UK bus operator Go North West is set to launch real time bus updates for its Manchester service through the Google Maps app.
Go North West is partnering with transport data visualisation firm Ito World to develop the system, which will see real time bus updates made available for passengers to view on Google Maps. David Ratcliff, Marketing and Communications Manager at Go North West, said: “Customer experience is very important to Go North West and we are excited to be the first major operator in Manchester to make our real time passenger information available on Google Maps, giving customers the confidence to use public transport. Further to our work with Ito World and Google Transit, when RTI [real time information] goes live in our app later this summer, new and existing bus passengers will be able to benefit from this up to date information [which will be] available across multiple channels.”
Go North West’s parent company, Go Ahead, has been working with Ito World, which provides data quality control services, with the aim of deploying real time bus updates nationwide. Johan Herrlin, CEO of Ito World, said: “Our mission at Ito World is to deliver data that is as close to the real life experience of the traveller as possible to enable seamless customer journeys. As such, we are proud to work with partners like Google to provide the best possible data for Manchester to continue the work we are doing in other parts of the world.”
Rachel Hutchins, Customer Information Development Manager at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “More than ever, people are using their digital devices to help plan their journey, whether in advance or on the go. We are working all the time to improve transport to ensure our networks are better integrated and coordinated and accurate, reliable real time information is an important part of this.”
