platform. The Paulton-based firm assisted in launching the Bristol run on
Friday (January 26), which will compete against established operators
National Express and megabus.com on the busy corridor. CHRIS NEWSOME
On-demand coach digital platform Sn-ap has expanded from its Nottingham to London route to serve the Bristol – London corridor using vehicles run by independent operators.
Passengers book online at sn-ap.com, choosing from existing confirmed trips or creating their own custom trips and sharing them with family and friends. Trips are confirmed only when there’s enough demand – allowing Sn-ap to guarantee lower fares than its competitors, it is claimed.
After every trip, passengers rate their experience. Sn-ap uses these ratings to allocate new trips to the operators that passengers like best, keeping quality high.
Paul Adcock, who joined the company from Arriva as Operations Director, said: “Sn-ap customers love the convenience and value of the service, but they also enjoy the experience – and that’s down to the quality of the operators we use. We only pick the best of the best. Because they’re local and independent, they take more pride in their work. The drivers tend to be more experienced, friendlier – people appreciate that. The most common bit of passenger feedback we get is ‘lovely friendly driver’. We’re especially pleased that the cream of Bristol’s coach operators, like Berkeley, Centurion and Bakers Dolphin are already working with us.”
Tim Pow, Managing Director of Berkeley Coach and Travel, said: “Innovative tech platforms like Sn-ap are giving small, top quality firms like us a chance to compete with much bigger players in the intercity travel market. That’s good news for us and great news for customers, who get more choice, better quality and great value.”
Thomas Ableman, founder of Sn-ap, has spent the last 14 years working within the transport sector and set up Sn-ap after spotting a widening gap in the market. “We pick-up at convenient locations, rather than fixed stations people don’t want to go to. The best independent operators are family-owned businesses that serve football teams, corporate clients and international tours.
“Coach is the ideal intercity travel solution, it’s environmentally sound and cost-effective to run. We can pick-up and drop-off at a variety of flexible locations, rather than taking you to a fixed terminus you don’t want to go to and thanks to new technology, you can manage the whole experience on your mobile phone.”
According to Sn-ap Sales and Marketing Director Christy Stewart-Smith: “For the first few weeks we’re letting people try the Bristol service before they buy! You can sign up to get your first trip absolutely free at www.sn-ap.com/brizzle”
