Traveline Cymru

Traveline Cymru

File:TravelineCymru.jpg Logo
Formation	1999
Headquarters	Cardiff, Wales
Region served	Wales
Website	Traveline Cymru

Traveline Cymru is a not-for-profit business funded by the Welsh Government. Based on a partnership between local authorities and public transport operators, the company's core purpose is to provide impartial travel information about all forms of public transport in Wales, which it does through the following services:

• Bilingual contact centre, based in North Wales. Customers can call 0300 200 2233 to speak to one of the Traveline Cymru agents. This number is charged at standard landline rates.
• Online at www.traveline.cymru. Here, customers can plan a route by public transport, find timetables, fare information, transport disruptions and more.
• Free and bilingual mobile app for iPhone and Android devices, which will allow customers to plan their journey, search for timetables, as well as find bus stops on the go.
• Text service. Customers can text their bus stop code to 84268 to find out the times of the next bus, or by visiting NextBuses.

History

Various Traveline-branded services, including Traveline Cymru, were established in the UK during 1999. The telephone enquiry service was launched in 2000, using the single UK-wide telephone number 0870 608 2608.

The Traveline Cymru website went live in 2003, allowing individuals to plan journeys and look up timetables themselves online.

In 2007, Traveline Cymru and all other Traveline partnerships began transitioning their telephone enquiry service to the new number 0871 200 2233, a premium rate number that levied a typical charge of between 10p and 40p per minute on callers.

Bilingual mobile applications for iPhone and Android devices were launched in 2011.

In 2013, Traveline Cymru started adding bus fare information to their website - one of the first Traveline regions to do so.

In 2015, Traveline Cymru re-launched their website under www.traveline.cymru which features enhanced versions of their journey planning services. The company also switched to a .cymru domain name as part of the website launch and launched upgrades to their mobile apps for iPhone and Android devices.

During 2015, Traveline Cymru also launched an alternative, lower-cost contact number of 0300 200 2233. This allows callers to access the telephone enquiry service at standard landline rates, instead of paying the fees of up to 55p per minute associated with an 0871 number.

Services

Traveline Cymru operates from two separate sites, the admin office based in Cardiff, South Wales and a bilingual Contact Centre based in Penrhyndeudraeth, North Wales.

Traveline Cymru provides public transport information through the following services:

JOURNEY PLANNER

Customers are able to use the journey planner to search for a specific journey they wish to make. The results will then show the available routes via public transport, along with all the details needed to make the journey. This includes the bus service number (where applicable) the stop the service leaves from, and interactive maps for each leg of the journey.

TIMETABLES

Customers can search for bus service numbers, where they can view the full timetable for that route, along with a route map. There is also the option to download a traditional, PDF version of the timetable.

BUS STOP FINDER

Customers can use the Bus Stop Finder to search for a location, which will show the bus stops in that area displayed on an interactive map. Customers can click on the bus stops, which will display the routes serving the stop and the time of the next buses due to arrive.

TRAVEL ALERTS

Customers can use the Traveline Cymru Travel Alerts page to search for their service number to see if there are any disruptions or diversions in place that may affect their journey. Traveline Cymru get sent updates from operators, which they then put onto the Travel Alerts page for customers’ reference.

MOBILE APP AND TEXT SERVICES

Traveline Cymru have a free, bilingual mobile app available to download, which will allow customers to:

• Plan a journey

• Locate bus stops through the bus stop finder map

• Search for timetables

• View disruptions

• Save favourite stops

• View the Traveline Cymru Twitter feed

The app is currently available on iPhone and Android devices.

They also have a text message service available, where customers can get the times of their next bus sent directly to their phone via text message.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Traveline Cymru also provide public transport information and updates via their Twitter and Facebook social media channels.

Funding

Funding for the core service comes from the Welsh Government by annual grant; bus and rail operators contribute to call centre costs using processes appropriate to their services.

Scale

The company operates a bilingual Contact Centre in Penrhyndeudraeth, North Wales, which in 2014 handled around 200,000 telephone calls. In 2014 the company also provided circa 3.5 million pieces of information via its website/‘smart’ phone responses and texts.

In 2012 the Contact Centre started to exploit its bilingual expertise by offering similar Welsh Language services to other transport organisations and now operates several commercial contracts.

Contact Centre Cymru

Contact Centre Cymru is a bilingual Contact Centre, based in Penrhyndeudraeth, North Wales. Sponsored by the Welsh Government, they provide a Contact Centre service to a range of businesses across Wales and the UK, including Traveline Cymru.