February 3, 2017
Courtesy of www.transport-ticketing.com
Global Transport Ticketing Conference
As the new waterborne transit option for busy New Yorkers, our NYC Ferry team is working to bring the most efficient solutions to life, in order to provide a safe and reliable ferry system. Therefore, our team members headed to London this past week to attend the Global Transport Ticketing Conference 2017.
The conference is an “annual get together for the entire public transport community involved in smart ticketing. […] Through a number of case studies from operators from each continent, in-depth industry debates and panel discussions, this gathering will act as a platform for transport executives to set the agenda towards the global vision for transport” the host, Clarion Events, explains.
Representatives from government and private transportation companies were there from around the world, including the UK, Singapore, Czech Republic and Spain, to name a few. For our team, the stand-out presentation was performed by Stephen York from Scotland Transportation, presenting his Scotland Case Study on “future-proofing the national Scottish ticketing system.” Furthermore, there were conversations and workshops discussing the future of ticketing, technology advances and how that affects public transport and policies, as well as how customer experiences are affected and improved by easier ticketing and communication.
Visiting the MBNA Thames Clippers
During this ferry-focused business trip to London, our team had the chance to meet with the crew behind MBNA Thames Clippers, who are providing Londoners with a ferry system quite similar to our NYC Ferry service launching this summer. With four routes connecting 22 landings across London, carrying some four million riders each year, we may have just found our “sister ferry company” on the other side of the globe.
MBNA Thames Clippers are currently building new vessels to improve their service, while the consideration of a potential expansion of routes to better utilize their waterway along the River Thames.
So what do the MBNA Clippers do?
During our visit, we learned about the busy River Thames, where their vessels sail with commuters and tourists onboard, providing a transit option as well as sightseeing cruises and leisurely rides. The commuter ferries are modern, with concessions, comfortable seating and newspapers onboard to cover all busy commuters’ needs – all while looking at the beautiful city of London gliding by outside the window. And guess what, they even have a Londonist Out Loud podcast!