Tap On, Tap Off, the multi-operator ticketing system created by Littlepay, Ticketer, and Go-Ahead, has hit 1m transactions in four months. The contactless ticketing system also recently earned a Highly Commended at the Transport Ticketing Awards, in the Ticketing Technology of the Year category.

The service, which was launched last September, allows bus riders on Go-Aheads Brighton & Hove and Metrobus fleets to tap-on and tap-off from the beginning of their journey to the final destination. Once the rider has tapped off, the rider will be charged with the most discounted bus fares. Riders can use touchless technology to pay, including Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

“Tap On, Tap Off contactless has made it even easier to use our services without passengers needing to know the fare or how many journeys they’ll make,” said Nick Hill, Brighton & Hove Buses’ commercial director. “This is reflected in the strong take-up locally and the fact that fewer people are paying by cash on the bus than ever before. In turn, that can make boarding quicker, helping to make everyone’s journey a little bit smoother.”

In Sussex, Kent and Surrey, the average number of transactions completed per week is 70,000 and is steadily increasing, and Tap-on, tap-off contactless readers are used to pay for 29.2 per cent of on-bus payments.

“We’re thrilled with the [Highly Commended] award, which recognises the contribution our ‘multi-operator capping’ technology brings to transit payments,” said Amin Shayan, CEO of Littlepay. It makes it simple to pay for using several services without pre-planning, always getting the best value fares. We look forward to bringing multi-operator, multi-modal ticketing schemes to cities across Europe and globally, so that many more passengers can benefit from this seamless payment experience.”

John Clarfelt, CEO of Ticketer, commented: “By making bus travel more accessible and convenient, the benefits of Tap On, Tap Off are significant for everyone. Passengers have access to a new, convenient and economical payment method, boarding times are significantly reduced, and operators further benefit from a new wealth of journey pattern data. It’s great to hear that passengers are increasingly embracing this technology and we are sure it will encourage more people to take the bus.”