Detailed description (English): Imagine a world in which buses run to your schedule with routes and bus stops that are designed around your lifestyle… Arriva has turned that vision into a reality.
ArrivaClick will not only revolutionise the way we access transport but it will transform and redefine our very understanding of public transportation.
This pioneering service was launched as a pilot project in Sittingbourne, UK in March 2017, combining cutting edge technology with decades of experience in transport to elevate the on-demand concept to a new level.
The legacy of planning a journey around existing bus timetables is one that does not appeal to everyone and travellers increasingly demand punctuality, flexibility and convenience. The modern traveller wants a service that flexes to their requirements rather than the other way around. That’s where ArrivaClick comes in.
So what is ArrivaClick?
This is a new way of travelling where the passenger dictates the journey schedule via the ArrivaClick smartphone app. The customer requests a pick-up location and destination by dropping an electronic pin on a map within the smartphone app. The intelligent technology then matches the customer with a state-of-the-art 12-seater minibus and other passengers travelling in the same direction. ArrivaClick then instantly provides an ETA and price. Once the customer accepts the journey, a virtual bus stop is created at which the transport will arrive. Customers can request transport in real time, or they can pre-plan their journeys by entering their preferred date and time.
The customer is fully in control of their own journey and everything is done through the ArrivaClick app. Not only do they receive SMS alerts two minutes before their minibus arrives and when it has arrived, but they are also able to track their vehicle en route via the app, as well as contact their driver directly in case they are running late. The system is also cashless meaning there is no need to have the right change, or cause unnecessary delays by paying the driver.
And because ArrivaClick does not run to fixed routes and schedules, it can go to any point within the operating zone based on passenger demand – the journeys undertaken are based solely on customers’ requests. And, of course, sharing journeys with other travellers means cheaper prices and reduced fuel consumption and congestion.
Target group(s): Car users
Travel-app transport users
Other single-user road vehicles
Taxi users
Bus and train users
Commuters (all ages) travelling in and around the operating zone or out from the zone on the train, which include key transport hubs, including Sittingbourne and Kemsley train stations
Business travellers going to and from meetings
Students travelling to schools and colleges
All ages and segments doing essential journeys e.g. GP/clinic appointments, hospital appointments/visits
Leisure travellers – shopping, gym, visiting friends etc.
Over 65s – no concessions accepted at the moment though
All ages and segments using the transport hubs for onward train/bus/coach travel
Parents with children
Objectives: • To drive innovation in the public transport industry and open the door to greater integration across industries and sectors
• To bring a new product to market in the UK, which helps to tackle the challenges faced by towns and cities, whilst meeting the demands of the evolving market
• To develop a new mode of transport, which is designed around consumers’ lifestyles, adapting to their requirements rather than the other way around
• To digitalise operational and administrative processes in order to improve efficiencies within the public transport industry
• To complement and work alongside traditional bus services and other modes of transport, contributing to the wider transport network in towns and cities
• To encourage ride-sharing, reducing costs, fuel consumption and congestion
Expected Outcomes: We recently achieved 5,000 app downloads and are very close to achieving 20,000 rides. We have 1,600 unique active riders.
Partner: Arriva