The Go-Hi transport accessibility app has attracted new funding from the Scottish government, to provide a wider range of transport information and transactional services to residents, tourists and business travellers in the Highlands and Islands.
Launched this summer, the Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) app, powered by Fleetondemand’s Mobilleo platform, is designed to provide instant access to information on buses, trains, taxis, car hire, car clubs, bicycle hire, air travel and ferries. It allows users to plan their journeys and find, book and pay for all modes of transport in one place, using a mobile device.
Behind the project is The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS), which has secured £408,772 from round two of Transport Scotland’s MaaS investment fund to expand Go-Hi. This adds to the £445,170 received in round one.
The additional funding from the MaaS investment fund extends the platform to include 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.
Read more: Low-emission hybrids added to Scottish Highlands MaaS project
The Scottish government’s minister for transport, Graeme Dey, 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.”
Furthermore, HITRANS is working to deliver a range of complementary measures from EU projects with a value of approximately £2m.
Councillor Allan Henderson, Chair of HITRANS, added: “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.”
