VD-EXPRESS coaches in a depot

CASE STUDY IMPLEMENTED

How VD-EXPRESS automated its Ukraine — Italy services

VD-EXPRESS brought online ticket sales, trips, transfers, passengers, drivers, documents, GPS tracking and finances together in one CRM for bus carriers — BUSPORTAL.

  • Industry

    International passenger transport, Ukraine — Italy

  • Solution

    BUSPORTAL CRM + ticket sales website

  • Modules

    Bookings, trips, transfers, GPS, documents, drivers, finances

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The goal was to build a single system for VD-EXPRESS in which every booking automatically becomes part of the operational workflow.

Once a booking is made, the carrier has to check the seats, account for the closed reserve, record the payment, issue the ticket, update the passenger list, arrange the transfer, pass the data to the driver, keep an eye on occupancy and on the bus itself, collect the trip documents and post the transaction in the financial records.

When these processes live in separate spreadsheets, chats and applications, the risk of double bookings and outdated data grows.

THE BUSPORTAL PLATFORM

One platform for the entire transport cycle

For VD-EXPRESS we built a booking website connected to BUSPORTAL

The passenger can:

  • Choose a date and a direction

  • Choose the travel date

  • Browse the available trips

  • Choose a seat on the bus

  • Enter the passenger details

  • Order a transfer

  • Pay for the order

  • Receive an e-ticket

  • Follow the current position of the bus on the map

Timetables, prices, buses, transfers and available seats are managed in BUSPORTAL.

Changes made by the administrator are synchronised with the carrier's website.

TRANSFER SYSTEM

Centralised bookings and a closed seat reserve

Every order is kept in one database: trip, passenger, pick-up and drop-off, seat, transfer, payment, sales channel and change history. The owner can reserve groups of seats for direct sales to regular customers. Such seats are not shown as available on the website, and only administrators with the right permissions can book them.

Transfers to and from the scheduled coach

Table of transfer price modifiers in BUSPORTALTable of trip seat prices in BUSPORTAL
Trip admin form with the seating planTransfer status cards

For VD-EXPRESS, BUSPORTAL runs a transfer system that covers the passenger's whole journey — from the starting address to the scheduled coach, and from the coach to the final destination.

  • Automatic geo-zone detectionThe system knows by itself whether an address falls inside the service area.
  • One ticketThe passenger buys a single ticket that covers both the transfer and the main trip.
  • Routing for driversTransfer drivers get ready-made addresses and the pick-up order in the app.
Map of the transfer service geo-zones

ACTIVE ZONE: Lviv region

Choosing the passenger pick-up address on the mapList of transfers to the bus in the admin panel

Learn more: Transfer system

Real-time GPS tracking and GTFS

VD-EXPRESS routes in Google Maps and GTFS services

The ITNET team built a transit feed in the international GTFS format from BUSPORTAL data.

The single VD-EXPRESS fleet map in BUSPORTAL

Trip VD-7338 Mykolaiv - Fano

Expected arrival: on schedule

VD-EXPRESS data was added to Google Transit so that the routes appear in Google Maps. The GTFS data is also published in open sources and shared with transit platforms.

A single fleet map shows position, speed, direction, movement history, stops passed, deviations and the estimated arrival time. VD-EXPRESS uses an integration with Teltonika trackers, including the FMC650 and FMB920, with extended telematics.

The platform is not tied to a single manufacturer: devices connect through a GPS gateway if their protocol is supported or can be integrated. That is why existing equipment usually does not have to be replaced. If there is no hardware tracker, the coordinates are sent by the software tracker in the driver app; with no internet the points are queued and synchronised once the connection is back.

Read more: GPS tracking for buses

Bus route track on the mapA VD-EXPRESS route on the map of EuropePublic trip page for VD-EXPRESS Mykolaiv — FanoClose-up of the bus movement map

Learn more: Bus GPS tracking

E-ticket with online bus tracking

The e-ticket became part of the digital service

An e-ticket is more than proof of travel. It carries a button that opens the live map of that particular trip. The passenger does not need to install a separate app or call the dispatcher: opening the ticket on a smartphone is enough to start tracking the bus.

On the public map the passenger sees:

  • the current position of the bus;

  • the route and the sequence of stops;

  • the next stop;

  • the scheduled and the estimated arrival time;

  • the delay against the timetable;

  • real-time updates of the bus movement.

