Deployment advances Scotland-wide commercial smart ticketing initiative
EAST KILBRIDE, SCOTLAND – March 10, 2016 – The largest privately-owned bus company in Scotland, McGill’s, has selected Nevis Technologies, the joint venture between Ecebs and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport that serves as the delivery agent for smart integrated ticketing, to provide the systems for commercial smartcard ticketing. McGill’s expects to roll out their smartcard ticketing system, branded as GoSmart, throughout 2016. McGill’s will deploy the same solution used successfully by the Glasgow Subway system smart ticket, which also supports the overall Scotrail smartcard implementation programme.
“This engagement with the Nevis team helps us build on our recent smartcard pilot program for a company-wide rollout of smart ticketing,” said Ralph Roberts, McGill’s Managing Director. “Through this program, we are providing our passengers with a proven, convenient, and easy-to-use smartcard system that can also be integrated with other commercial schemes in Scotland.”
Nevis will supply McGill’s with an interoperable system that is fully compliant with the UK open ticketing standard known as ITSO. This will enable McGill’s to offer customers a smartcard that could also be used across other modes of transport including Subway, Rail and Ferry.
“This development brings the vision of a one card, multi-modal, multi-operator travel in Scotland a step closer to reality,” said David Braddock, Director of Nevis Technologies. “We are delighted to be part of the team delivering a seamless solution to our transport system and proud to have this vision realized by a set of Scottish-based companies.”
The smart integrated ticketing system developed through Nevis Technologies allows passengers to travel across the Strathclyde region with one smart card. The introduction of multi-application smart cards and smart media means that one card or mobile device can be used for integrated ticketing and electronic payment. The Nevis Technologies system was first introduced on the Glasgow Subway as the Bramble card in 2013 in advance of the Commonwealth Games in 2014. A wider roll out of the smart ticketing service is planned on all modes of public transport to make travelling more convenient for passengers, delivering a customer experience to rival many of the smart transport schemes deployed around the world today.
About Nevis Technologies
Nevis Technologies is the joint venture partnership between Ecebs, the East Kilbride-based smart technology company recently acquired by Rambus (NASDAQ: RMBS) Cryptography Research, and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). Together the organizations serve as the delivery agent for smart integrated ticketing, bringing a depth of expertise from both the transport and smart technology industries. The flexibility of the smart technology delivered via Nevis Technologies enables a wider vision to deliver greater convenience to passengers through the deployment of interoperable ticketing. For more information, please visit www.ecebs.com.
About McGill’s
McGill’s is the largest privately-owned bus company in Scotland with depots in Barrhead, Greenock, Hamilton, Inchinnan and Johnstone. McGill’s currently operates approximately 400 buses across 110 routes with over half a million journeys on a McGill’s bus every week.
The company is a Scottish Business Insider Top 500 company, currently holding position 350, up 50 places from the previous year. For more information, please visit www.mcgillsbuses.co.uk
