Bee Network app set to receive planner and live tracker updates ahead of phase two of bus franchising

Phase two of the Bee Network bus franchising is just around the corner, and Transport for Greater Manchester has announced changes ahead of the big day. Upgrades will be made to the app that are hoped will make journeys smoother and easier to plan. 

Phase two will launch on Sunday March 24. From this day, buses in Oldham, Rochdale and parts of Bury, Salford and North Manchester will be franchised. Ahead of the launch, two new functions will be made available on the Bee Network app. 

A new journey planner will allow you to plan your trip regardless of the method. Details for buses, trams, trains as well as walking and cycling routes will be available. The second aspect of the app upgrade will be a bus tracker. This will allow you to see live status of your bus, including where it is on the map. 

Following the launch of phase two of the Bee Network on March 24, a total of 324 bus routes in Greater Manchester will be under public ownership and operated by TfGM. This is half of all bus routes in the region.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said: “It’s an exciting time for public transport in the city-region with the next phase of bus franchising launching imminently, a move that will bring half of Greater Manchester’s bus services under local control as we make another big step towards the full delivery of the Bee Network.

“We’re making real progress with the Bee Network app and I’m pleased to confirm that the new journey planner and live bus tracker will both be available in the coming week, making it easier for passengers to plan their journey, buy tickets, and see exactly where their bus is on the route.

“While tracking should be available for most buses on the network, there might be a small number of services where the tracking service isn’t available on day one, however we are working hard behind the scenes to get all buses on the tracker.

“Customers can help us by giving us feedback, whether it’s by rating their journey on the app or providing feedback on how the app is working. These valuable insights will enable us to keep making ongoing improvements to the Bee Network and the app.”