Major new funding boost for pioneering GO-HI transport accessibility app
The pioneering GO-HI transport accessibility app has attracted major new funding from the Scottish Government, which will allow it to provide an even wider range of transport information and transactional services to residents, tourists and business travellers in the Highlands and Islands.
The GO-HI app, launched during the summer, provides instant access to information on buses, trains, taxis, car hire, car clubs, bicycle hire, air travel and ferries and this allows users to plan their journeys and find, book and pay for all modes of transport in one place, using any iPhone or Android mobile device.
Behind the project is HITRANS, the regional transport partnership, which is delighted to have secured £408,772 from Round Two of Transport Scotland’s Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Investment Fund to expand GO-HI, adding to the £445,170 received in Round One.
On top of this good news, HITRANS will be delivering a range of complementary measures from EU projects with a value of approximately £2 million.
The Scottish Government’s Minister for Transport Graeme Dey MSP took a close look at GO-HI and tried out booking a range of travel services during a visit to Elgin where he also met with the
GO-HI project partners.
He said: “I’m delighted to have been able to visit Elgin today and see the GO-HI App in action. It’s a great example of the Scottish Government working in partnership with local communities and private enterprise to develop the digital technology that allows the joining up of many transport modes, providing a one-stop transport shop for residents and visitors alike. I look forward to seeing how the second phase of the pilot develops to meet customer requirements and test the concept of MaaS in Scotland to support modal shift.”
Transport Minister Graeme Dey (holding folding bicycle) is pictured at the Enterprise Office in Elgin where he was given a demonstration of the GO-HI accessibility app. Pictured with him are (left to right):-Ross Basnett, Strategic Account Director, Mobilleo, Julian Scriven, Managing Director, Brompton Bike Hire, Diane Mulholland, Vice President & General Manager, Scotland, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Oz Choudri, National Marketing Manager, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Ranald Robertson, Director HITRANS
Councillor Allan Henderson, Chair of HITRANS, warmly welcomed the second tranche of funding from the Scottish Government.
He said: “This is great news for our large rural and remote region. The project will ensure we remain in the vanguard of innovation and the digitalisation of transport information. Actions within the project will hugely improve accessibility of travel information and ease of payment for multiple modes of travel.”
Murray McAdam, Business Rental Sales Manager for Scotland at Enterprise, said: “We were delighted to be involved in demonstrating to Graeme Dey how this exciting project is helping local residents, business and visitors to the area benefit from an integrated transport service.
“The new funding is a stamp of approval for the project and Enterprise has recently added eight low-emission hybrid electric vehicles to the GO-HI network to give people even more choice. We look forward to playing an even greater role in the growth of GO-HI.”
GO-HI is powered by Fleetondemand’s Mobilleo Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform.. The additional funding from the MaaS Investment Fund extends the platform with several new transport partners including ProxiSmart who join current project partners the Institute of Transport Studies Leeds University, Enterprise Car Club and Car Hire, Bewegen, Brompton Bike Hire, Stagecoach Bus, West Coast Motors, Inverness Taxis, ScotRail, Loganair, Shotl, Skedgo, Orkney Ferries and Northlink Ferries.
Note to editors:
The MaaS Investment Fund has been established to test the concept of MaaS in Scotland, and aims to deliver on the Scottish Government’s aspirations of lowering carbon emissions, improving health, and growing digital and innovation within Scotland by developing digital solutions to encourage and enable modal shift to public transport and active travel alternatives.
GO-HI is a regional, multi-modal journey planning system using real-time data that offers account-based payment available to all users for all participating mobility options. The funding obtained was intended for an initial 6-month live pilot project but through internal virement of budget and additional funding from the Stronger Combined North Sea Region Project it has been possible to launch the platform for a 24 month period at the end of which time it is hoped that the platform will become sustainable based on use.
In addition to the platform the partnership with our INTERREG North Sea Region project, ‘Stronger Combined’ is also enabling the introduction of the Inverness eBike Dock System and MaaS programme marketing. A combination of Stronger Combined and Smarter Choices Smarter Places funding has enabled the appointment of a project officer to deliver the work.
GOHI project partner Enterprise Car Club have also increased the availability of car club vehicles including at new locations in Scrabster, Fort William, Aviemore, Kyle of Lochalsh and Portree.