Travellers in Tayside and Fife are being given a helping hand to plan their journeys safely, thanks to a new smartphone “busy bus” indicator.
The new feature on the Stagecoach bus app will use artificial intelligence to provide a traffic light indicator to help customers choose quieter services and maintain social distancing.
The app is being made available to iOS and android users by June 18 via the app store and Google Play platforms.
Each service in the live map on the app will be colour coded, with quieter buses showing in a green bus icon indicating “not too busy, through to amber for “quite busy” and dark amber for “very busy”.
Customers can also see where their bus is on the map and when it will be arriving.
Carla Stockton-Jones, interim managing director for Stagecoach, said: “We have already put a range of extra measures in place to make sure our customers feel confident in using our services, including strict cleaning regimes and social distancing measures, which we know are the biggest priorities for travellers.
“The launch of our new busy bus indicator is an extra step to give people an easy, at a glance guide on the best times to travel and to plan their journeys to avoid busier times.”
Stagecoach also says it is continuing to increase capacity on services to support social distancing.
Strict hygiene regimes include at least a daily clean of all buses with an anti-viral sanitiser. Contactless payment is also available on all buses.
The latest UK government advice states that everybody travelling on public transport from June 15 must wear a face covering.
Stagecoach’s own guide on how to travel safely and comfortably can be found at stagecoachbus.com/coronavirus.
