received by passengers.
“We are committed to making it as easy as possible for customers to pay, be that through our Travel Shop, online or via our mobile app.
“We now have 40 per cent of all on-bus paid transactions being processed as contactless payments, which makes it easier for our passengers needing change and also speeds up bus boarding times, benefiting everyone.”
Littlepay CEO Amin Shyan said: “Our contactless payment system gives passengers the convenience they want and Yellow Buses has met this demand.
“It’s great to hear they have hit a million contactless transactions already, with such a large slice of their customers preferring to pay for journeys with a contactless card or digital wallet.”