Some bus operators will split journeys into two sections, usually in half. This can be because:

• A journey is long enough that the driver needs a break (potentially even contravening EU driving hour regulations)
• Part of the journey is called a different service.

In this scenario, passengers would remain on the same bus. The driver might change. However, operators have to represent this in their schedule data, so they might show two half journeys even though it’s the same vehicle.

This means that when doing a journey plan, customers might be advised to get off the bus and get back on it. This isn’t generally what operators want to display to their customers because, in real life, this isn’t necessary.

In some cases, the customer’s ticket may not cover the second part of the journey.

The Bus Fare Cap Grant (BFCG) scheme in England was introduced to enable bus operators (outside of London) to cap the price of a single journey by bus at £2, without running services unprofitably.

The scheme was introduced in January 2022 and has been extended several times. It was launched by the Department for Transport as part of the Help for Households initiative from the Government.

The Bus Fare Cap Grant (BFCG) scheme will run until November 2024. From November 2023 the single journey fare cap will rise to £2.50 in England.

SIRI-SX is a data format that allows the exchange of structured messages relating to public transport services and networks.

It is commonly associated with disruption information and is used to communicate changes to customers.

Tap & Cap is one of several names given to the type of Contactless Model 2 payment method. It allows you to simply “tap” your contactless payment card (or device) onto a reader at the start of your journey. What you are charged for the journey is calculated later and then automatically from your account.

It does not require you to “tap” out again on a reader when you complete your journey.

Often this charge will be capped at a maximum amount if enough journeys are taken within a specific period of time, e.g. 24 hours.

This is different to Contactless Model 1 where the products you are buying are totalled up by the cashier, or a self-service machine, and you pay the total on the screen with your contactless payment card. If you want to buy a specific ticket on a bus or tram in the UK, you will use Contactless Model 1.

Contactless Model 2 is the type of contactless card payment that you experience when you travel on public transport in some large towns and cities. A good example of this in the UK is London.

Some Contactless Model 2 schemes require you to tap on when you board and then tap off when you get off. This makes it possible for the system to calculate how much to charge you for your journey between beginning and end. This is TOTO (Tap On, Tap Off) contactless.

Other Contactless Model 2 schemes are known Tap & Cap contactless, where you be charged a fixed amount (a ‘flat fare’) for every journey you take. The charge will usually be capped at a certain amount over a period like a day or a week.

This type of Contactless Model 2 payment method allows you to simply “tap” your contactless payment card (or device) onto a reader at the start of your journey. You don’t need to tap out at the end of your journey, with the fare being calculated automatically in the background.

This is different to Contactless Model 1 where the products you are buying are totalled up by the cashier, or a self-service machine, and you pay the total on the screen with your contactless payment card. If you want to buy a specific ticket on a bus or tram in the UK, you will use Contactless Model 1.

Contactless Model 1 is the type of contactless card payment that you experience in a retail environment, like a shop.

The products you are buying are totalled up by the cashier, or a self-service machine, and you pay the total on the screen with your contactless payment card.

When paying in this way on a bus, or a tram, you simply ask the driver for the ticket you want and they will issue it to you. If you don’t know what the name of the ticket is, then just tell the driver where you want to go and they will work out the best ticket for your journey.

Contactless Model 1 is available as a way to pay for a ticket on many buses around the UK. But it also often possible to pay with an alternative type of contactless payment called Contactless Model 2.

Contactless Model 2 contactless payment method usually takes one of two approaches:

• TOTO (Tap On, Tap Off) contactless
• Tap & Cap contactless

TOTO (Tap On, Tap Off) contactless allows you to simply “tap” your contactless payment card (or device) onto a reader at the start of your journey and “tap” again on a reader when you complete your journey, with the fare being calculated automatically in the background.

Tap & Cap contactless allows you to simply “tap” your contactless payment card (or device) onto a reader at the start of your journey. It does not require you to tap again to complete your journey.

In September 2019, the government set out how it would launch a revolution in bus services – delivering a better deal for bus users and committing to publishing a National Bus Strategy.

England’s first National Bus Strategy, called ‘Bus Back Better: national bus strategy for England’ was published in March 2021.

A PDF copy of the National Bus Strategy can be downloaded from the Department for Transport website.

Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a cloud provider hosts applications and makes them available to end-users over the internet.

This differs from more traditional models of accessing software, such as installing it onto a computer from a CD/DVD or download.

The software is usually accessed via a web browser or mobile app on desktop, mobile and tablet devices.

PSD2 is a European regulation for electronic payment services. It seeks to make payments more secure in Europe, boost innovation and help banking services adapt to new technologies.

An online shop where apps can be found and downloaded to your mobile phone. The app store for Android devices is called the Play Store. The app store for Apple devices is actually called the ‘App Store’.