Ticket assistance on regional buses
Published 24.09.2025
The ticket assistant stands outside the bus and assists customers with preparing to show their tickets before boarding. The driver is not exempt from checking tickets, but rather distributes the follow-up in collaboration with the ticket assistant. In addition, the ticket assistant ensures that all customers use the front door when boarding.
The initiative is a pilot project this autumn.
– A bus driver's job is to get you to your destination safely and with a smile, while also checking passengers' tickets and managing any potential conflicts. That's why we're now providing extra support to bus drivers to make ticket checking easier. The measure is a win-win: we support the drivers, we simplify the ticket inspection process, and we ensure revenue for the public transport services, says Eivind Graff Christiansen, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Ruter.
Ripple effects after the pandemic
The farebox recovery ratio on regional buses has significantly decreased in recent years, from over 97 to 90 percent. This results in an annual revenue loss of between 30 and 40 million Norwegian kroner for Ruter.
During the coronavirus pandemic, temporary changes such as no ticket inspections and the closure of the front door on buses were introduced. These measures may have had long-term effects on both passengers' payment habits and drivers' routines.
Regional buses account for about 13 percent of the passengers in Ruter's public transport services.
Ticket Helper is one of several measures Ruter is implementing to ensure greater revenue for public transportation.