LibertyBus app hits 20,000 downloads, transforming Jersey’s commuting landscape
Jersey, a popular destination with nearly 5 million passenger journeys a year
Jersey is the largest island in the Channel Islands at just 45 square miles, and a popular tourist destination every year. With nearly 5 million passenger journeys, 25 routes, and over 2 million miles travelled by buses each year across the network*, Jersey needed an innovative and efficient solution for travel planning and live bus tracking in the island.
In response to the need to reduce vehicle emissions, achieve climate goals and encourage a reduction in car use, Tower Transit, through its subsidiary LibertyBus, chose to partner with UrbanThings due to their expertise in creating branded mobile apps that encourage public transport use.
Making journey planning easier with a dedicated mobile app for passengers
UrbanThings developed a branded bus application to provide a customer experience focused alternative to the websites being used, allowing passengers in Jersey to plan journeys and access instant, real-time transport information. Launched in April 2023, LibertyBus, the new dedicated app in Jersey, is available on the App Store and Google Play, completely free of charge to passengers.
Passengers in Jersey can effortlessly plan their journeys and check bus times, live bus arrivals, service information such as current disruptions, and live occupancy information. In addition, school bus routes can be visible on the map or as detailed bus stops, helping students plan journeys to and from school.
The solution is built upon UrbanHub, UrbanThings’ cutting edge transport platform designed to streamline transport operations and optimise services.
Samuel Ribeiro, UK Managing Director at Tower Transit said: “Having a bespoke app designed for LibertyBus was really important to us. We firmly believe that our Jersey customers deserve a dedicated bus travel app equipped with the best features found in larger regions and cities worldwide. UrbanThings’ rapid implementation of new features, driven by customer feedback, underscores their agility, commitment to progress, and dedication to enhancing the application for our customers. This not only generates excitement for the promising developments ahead but also showcases our forward-thinking approach and commitment to a strong partnership.”
Connecting Jersey: already 20,000 app downloads across the Island
The LibertyBus app revolutionised journey planning in Jersey and became an indispensable tool for both locals and tourists, by providing an efficient and user-friendly experience. Achieving over 20,000 downloads in just a few months, the app is already used by more than a fifth of the island’s population with usage continuing to grow daily. Users report that live occupancy and bus arrival times have been the most powerful features as they needed to access live information.
UrbanThings has continued to innovate since the app’s launch, collecting feedback from customers and adding enhancements to the customer experience. The latest update featured route colours and markers, providing greater visibility for a passenger’s preferred service and making the map intuitive, and easier to navigate for travellers.
Behind the scenes, both UrbanThings and Tower Transit teams conducted rigorous app testing sessions to ensure flawless performance, leading to the success of the app. The LibertyBus app branding is present from the moment visitors arrive at the airport, with a QR code to download the app.
With many young families and elderly people living in Jersey, the LibertyBus app is set to transform the way people travel on buses, laying a solid foundation for future digital mobility initiatives. Building on the success of the launch, UrbanThings and LibertyBus will keep working to support the community of Jersey, decrease congestion and encourage sustainable transport.
Guy Sutherland, Head of Bids and Partnerships at UrbanThings commented: “With our ongoing focus on making travel simple for customers, working with Tower Transit has been fantastic, as we share the same goals of improving transport experience for passengers. It’s great to see that LibertyBus app is already used by more than a fifth of the Island’s population. Building on the successful launch of the app, we are eager to continue its development in the future which will benefit locals and visitors in Jersey”
If you would like to find out more about having your own branded app, please feel free to reach out and our team will be in touch soon.
