Courtney Coaches Rolls-out Ground Breaking Ticketing Solution from Leading Mobile Technology Companies

Released on: October 17, 2007, 9:21 am

Press Release Author: Momote / Wildfire PR

Industry: Transportation & Logistics

Press Release Summary: New ticketing solution harnesses mobile technology to offer
significant savings to bus operators


Press Release Body: 17th October 2007 - Courtney Coaches has today rolled out a new
technologically advanced bus ticketing solution across its Berkshire based fleet.
Developed through partnerships with mobile technology specialists Momote1, ETMSS2,
Zebra Technologies3 and Fleetwood4, the ticketing solution will change the face of
bus travel; both for Courtney Coaches, who will experience significantly improved
business efficiencies in the form of reduced costs and maintenance as well as
vehicle tracking, and for its customers, who will as a result receive a better
service along with precise and swift live report's available for Local Borough
Council contracts.

The new solution - will be Introduced across Courtney Coaches' fleet operating
across the southern counties and costs less than half the price of conventional
machines - It comprises of a compact IMC (industrial mobile computer) sized terminal
from Fleetwood and the MZ220 mobile printer from Zebra technologies, both of which
can be mounted at the driver's kiosk. ETMSS developed the complete solution using
Momote's development platform, which enabled it to quickly design, develop, deploy
and manage the customised wireless mobility application.

"Technology in the bus-ticketing world has remained static for decades, and the
bulky ticketing machines are expensive, have lots of moving parts and generate
significant maintenance costs," explained Graham Whistance, Managing Director,
Momote. "This new solution is a pioneering development for the industry, and will
offer operators significant savings in time, costs and maintenance, helping to
improve customer service as well as manage fleets more efficiently."

Following the trials held using one of Courtney Coaches' local service buses, ETMSS
will market the pioneering solution to other leading transport companies. Benefits
that these companies can enjoy as a result of the new solution include:

. Future-proofing of investment - The ETMSS solution will easily accommodate future
developments in ticketing such as mobile phone payment and barcode/RFID tags on
'Oyster card'-like smart cards for OAPs which will be introduced nationwide under a
new government initiative

1 Momote is a leading provider of tailored wireless service management solutions
2 ETMSS (Electronic Ticket Machine Software Services) provides software
configuration engineering
3 Zebra Technologies delivers innovative and reliable on-demand printing solutions
for business improvement and security applications in 100 countries around the world
4 Fleetwood specialises in the development and supply of electronic systems for
mobile resource management

. Lower maintenance costs - With no moving parts, repair costs are minimised and
downtime is eradicated - if any faults do occur, each part of the system can be
removed and repaired independently
. Reduced investment in hardware - The PDA-style device incorporates mobile phone
capabilities, satellite navigation and GPS tracking, removing the need to invest in
separate devices to perform these functions, which along with the ticketing machine
itself can add up to more than £8,000
. Engine management information recording - Software loaded onto the device can link
up with the engine management system and record details of the driver's performance
and fuel efficiency of that style of driving. Remedying inefficient practices such
as braking hard or sitting stationary with the engine on can save an average of 7%
on fuel bills; often the highest outgoing for transport companies
. GPS Tracking - The PDA-style device contains a GPS tracking device which allows
operators to monitor the precise location of the vehicle at any point, hence can
track routes, and can provide assistance should a vehicle need to unexpectedly
divert
. Decreased insurance costs -The GPS capability of the system allows operators to
set up safety zones. If the vehicle moves outside the parameters set for a specific
time frame (for example, the zone may be set around the bus depot for the hours when
the bus is not in service), police will be alerted to the movement, and will be
provided with details of the vehicle's exact location at that time. Because of the
improved chance of recovery, insurance premiums are reduced
. Easy recording of sales figures - Records of sales figures and passenger traffic
patterns are automatically recorded in real time to a database accessible via a web
browser, making access to statistics fast and simple

"Courtney Coaches is the first coach company to deploy this solution, which
underlines our position as innovators in the market," said Bill Courtney, Courtney
Coaches. "The benefits it could offer us made it a totally compelling proposal; the
payback period will be short and as a result of this installation, we will be able
to compete more efficiently in the market. In future, bus operators without such
systems will, as a result, most likely find themselves at a disadvantage when
tendering."

"With more than 12 years experience in the bus-ticketing industry, we knew exactly
where the shortfalls in the sector's technology lay," said David Price, ETMSS.
"Each of the companies involved in this project are leaders in their field, and the
result is a unique solution that will bring bus travel into the 21st century."

- ends -



About Momote
Momote provides tailored wireless solutions that work across all platforms and on
all devices. Momote's agile approach to mobile application development combined
with the very latest innovations in mobile technology rapidly delivers real-time,
always connected solutions for corporates and developers alike. Momote works in
partnership with some of the biggest enterprises in the mobile industry, such as
Orange, Motorola and Zebra, in order to provide one of the highest quality
end-to-services in the market. Customers include corporate organisations such as
Autoglass and Iveco, and ISVs, including Zafire, Professional IT and Courier
Exchange. For more information, please see www.momote.com

About ETMSS Ltd
ETMSS Ltd (Electronic Ticket Machine Software Services, UK) is an independent
company of ex-wayfarer software configuration engineers with over 12 years\'
experience within the Industry. The company offers transport operators configuration
of fare updates, concessionary fare Schemes, ticket & keyboard alterations, system
set-up and training, as well help & advice for the main ticket machines on the
market. For more information, please visit www.etmss.com

About Fleetwood
Fleetwood Electronics Limited supplies mobile hardware and systems that allow
managers of vehicles or mobile workers to optimise their performance through
information delivery and improved management. Today the solutions offered by
Fleetwood bring together software applications, mobile communications, GPS based
location tracking, engine management and mobile devices to enable all remote events,
transactions and resources to be viewed and managed in real time. Highly scalable,
Fleetwood's solutions are ideal for companies investing in mobile technology for the
first time as well as companies that are seeking to maximise their return on
existing investments. Fleetwood Electronics Limited is a privately owned UK
company, based in Cambridge. For any further information please see
www.fleetwoodmobile.com


About Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA) delivers innovative and reliable
on-demand printing solutions for business improvement and security applications in
100 countries around the world. More than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use
Zebra®-brand printers. A broad range of applications benefit from Zebra-brand
thermal bar code, \"smart\" label and receipt printers, and plastic card printers,
resulting in enhanced security, increased productivity, improved quality, lower
costs, and better customer service. The company has sold more than six million
printers, including RFID and wireless mobile solutions, as well as ZebraDesignerT
software, ZebraLinkT connectivity solutions, Genuine Zebra printing supplies and
ZebraCareT services. Information about Zebra specialty printing solutions is at
http://www.zebra.com


About Courtney Coaches
Courtney Coaches is a family run bus and coach operator that has been providing
quality transportation since 1973. The company supplies transport for many blue chip
companies as well as nurseries, schools, colleges however the majority of its work
is contract based. More information is available from
http://www.courtneycoaches.com/


For further information, please contact:

Laurie Glimmerveen
Wildfire PR
020 8339 4420
momote@wildfirepr.co.uk


Web Site: http://www.momote.com

Contact Details: Laurie Glimmerveen
T: 020 8339 4420
E: laurieg@wildfirepr.co.uk
W: www.wildfirepr.co.uk

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