Enjoy Hollywood films, surf the Internet, book trips, or take advantage of exclusive deals and savings through special access to “Megadeals”: Velimo; the onboard entertainment system by Lufthansa Industry Solutions will make traveling on intercity buses in the US and Canada even more enjoyable in the future.
Norderstedt, November 2, 2017 – Lufthansa Industry Solutions has finished equipping more than 230 of Megabus’ long-distance buses with the infotainment solution which Megabus has branded as “Megabus RIDE”. Long-distance bus travelers in the US and Canada will not only reach their destination safely and comfortably with Megabus, but on the way they will be able to surf the Internet, shop online or watch popular movies thanks to Velimo. The infotainment solution allows travelers to access a varied range of digital content, as well as relevant information and services for their trip such as city guides or bus stop information.
Travelers have already downloaded the free Megabus RIDE app over 40k times since July 2017 and it serves up more than 250K sessions each month offering users an interactive and user-friendly solution on their own smartphone, tablet or laptop by connecting their device of choice to a secure local onboard network. Based on easily configurable parameters, the Velimo app enables passengers to retrieve current information before and during the trip then enables users to complete a satisfaction survey immediately after the trip. Users will be able to have easy access to a wealth of information about Megabus, Megabus routes, services, and will be able to book travel for future trips. The app can now be viewed in three languages: English, Spanish, and French-Canadian.
Robust hardware, minimal installation effort
Lufthansa Industry Solutions is re-launching the “Velimo Road & Rail” onboard entertainment system specifically for long-distance buses with a robust architecture and highest possible level of investment protection. The hardware, for example, is particularly sturdy and resilient to road conditions and can interface with onboard systems and screens. Velimo has a very small but powerful footprint on board comprising of the rugged Velimo SmartBox – including the server, an access point for the WLAN connection and a router for the Internet connection. Lufthansa Industry Solutions facilitates everything – from support in securing content and licenses through onboard installation by working with bus operators to establish roll-out processes designed around their unique needs including ongoing support and maintenance services as well as feature and product enhancements.
“We are looking forward to the next stage in the constant evolution of our product offering and working with Megabus to satisfy their customer’s needs.” said Mike Oropeza, Vice President for Lufthansa Industry Solutions in the Americas region. “Velimo is a win-win situation for travelers and intercity bus operators. Passengers have an even more enjoyable journey and bus companies increase customer retention while reducing cost of ownership created by onboard based entertainment and advanced advertising revenue opportunities through in-app ads as well as onboard screens utilizing geo targeting technologies.”
“Megabus is excited to be working with Lufthansa Industry Solutions on further enhancing our customer experience” said Colin Emberson, Commercial Director at Megabus. "Our customers already appreciate the ability to be connected and powered while travelling. The addition of the Megabus RIDE onboard entertainment system to our existing suite of amenities is an important enhancement to our goals of providing safe, affordable and reliable travel."
About Megabus
Megabus offers daily express bus service to more than 100 major cities in North America. Since its launch in 2006, Megabus has served more than 60 million customers. Megabus maintains the highest (Satisfactory) safety compliance rating with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and is approved by Transportation Safety Exchange (TSX), an independent safety rating organization.
Lufthansa Industry Solutions is a service provider for IT consulting and system integration. This Lufthansa subsidiary helps its clients with the digital transformation of their companies. Its customer base includes companies both within and outside the Lufthansa Group, as well as more than 200 companies in various lines of business. The company is based in Norderstedt and employs more than 1,300 members of staff at several branch offices in Germany, Switzerland and the USA.