Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has announced that its Ting bus services will be run by Vectare from 28 November after a successful tender bid by the company, replacing current operator Stagecoach East.
Vectare is a solutions provider that uses technology to provide passenger transport services. The Ting on-demand service covers the West Huntingdonshire area including key towns such as St Neots, Cambourne, Sawtry and surrounding villages, providing transport links for those living in rural areas and aiming to remove young people’s dependence on parents for lifts as well as allowing local residents to lessen their reliance on cars.
Following the change of operator, the services will now run for an additional 14 hours a week, operating between the hours of 0600 and 2000hrs Monday to Saturday, with Vectare’s customer service team available by telephone and social media throughout the operational hours of the service.
Vectare says it will be bringing its team of friendly drivers to operate the service, and in addition will introduce a new Passenger Promise, which ensures that no passenger will be left stranded. If the bus doesn’t turn up or is full, and the next bus is more than 30 minutes away, Vectare will pay for a taxi, whether to the passenger’s destination or back home. There are expected to be some changes to the service, with users needing to install a new app, and a change to the customer services phone number, but users will still be able to track buses in real time via the app, and contactless payments will continue to be accepted on board.
Peter Nathanail, Commercial and Operations Director at Vectare, said “We’re delighted to be working with the Combined Authority on this exciting and innovative transport service. Rural communities need sustainable, affordable public transport more than ever at the moment, and we’re proud to be able to play a part in that by taking over the operation of the Ting demand responsive transport service. We’ll be introducing brand new buses, longer operating hours and a range of great value fares and tickets, all underpinned by our Passenger Promise customer service commitment.”
Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Nik Johnson said: “At a time where our bus services are under immense pressure and our rural routes are amongst the worst affected, finding a sustainable, affordable and convenient bus service that supports these rural communities is a priority for me. I am delighted that Ting is attracting a new generation of younger travellers and delivering a real shift in how people travel, as well as ensuring that members of our community in these areas can still access vital services such as hospitals and supermarkets.
“Vectare is a small company, but it has a very high standard of customer service and delivery and I am delighted that it is able to increase Ting’s hours of service and will continue to offer amazing flexibility in the booking service across the patch.”