Lviv — Rimini e-ticket on a smartphone

Learn more: Bus booking system

Trip screen in the driver app
Seating plan in the driver app
List of stops in the driver app
Passenger list in the driver app

Driver App

The driver has everything needed at hand

The driver sees the current passenger list, pick-up and drop-off points, payment status, luggage and the linked transfers. They scan tickets, mark boarding and create extra bookings right during the trip — and the dispatcher sees the changes immediately.

Read more: GPS tracking for buses

  • Passenger list

    The up-to-date list of people on the trip, in real time

  • Pick-up and drop-off points

    Clear landmarks and stops along the whole route

  • Payment status & luggage

    Record of money received and labelling of the load

  • Ticket scanning

    Instant boarding by QR code using the camera

  • Passenger booking

    Booking a passenger and adding extra services to the ticket

  • Voice announcements

    Voice alerts for boarding and drop-off

Learn more: Driver app

closing sales

Closing sales channel by channel

Sales for a specific trip are closed separately for each channel: the website, messenger bots, the admin panel, the driver app, email and partner integrations. For example, when only a few seats are left, online sales can be switched off while booking stays available in the admin panel. The system records who closed the channel and when; it can be reopened at any time.

Financial dashboard for closing sales channel by channel

Unified financial accounting

Orders, tickets, transfers and payments are linked to the BUSPORTAL finance module.

Management can analyse:

  • revenue by trip and by route;

  • income from transfers;

  • cash and cashless payments;

  • income and expenses;

  • the work of the cash desks;

  • settlements with partners;

  • outstanding debts;

  • passenger flow;

  • trip occupancy.

IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS

What changed after BUSPORTAL was introduced

  • 25%

    of tickets are sold online

  • 600+

    bookings per month

  • 8

    active geo-zones

  • 11

    vehicles

Why VD-EXPRESS chose BUSPORTAL

BUSPORTAL is built specifically for bus carriers. It is not a general-purpose CRM that you have to adapt to the transport business yourself.

FAQ

How do transfers work?

BUSPORTAL determines the coordinates of the address given by the passenger and checks whether it falls inside a configured geo-zone. If a transfer is available, the system calculates its price automatically, shows the approximate pick-up time and adds the service to the booking for the main trip. Rates, vehicles and service hours are configured separately for each zone.

Can we keep part of the seats for regular customers?

Yes. The owner can reserve groups of seats for direct sales to regular customers — such seats are not shown as available on the website, so nobody can buy them online. Only administrators with the right permissions can book a reserved seat. The reserve is released the same way it is set, without involving the developers.

Can sales be closed only on the website or only in the bot?

Yes. Sales for a specific trip are closed separately for each channel: the website, messenger bots, the admin panel, the driver app, email and partner integrations. For example, when only a few seats are left, online sales can be switched off while booking stays available in the admin panel. The system records who closed the channel and when — it can be reopened at any time.

How does the passenger track the bus?

The passenger opens their e-ticket and goes to the live map of that particular trip — no separate app and no registration required. The map shows the current position of the bus, the route and the sequence of stops, the next stop, the scheduled and the estimated arrival time and the delay against the timetable. The data updates in real time.

How did VD-EXPRESS routes appear in Google Maps?

The ITNET team built a transit feed in the international GTFS format from BUSPORTAL data — the standard carriers use to share timetables with transit services. VD-EXPRESS data was added to Google Transit so that the routes appear in Google Maps, and the feed itself was published in open sources and shared with transit platforms. The feed is generated from the timetable in the CRM, so there is nothing to maintain separately for Google.

Can BUSPORTAL recognise receipts automatically?

The driver records receipts and expenses right in the app — they go straight into the BUSPORTAL finance module and do not have to be entered twice. The system keeps the photo of the receipt as the original, while the recognition result is a separate layer that an administrator can check and correct before it is posted to the accounts.

Can a similar solution be built for another carrier?

Yes. BUSPORTAL is built specifically for bus carriers — it is not a general-purpose CRM that you have to adapt to the transport business yourself, so the core is already in place. The set of modules and integrations is chosen to match the processes of each carrier: some need transfers and GPS, others only ticket sales and trips. You can try the system free for 30 days, with no contract and no commitment.

Want to automate your transport company the same way?

We will show you how BUSPORTAL can bring bookings, trips, transfers, GPS, documents and finances together in one system.