Arabic version: كينتيك تطلق تذكيرات للحد من عدم الحضور في حافلات تسمانيا

According to ABC News, Kinetic is rolling out a statewide booking reminder system after unused reservations increased on its Tasmanian intercity buses following the introduction of free public transport in March.

The company operates services between Hobart, Launceston and Devonport. Kinetic Group CEO Michael Sewards said passenger numbers on its intercity services had risen by about 20 per cent since fares became free, but more people were also reserving seats and failing to travel.

A two-week trial on the Hobart-to-Launceston route sent passengers a text message and email 48 hours before departure, asking them to confirm or cancel their booking. Mr Sewards said nearly 10 per cent of passengers chose to cancel after receiving the prompt, while standby queues at transit centres fell significantly.

Kinetic will continue monitoring booking behaviour and may consider requiring passengers to confirm reservations to retain their seats if unused bookings remain a problem. Transport Minister Kerry Vincent welcomed the initiative, saying no-shows were disappointing for people who genuinely needed to travel.

Mr Vincent also said Tasmania’s planned smart ticketing system, contracted to Cubic in 2024, was on hold while the government considered the effectiveness of free fares. Public transport is set to remain free in Tasmania until June 20, 2027.