1. Buses: vital to the local economy
#InitiativeWest @BW_Initiative
Buses: vital to the local economy
James Freeman
Managing Director – Bristol & Bath
First Bus Ltd

2. James Freeman First Bristol
On average we carry 167,000 passengers per day across the West of England
We have 566 buses
97 key bus routes across the West of England
We have around 1,700 members of staff, approximately of which are 1,320 drivers
James Freeman
First Bristol

3. Bristol Network

4. Fairer Fares has changed the way people travel….

5. 135,750 more people now travel by bus per week
The fare changes have enabled us to see this type of growth but expanding our network, relaxing the rules around student ID, investment in new vehicles, mticketing, touch card, council influences i.e. residents parking schemes have all contributed to the impact
Based on figures compared to sept/oct 2014 and Feb/march 2015

6. 9% increase in fare paying passengers as a result of the fairer fares campaign
But since then as a result of expanding our network, relaxing the rules around student ID, investment in new vehicles, mticketing and touch card we’ve 19.2% year to date growth

7. Internal challenges for us
Our own growth – its effect on boarding times, journey times and customer satisfaction
Capacity of buses
Driver recruitment

8. More double deckers

9. University Services

10. mTickets
Tickets available Bristol Inner & Outer Zone – carnet of 5 day tickets, week, month and 10 journey outer zone
Bristol week most frequently sold on mticket
Tickets can be bought using credit/debit cards or barclays ping it
Available on apple or android
Need internet connect to buy, but not required to activate ticket – just battery on the phone!

11. touch…. Launched in July 2014
Tickets available Bristol Inner & Outer Zone - week and month tickets, 10 journey outer zone
Just about to launch Student/Young person and child cards
Average 5,000 passengers using touch each week

12. First Bus App
Includes timetable & single fare information for all services
Mapping software to show closest bus stop and service
Mapping to show route information
All season ticket info
Links to social media
Favourite bus stop facility and reminder to get off at set stops
Contact us

13. Bristol 2015

14. Bio Bus

15. Partnership with City Car Club
Launched to students at UWE who bought year or uni year tickets – free membership and 2 days worth of car hire
About to launch the offer to Bristol annual season ticket holders

16. New Buses

17. The future

18. Bristol Green Capital Progress Update
First West of England
Bristol Green Capital Progress Update

19. Supporting and helping to raise profile of the Green Capital year by:
Bristol 2015 logo on every First Bus in Bristol
6 buses branded in a striking green BGC livery, wrapped HST train power car
Bristol 2015 official sponsor collateral on First Bus, FirstGroup and FGW websites
Trialling Bio-Bus
Introducing 58 new double deckers, 26 micro hybrid - 14X cleaner than the ones they replace
Sponsor of Envision Community-Apprentice scheme - an inter-school competition run in 30 schools across Birmingham and Bristol where year olds are given responsibility to tackle community based issues such as bullying and sustainable choices
A Prove It member of Go Green - a business initiative of Low Carbon South West and Business West aiming at embedding sustainability further into businesses in the South West 19

20. Founding member of the Bristol Smart Alliance Board
Founding member of the Bristol Smart Alliance Board. Includes Tier 1 sponsors (First, Skanska, KPMG) and BCC, looking at the vision for transport and mobility in Bristol
Strong presence at the first major event of the Green Capital year- Green Youth Day
Supported Bristol Venturefest
Supporting the development of the Bristol Summits - Business and City Leaders
Contributing to the Transport Module of the Bristol Method - the knowledge sharing programme that aims to share the lessons of Bristol’s year as the Green Capital with the rest of the world
Launched m-ticketing in January to encourage bus use and modal shift
Launched partnership with City Car Club in Bristol after successful trial with university students
As part of a partnership with BCC, First will introduce two super hybrid double-deckers with geo-fencing technology, to be delivered later this year.

21. Thank You