Challenge / Goal
In the region in the east of Switzerland, which is particularly popular with hiking tourists, the Rufbus (a bus that comes on demand) has been an integral part of public transport for around 20 years. In 2019 alone, the service was used by 34,000 passengers, which shows how important it is for local people. In particular, the connection to the Appenzell railways is of high importance for residents and tourists. Until mid-2020, however, the Rufbus service could only be booked by telephone. The focus of the new offer was thus a digitalisation of the existing offer, to improve public accessibility in the popular holiday region.
Solution
The already heavily used Rufbus system was completely digitalised and optimised with the help of ioki software. Thus, the digital call buses, which operate without a fixed timetable or route, can additionally be booked via app since mid-2020, leading to the replacement of a classic scheduling system with a digital on-demand solution. Both group and advance bookings are possible without any problems.
Of particular relevance for tourists is the now uncomplicated payment process. Payment can be made by credit card, so cash in the form of Swiss francs is no longer necessary. In addition, the customer can track the vehicle live via the app and is informed about delays via push notification. A further optimisation of the service lies in intelligent ride-pooling, which bundles journeys with similar destinations and thus increases ecological and economic efficiency.
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Log inTime period
Planning time
Less than 6 months
Implementation time
Less than 6 months
Service providers
PostBus
End users
Residents, tourists, and people with reduced mobility.
Improving public transport accessibility