Norfolk County Council and First Bus announce new payment technology on fleet

Norfolk County Council and First Bus have worked together to bring Tap On Tap Off (TOTO) payment technology to Norfolk’s bus users. The new way to pay will be live on all First Bus vehicles throughout the region from Sunday 23 November.

The addition of the enhanced contactless system across the First Bus fleet of 240 vehicles has been possible thanks to £465,000 funding given to all of Norfolk’s bus operators to install the readers. This money was from funding received from the Department for Transport for the delivery of Norfolk’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.

The TOTO contactless system guarantees customers ultimate flexibility on the fare paid. It charges for the journey made but is capped at the price for a day’s travel, allowing multiple trips to be made with continued discounts for more days travelled during a week.

James McCluskey, Commercial Director of First East of England, said: “This technology will give access to the best-value fares and benefit the hundreds of thousands of people who travel with us across the region every week.”

To use TOTO a person uses their contactless card or mobile (including smartwatches) at the ticket machine next to the driver but must ‘tap’ again on a separate new special card reader device when leaving the bus to confirm a record of the trip and distance travelled.

“We’re confident customers will quickly come to love the seamless travel payment it provides. The introduction of TOTO is another important step in simplifying journeys,” said James McCluskey.

Cllr Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport said: “We know that when it comes to bus travel residents want easy, simple fares and ticketing which is why we’ve been working with operators to bring in this technology.

“I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to support by providing funding to deliver the tap-off readers on all operators' vehicles and it’s great to see our largest operator First Bus being the first to bring this technology live to passengers.”

Signage inside buses highlighting TOTO and the position of the new card reader has been installed to remind customers of the payment option and help ensure they remember to ‘tap off’ when exiting.

Full details of Tap on, Tap off payment can be found by visiting the First Bus website https://www.firstbus.co.uk/norfolk-suffolk/tickets/tap-tap