Moovit is first major tech firm to use Transport for the North's Open Data Hub to improve passenger journeys

Moovit is the first major firm to use Transport for the North's new Open Data Hub, which provides publicly accessible data about fares and delays to journeys, in its customer-facing services.

It means that anyone using Moovit’s free iOS, Android, and web app across Yorkshire and the North will now have up-to-date information about delays to their journey to help them plan.

The Open Data Hub is part of TfN’s £150m Integrated and Smart Travel programme, which aims to develop smart ticketing, payment and information technologies to transform travel across the whole region.

One element of the plan, a London-style 'pay as you go' smart ticketing system across different modes of transport, has yet to be implemented because of a failure to reach agreement with bus companies.

The aim of the latest collaboration is to give commuters and public transport users, many of whom find navigating buses and trains confusing, the tools they need to more easily plan and ride efficient, accurate and safe journeys.

It is hoped that along with other measures it will encourage people back onto public transport, which has seen a huge fall in patronage since the start of the pandemic.

Moovit provides users real-time arrival information so they know exactly when their bus or rail service is arriving, a Live Directions feature with Get Off alerts to provide step-by-step guidance for the entire journey.

Transport for the North’s Integrated and Smart Travel Director, Jeremy Acklam, explained. “Transport for the North is working with our local authority partners to enhance the provision of digital journey information and to make this as widely available as possible for passengers right across our region.

“We are truly excited that our efforts are paying off, with Moovit becoming the first major company to start integrating disruption information from our Open Data Hub into their customer-facing services.

"Ultimately it’s all about making public transport better and giving the public the confidence to use it, so it’s fantastic that Moovit are exploring how to improve their offer in the North of England.”

Yovav Meydad, Chief Growth and Marketing Officer at Moovit, said: “Moovit’s mission is to simplify urban mobility, and since 2012 we have worked with thousands of transport agencies across 3,200 cities in 106 countries to make that a reality.

“Together with TfN and its Open Data Hub, we can give passengers the best and most advanced tools to help them get to their destination with assurance.”