First Bus has won the Travel App of the Year award at the UK App Awards with app partner Future Platforms. Judges announcing the win praised the implementation of its ‘customer-first’ features that were fast-tracked during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since March, First Bus has worked with partners to develop and deliver initiatives which support safe and convenient travel for customers throughout the pandemic and beyond. Working closely with partners Ticketer and Transport API, live vehicle tracking and capacity updates were introduced to the First Bus App in version 4.7 earlier this year.
Joint winner Future Platforms designed the app interface to ensure that the live data is shown in a clear and accessible way for First’s customers. The ease of use and speed of implementation of the live tracking had already been widely praised by customers and stakeholders after First Bus rolled out the live tracking app updates.
In line with customer feedback, the judges at the virtual ceremony said: “The speed at which the live tracking and capacity updates were implemented was very impressive, especially considering the wider circumstances. It was a much-needed solution that improved the app on a huge scale.”
Janette Bell, incoming Managing Director at First Bus said: “Our award win is a celebration for everyone who has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to fast-track new app capabilities for our customers, and we’re thrilled that they’ve been recognised by the UK App Awards. Following the introduction of national lockdowns across the UK, we understood that live tracking and visibility of bus capacity would be of significant benefit to our customers following the introduction of social distancing on board our vehicles. Our partners worked with us at pace to make this a reality and the feedback has been phenomenal. The response at launch, and which continues today with the award win, highlights why our customer-first approach will continue to be central to digital initiatives at First Bus over the coming months.”
Simon Peck, CEO at Future Platforms added: “We’re delighted to have been recognised by the UK App Awards for our collaborative work with First Bus and their partners Ticketer and Transport API. It was a real team effort to deliver the functionality to allow First Bus customers to view live bus times and seating capacity, alongside the existing ticket purchase, activation and timetable features. We are particularly proud to receive feedback highlighting that we have implemented something of real value to customers during the pandemic.”
