Bus Eireann launches ‘e-ticket’ initiative

FROM today, Bus Eireann’s beloved red setter will be running back to retrieve your e-ticket.

Jamie, aged three, launched Bus Eireann’s online ticketing system yesterday with the No Frontiers travel show presenter Kathryn Thomas.

Bus Eireann is hoping the new system will be like its red setter mascot - safe, reliable and fast.

“There is no other bus company in Europe where customers can purchase a ticket on the internet for immediate use,” marketing manager Barry Coyle said.

Passengers can buy national bus tickets for over 600 journeys at www.buseireann.ie using their credit card. The company sends an e-mail receipt, containing a random number. It must be printed off and shown to the driver before boarding.

Bus Eireann expects the new system to be most popular with 18-25 year olds, who are the heaviest users of the inter city services.

“All the students in colleges have PCs on their desk and are very computer literate. This is an added convenience for our customers,” Mr Coyle said.

Student tickets can be bought online, although student cards must be displayed to the driver before boarding.

The only restrictions are that tickets must be over 7.50 and only four tickets can be bought by each person. Online booking has been a boon for Ryanair and also for Aer Lingus. The state airline recorded a huge increase in online booking last year, helping to turn a loss of 50 million in 2001 into a profit of 63 million in 2002.

Budget airlines like Ryanair allow passengers to board with just a reference number but Bus Eireann is insisting on a printed receipt.

Drivers can check the number on their electronic ticketing machine and later hand the printed receipt to Bus Eireann, as proof the ticket was used. “Ryanair have the comfort of having passengers in a very controlled environment, where they can check every reference number right back to the booking on the website. But we have to ensure Joe Soap can stand in the rain in someplace like Fermoy with his piece of paper and still get on the bus,” said Simon Cunningham, Bus Eireann information systems manager.