The bus operator and Combined Authority have teamed up to launch “Tap On, Tap Off” (TOTO), a simple way for people to pay for their bus travel using their contactless card or device without having to buy a ticket on the bus.

Using TOTO, passengers simply tap their card or device against the reader when they get on the bus and again just before they get off. First then work out the correct fare for each journey and ensure that customers never pay more than the relevant day ticket fare each day they travel, no matter how many journeys they make. As customers travel more over the week, the system also ensures that each extra day costs less.

TOTO, which will be officially launched across all First West of England’s services on Sunday, 17th July thanks to funding from the West of England Combined Authority, will make bus travel in the West of England simpler, especially for new customers, with no need to know which zone you are in or which ticket to buy. The system also gives customers visibility of what they’ve been charged for all their journeys through a simple online portal.

Dan Norris, Metro Mayor of the West of England, said: “I want to make it as easy as possible for people across the West of England to use buses. More journeys by bus across the West of England will help us reach our ambitious net-zero-by-2030 target and deal with congestion and pollution. 'Tap On, Tap Off’ makes it easier for passengers, and by simplifying and streamlining the payment process, it speeds everything up.”