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FIRST UK BUS launches mobile site

Posted: 22 September 2011 | FirstGroup | No comments yet

FIRST UK BUS, has launched a new mobile website designed to give customers accessing First bus information from smart phones…

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FIRST UK BUS, the UK’s largest bus operator, has launched a new mobile website designed to give customers accessing First bus information from smart phones with an improved, easy to use site specifically designed for mobile users.

The site, which was launched on 1stSeptember, automatically directs smart phone users to it.

First’s home page, www.firstgroup.com/ukbus, which incorporates all First’s operating company websites, currently attracts in the region of 325,000 visits from mobile users per month (in total First UK Bus receives almost 1.5million web visits per month). First expects the new mobile website, which covers all First operating areas, will help increase visits to around 400,000 in the medium to long term.

“Our mobile website represents the latest initiative to improve our service offering to customers,” said Giles Fearnley, Managing Director of First UK Bus. “Increasingly our customers are using smart phones to access timetables and other important information. Our new mobile website will make that process altogether easier.

Fearnley added that First was keen to have the new system in place before the winter months. “In December 2010, when the weather was at its worst and services across the country had difficulties, our website handled 265,000 visits in just one day.

“Not only have we invested in the mobile site, but we have also substantially increased our band capacity to handle high volumes of web traffic. Particularly in atrocious weather conditions it is essential that our customers can quickly and easily access our websites for the latest travel information. I’m delighted that we’ve raised our game and with the help of the latest technology improved our customer proposition.”

The new mobile site is the latest example of the investment programme underway at First UK Bus. In the spring the company announced a £160m commitment to purchase nearly 1,000 new buses and earlier this month it unveiled a £27m investment in new bus ticketing technology.

“We are investing in our vehicles, infrastructure and technology to improve our service offering to our customers,” added Fearnley. “This is yet another way we can persuade more people that the bus is a convenient, reliable and cost effective alternative to the car.”

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