EasyRider
Encyclopedia
The easyrider Citycard, (known formally as EasyRider and locally as RealRider), is a contactless smartcard introduced in 2000 in Nottingham
, England, for use on Nottingham City Transport
Services. It was originally named 'BusCard'. The name EasyRider was first used by NCT
in 1981 for a pre-paid, paper-based system that was carried and used with a photo-identity card. In September 2009 the card was relaunched as 'easyrider Citycard'; it merged easyrider and Citycard into one card. Now it offers library rental, free swimming, and discounts to easyrider holders as well.
.
can also use their university ID cards on Nottingham City Transport and NET
, these are activated in the University at Chaucer Building (City Site) or George Eliot Building (Clifton Campus) at discounted rates. They can also be topped up at the NCT Travel Centre in the usual way.
Students of the University of Nottingham
are now able to use their University Cards for travel. They can top-up their cards in the Student's Union travel centre.
, a neighbouring bus operator in Greater Nottingham
revealed their contactless smartcard system, Mango.
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England, for use on Nottingham City Transport
Nottingham City Transport
Nottingham City Transport is the major bus operator of the English city of Nottingham, running a comprehensive network of services in the Greater Nottingham area, with some services continuing to Southwell, Loughborough, and East Midlands Airport. There are over 80 routes across the City, giving...
Services. It was originally named 'BusCard'. The name EasyRider was first used by NCT
Nottingham City Transport
Nottingham City Transport is the major bus operator of the English city of Nottingham, running a comprehensive network of services in the Greater Nottingham area, with some services continuing to Southwell, Loughborough, and East Midlands Airport. There are over 80 routes across the City, giving...
in 1981 for a pre-paid, paper-based system that was carried and used with a photo-identity card. In September 2009 the card was relaunched as 'easyrider Citycard'; it merged easyrider and Citycard into one card. Now it offers library rental, free swimming, and discounts to easyrider holders as well.
Background
The Easyrider card is a contactless smartcard. Travellers wave the card past the red readers on Nottingham City Transport buses, or hand it to conductors on TramsNottingham Express Transit
Nottingham Express Transit is a light-rail tramway in the Nottingham area in England. The first line opened to the public on 9 March 2004, having cost £200 million to construct. The scheme took sixteen years from conception to implementation...
.
Cards
There are eight different kinds of easyrider Citycards; easyrider Citycard Adult, easyrider Citycard Anytime Adult, easyrider Citycard Anytime under 18, easyrider Citycard under 18 and and 'eXtra' versions of each which mean you can travel further on long routes such as the 100. Easyrider farecard still exists as an electronic purse for services 1 and 100 (this does not include any Citycard benefits).easyrider Citycard Adult
Green card, can be purchased in blocks from 7 days up to 1 year. Activated for all buses and trams in that period of time.easyrider Citycard Anytime Adult
Easyrider Citycard Anytime Adult can be purchased for 3, 5, 10, 20 or 100 days. However, it is only activated on the days it is used, and is therefore useful for those who travel regularly, but not on consecutive days.easyrider Farecard
Like an electronic purse, ordinary tickets can be bought at a reduced price using credit stored on it.easyrider Citycard Anytime under 11
Easyrider Citycard Anytime Adult equivalent for under 11's.Student Cards
Students of the Nottingham Trent UniversityNottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
can also use their university ID cards on Nottingham City Transport and NET
Nottingham Express Transit
Nottingham Express Transit is a light-rail tramway in the Nottingham area in England. The first line opened to the public on 9 March 2004, having cost £200 million to construct. The scheme took sixteen years from conception to implementation...
, these are activated in the University at Chaucer Building (City Site) or George Eliot Building (Clifton Campus) at discounted rates. They can also be topped up at the NCT Travel Centre in the usual way.
Students of the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
are now able to use their University Cards for travel. They can top-up their cards in the Student's Union travel centre.
Milestones
- First contactless smartcard in the UK is launched in Nottingham, called BusCard (September 2000)
- BusCard renamed EasyRider City (March 2004)
- Tram services commence, and EasyRider City smartcards are accepted, although conductors are unable to validate them (March 2004)
- EasyRider Child launched (August 2004)
- EasyRider Anytime launched (September 2004)
- EasyRider Child renamed EasyRider <16 (September 2005)
- Tram conductors begin reading cards (September 2005)
- Trent BartonTrent BartonTrent Barton is one of the very small number of significant independent bus operators in the United Kingdom. It was formed as the result of merging Derbyshire's Trent Buses with Nottinghamshire's Barton Transport....
announce contactless smartcard, called 'ToTo' (February 2006) - Citycard Senior/Mobility/Mobility+ revealed (Mid 2007)
- Trent BartonTrent BartonTrent Barton is one of the very small number of significant independent bus operators in the United Kingdom. It was formed as the result of merging Derbyshire's Trent Buses with Nottinghamshire's Barton Transport....
reveal contactless smartcard, called 'Mango' (Late 2007) - EasyRider <16 extended to 18 years of age, now called EasyRider <18 (March 2008)
- EasyRider Anytime <18 launched (August 2008)
- easyrider Citycard family launched (September 2009)
Competition
In late 2007, trent bartonTrent Barton
Trent Barton is one of the very small number of significant independent bus operators in the United Kingdom. It was formed as the result of merging Derbyshire's Trent Buses with Nottinghamshire's Barton Transport....
, a neighbouring bus operator in Greater Nottingham
Greater Nottingham
The Nottingham Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics, consisting of the city of Nottingham and the adjoining urban areas of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, in the East Midlands of England...
revealed their contactless smartcard system, Mango.