D&G Bus, part of Centrebus Group, operates in Cheshire, Staffordshire and extends into Derbyshire and creates roadside publicity for stops not managed by a transport authority.
Following its expansion to include Chaserider, D&G’s managed bus stops have increased to 1,000, of which the new brand accounts for 70%.
The discrepancy is due to Chaserider’s stops being closer together and responsibility for maintaining displays in Stafford, Cannock and Lichfield resting with the operator.
Challenge
It immediately became apparent to D&G that a purpose-built solution was needed to prevent roadside publicity becoming a full-time job. As well as accelerating productivity, the solution needed to provide stop-specific displays with return journey times to reduce the high number of customer enquiries. It also required capability to combine timetables for rural stops with a case only on one side of the road. Achieving this in a spreadsheet was proving very complex with an increased risk of errors.
Solution
An existing customer of the Velociti Solution Omnibus scheduling suite, D&G implemented the timetable publishing software, which simplifies the creation of timetable publicity. Four key features stood out to D&G:
- Timetable data is taken directly from the timetabling system, ensuring accuracy and data integrity
- In-built database to store case information and easily assign templates to stops
- User-configurable templates provide complete freedom over style, size and format
- Batch create PDF output in-house and without third-party software or support
Result
The timetable publishing solution has enabled D&G Bus to optimise roadside publicity, increase online sales and improve customer satisfaction.
“We wanted to make timetable publicity administration faster and more efficient. It now takes 3 seconds to create one panel instead of 15 minutes. We wanted to spend less time answering enquiries by providing better information. We generate thousands of pounds a week more in online ticket sales by adding our app to displays. Passengers can also access real-time journey information by scanning a QR code.” – Chris Almond, Centrebus Group Commercial Officer
