DigiGo - Frequently Asked Questions
DigiGo - Frequently Asked Questions
What is DigiGo?
1. Who is DigiGo for?
Everyone! Whether you’re travelling to school, work or for a social occasion, DigiGo is for you. We do ask that children aged 10 and under are accompanied by parent, guardian, or carer.
2. Where can I use DigiGo?
DigiGo is currently available in south Braintree, Great Dunmow, Broomfield, Great Leighs, High Roding, Great Canfield, Stebbing, Great Sailing and many more places! A detailed map showing the exact boundary we cover is further up on this page. This is a pilot scheme running for two years. If it works, we’ll seek funding to operate more DigiGo services in other parts of Essex.
3. What does on-demand mean?
On-demand is when you book a journey at short notice (e.g. for 15/20 minutes time) - this option gives the ultimate flexibility and is the best way to use the DigiGo service.
4. How does DigiGo differ to traditional bus services?
DigiGo is an electric, shared public transport service, it operates fully flexibly. There are no fixed routes, no timetables nor use of bus stops, like a traditional bus service would. You are in control and you can book a journey on-demand (for a journey needed quickly) or in advance (up to 7 days before) through the Travel Essex app.
5. Isn’t DigiGo just a taxi service?
Nope! DigiGo is not a private hire service - it is a new form of shared public transport. The app has a clever algorithm to group similar bookings going to similar areas at similar times; all without impacting on the time you need to arrive by. Additionally, it does not offer a door-to-door service.
Bookings and payments
1. How can I pay for a journey?
Journeys can be paid for through the TravelEssex app. It’s the quickest and easiest way to do it. There is also a phone booking service available, where a customer cannot use the app for any reason.
2. Can I prebook a journey?
Yep! Up to 7 days in advance of the journey. Ideal for those who like peace of mind that their journey is all booked in. When pre-booking your journey, please choose the ‘Set departure time’ option to do this. There is an option for setting an arrival time, however this feature will not show a DigiGo journey.
3. Will I be guaranteed a return journey?
To do this, book your return journey at the same time as your outbound journey. You can do this through the TravelEssex app. This enables the app to operate properly based on demand from customers in your local area.
4. Can I make a group booking?
Yes you can! Through the app, you can now book for up to 10 people, so that’s you plus 9 others. When booking, you’ll be asked to select the number of people travelling with you by ticket type (Adult, Young person, Concession). The app will automatically calculate the total fare for you and, as normal, advise the estimated pick-up time.
5. How long will it take for a minibus to pick me up?
When making your booking through the TravelEssex App, it will advise you of the estimate pick-up time. Nearer the time of the journey, you will be able to track your minibus in real-time. You’ll also receive text messages and notifications advising when the minibus is nearby and has arrived to pick you up. No need to wait outside in the cold or rain unnecessarily!
6. How will I know where my assigned minibus is?
DigiGo is not a door-to-door service; it is a corner-to-corner service instead. What this means is that you’ll be picked-up and dropped-off near to your start location/destination. The app will guide you to where the minibus is collecting you from, with real-time tracking available.
7. The app advises there is no vehicle available, why not? Surely you just put more buses on!
This means the service has been really popular in your local area/time selected. We would advise trying to book a journey for a slightly different time. There may be spare capacity for an earlier or later time. As the demand for the service grows, we will continue to review the number of vehicles in operation and seek to expand, where there is a case to do so.
8. I made a mistake on my booking, how do I change it?
Within the app there is the option to cancel a journey and then you can simply re-book for the desired journey. Your journeys appear in the app menu under DigiGo – on demand, click on the one you wish to cancel, when it opens, click on the menu in the top right and choose cancel ride.
9. Can I cancel a booking and will I get a refund?
Yes, you can cancel a booking in the app easily. The charge for the journey is placed as pending and will be taken on completion. If cancelled, the pending charge will not be taken. Those who persistently book and cancel journeys may have their accounts suspended at the sole discretion of the service.
10. What happens if I don’t show up?
You’ll be charged the full cost of your journey.
11. Is the service accessible and how do I book?
Yes, it is, we can transport wheelchair users onboard. For your first journey, we ask you to book via our telephone booking service. This ensures we can undertake the necessary checks and ensure your account is setup correctly. After that, bookings can be made via the app. Wheelchairs must be crash tested and have the manufacturer’s crash test certificate. We reserve the right to decline a journey if this condition is not met.
12. I chose the wrong ticket type when setting up my account; how do I change this?
In the menu of the app, select My Account. On the next screen, under My Profile, you’ll see the current profile selected for you (e.g. Adult, Young person, Concession). Under the same heading, the app gives you the option to add or remove a profile, giving you the flexibility to alter this to the correct type.
13. I’m a concession, why do you collect payment details from me before I choose my ticket type?
This is part of your account creation and only needs to be done once, after which your details are stored to make future journey bookings quick and easy. Journeys for concessions before 9am on weekdays are charged at the standard adult rate, so if someone with a concessionary bus pass travels at this time, the app needs to be able to collect a fare from you. Rest assured, no charge will be made at times when concessions travel for free.
14. What is the Government’s Bus Fare Cap Grant (BFCG)?
The Transport Secretary has announced the government will provide funding from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2024, to help bus operators to cap single fares at £2 per journey. DigiGo will be participating in this scheme and all single fares will be automatically capped at £2 when making a booking through the TravelEssex app. For more information on this grant, visit www.gov.uk/government/speeches/transport-update-2-bus-fare-cap-on-a-single-bus-ticket
Onboard the vehicle
1. What do I need to show the driver when I board?
Please show them the confirmation of journey booking from the app and advise them of your name. For concessionary pass passengers, you’ll need to show your pass to the driver. Please ensure the name on the pass matches the name you entered in the app, and that the pass is in-date/valid.
2. How do I recognise the right minibus/driver to know I have boarded the right vehicle?
When you have booked your journey, the app will advise the name of your driver and the registration of the vehicle collecting you, giving you full confidence.
3. What am I allowed to bring/do onboard the vehicle?
We ask that passengers do not eat/drink or smoke/vape on the minibuses. Mobility scooters, e-scooters, pets and bikes are also not permitted onboard. We welcome guide dogs, folding scooters, folding bikes, folding buggies, small shopping trolleys and small amounts of personal luggage (e.g. if using DigiGo for onward travel to the airport).
4. I’ve left some lost property on the vehicle, how do I retrieve?
Drop us an email at digigo@essex.gov.uk and we’ll arrange a time for you to collect it from us. We keep items for up to one month, other than perishable items, which are disposed of daily.
Feedback
1. I have an enquiry, how do I contact DigiGo support?
Please email us at digigo@essex.gov.uk and we’ll do our best to help. We’d also love your feedback directly in the TravelEssex app, which is available in the menu bar, or after completing a journey with DigiGo.
2. I’d love to offer feedback on the service, how do I?
There are several ways to do this. You can rate the app in the app store, feedback directly in the app (within the menu) or drop us an email to digigo@essex.gov.uk.
DigiGo is a brand-new form of shared public transport and we want to continuously improve and develop it over time. We value constructive feedback, always, even if it might be hard to hear.
