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Go North East gets real time boost

The region’s largest bus company has invested in real time technology to improve performance and enhance customer service.

**Go North East**has fitted its 680 buses with GPS tracking which allows the firm to know exactly where every vehicle is at any time.

The move to real time tracking means customers are now able to see how many minutes away their bus is by checking the new Go North East app.

Three separate radio control radio rooms in Sunderland, Chester-le-Street and Gateshead have been amalgamated into one nerve centre at Go North East’s £8.5m Gateshead Riverside depot.

The implementation of the project has taken 18 months.

Managing director of Go North East, Kevin Carr said: “The real time system allows us to foresee issues earlier so that we can switch to alternative routes or make changes to services and, crucially, inform customers of any expected delays. Real time information also helps with correcting bunching where buses are running too close together.

“Gone are the days when our customers stood at the bus stop wondering when their bus would arrive. They can now see exactly how many minutes away it is, on their mobile phones.“

The free Go North East app has been relaunched to include new features, including real time tracking information and timetables.

App users can find their nearest bus stop and ‘favourite’ their most frequent stops. The whole dashboard can also be altered to suit how the customer wants it.

Head of marketing and retail, Stephen King adds: “This is what our customers have been waiting for. It means they have to contact us less because they are armed with so much more useful information, in the palm of their hand.“

Customers can buy tickets on the app, including Buzzfare, Get Around and Saver tickets which can be bought using a debit or credit card or by using the Barclays Pingit app. Tickets can also be gifted to someone else - so a parent could send a ticket to their child for instance.

Download the Go North East app for free on your app store.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Go North East .