UK: Ipswich Buses has deployed social distancing technology which has been developed by UrbanThings using a grant awarded by innovation agency Innovate UK.

Integrated into the existing mobile ticketing platform, this uses live vehicle occupancy data to generate predictions of future rider numbers which are fed directly back to the operator and passengers. The aim is to encourage passengers back onto services, by showing them that there is space to travel safely and that their journey won’t be overcrowded.

‘When we entered into our partnership with UrbanThings to develop our M-ticket and bus tracking app we didn’t just want a one size fits all off-the-shelf product but wanted a company that we could work with and add new features as they were developed or became needed’, said Steve Bryce, General Manager at Ipswich Buses.

‘The live occupancy feature is the next step in the ongoing development of our app and will be an important tool in giving people confidence to use the bus and get our customers back on the bus.’