Sweeney’s Garage and Ticketer

Background

Sweeney’s Garage has been a staple operator in Perthshire, Scotland, since its establishment in 1974. Initially a small operation, it has expanded over time to now run a fleet of buses, in addition to a filling station and MOT centre.

Their bus services are the core of the business, and they currently operate 18 vehicles with three dedicated to regular service routes and the remainder focussed on school services.

Historically, Sweeney’s Garage relied on Perth and Kinross Council to select and manage their incumbent ticket machine supplier. These machines frequently malfunctioned and weren’t very user-friendly, leading to significant downtime and frustration for drivers and passengers alike. In 2015, Sweeney’s Garage therefore decided to transition from their previous supplier to Ticketer for their ticketing needs.

How we helped

During the early implementation stages, Ticketer provided a hands-on approach with Sweeney’s, regularly meeting in person to discuss their requirements and how they could benefit from introducing specific features and functionalities into their operations.

Following these discussions, the transition involved initially implementing two of Ticketer’s on-bus Electronic Ticket Machines and later adding three Ticketer Handhelds to their fleet, offering a balance of stability and flexibility for their 3 service vehicles.

The implementation process from Sweeney’s point of view was easy and fuss-free, with Ticketer providing all the support and training they needed to ensure the office staff and drivers were comfortable with the new system and hardware.

Ticketer travelled out to Perthshire to provide Sweeney’s with hands-on training, as well as being only a phone called away for support at a distance. All Sweeney’s needed to do was provide Ticketer with their basic fare information and they were ready to hit the road with the Ticketer Portal recording their data in the background.

The outcome

Introducing the Ticketer system has had a positive impact on the operations and customer satisfaction at Sweeney’s Garage. The Ticketer system’s reliability and user-friendliness has resulted in a smoother, more efficient ticketing process with the introduction of contactless payment options being particularly beneficial, catering to the increasing demand for these services and reducing cash handling.

Operational efficiency has also significantly improved. The ability to use the Ticketer Handheld devices interchangeably amongst different buses has reduced the impact of vehicle breakdowns on ticketing operations, preventing loss of revenue and reinforcing to passengers Sweeney’s provides a reliable and trusted service.

The data collected through the Ticketer Portal has provided valuable insights into the daily operations of Sweeney’s Garage, allowing for better reporting of ticket sales and revenue, giving a clear picture as to how operations are running, as well as real-time vehicle tracking so they always know where their buses are, and can communicate this to passengers.

The overall passenger experience has also seen a noticeable improvement for Sweeney’s. The ease of use and reliability of the Ticketer machines have reduced wait times and technical issues, as well as offering more options for fare collection, giving passengers the choice of how to pay for their tickets. These improvements have made bus rides smoother for passengers and helped Sweeney’s Garage provide a better overall customer experience.

The ongoing relationship with Ticketer has been marked by consistent communication and support. Ticketer’s responsiveness to queries and proactive engagement have ensured that Sweeney’s Garage continues to operate smoothly, leading to Sweeney recommending Ticketer to their fellow operators in the Perthshire area.