Vamooz goes live with Love Manchester run

Vamooz, Transdev’s app-based crowdfunding scheme to stimulate the development of new routes across Yorkshire and Lancashire, made its first run on 4 June between Harrogate and Old Trafford for the Love Manchester benefit concert to support victims of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in May.

Vamooz was offering free travel for the first 100 to book a trip with the service, which aims to harness customer power to create new links not possible on today’s public transport networks, especially to destinations like schools and business parks.

‘Using the app, people can suggest a destination of their choice for a day trip across the North, including to places not normally served by the regular bus network,’ says Vamooz manager Rebecca Reeve-Burnett. Passengers pay when they book, with the price for all passengers falling as more book the same trip.

‘It takes the concept of bus network design out of the hands of remote planners,’ says Transdev chief executive Alex Hornby, ‘instead giving power to the people. We reward people who encourage others to travel by lowering the price for everyone.’