Efficient Transportation Management and User-Friendly Booking with BusU Service

Länsilinjat Oy, founded in 1939, offers charter rides, ExpressBus, local, rural, contract and service bus traffic. Länsilinjat has 320 drivers and around 160 cars. Länsilinjat belongs to the international GPN network covering almost 30 countries, as well as the Charter Finland cooperation group operating in Finland. Länsilinjat is a family business managed by the Penttilä family in the third generation. The group employs 350 employees. In 2022, the turnover of Länsilinjat group was 29 million. EUR, of which Länsilinjat OY‘s share was EUR 26 million euro.

BusU is an innovative public online service that enables transportation companies to efficiently sell their charter bus transportation services, and for consumers to book their trips. The service is designed to facilitate the daily transportation needs of both transport companies and their customers. BusU allows transport companies to register and offer their services to a wide customer segment, competing in the same market as other industry players.

Enhancing Sales and Improving the Customer Experience

Länsilinjat wanted to enhance sales for transportation companies, improve the customer experience, and evolve industry practices. As a solution to this challenge, BusU, a user-friendly web-based platform was created. The app offers versatile functionalities for both transport companies and customers.

“We chose Etteplan as the development partner based on our previous experience with their services. Etteplan has always been able to provide the relevant expertise, and deliver projects on schedule and on budget.”

Jukka Ylitalo

Director of Development at Länsilinjat

To implement the BusU service, the Etteplan team took charge of service design, user interface, and all software-related aspects. The technical platform, running on Azure, ensures smooth operation of the service, while the visual identity strongly reflects Etteplan's expertise. Extensive user-centric design was carried out by conducting interviews with customers, transport companies, and internal users of Länsilinjat. The concept design took into account the specific needs of different user groups.

Transforming the Transportation Landscape

Since the adoption of the BusU service, the customer has realized several benefits. The service is groundbreaking and unique in Finland. Consumers can reliably and easily book busses regardless of their location, and without the need to make multiple calls to different companies. The service's user interface is designed to be clear and user-friendly, despite the complex back-end architecture. Information about transportation options is readily available, and customers can choose the best suited vehicle for their needs.

"We knew that we would get a reliable service for both consumers and businesses at the foundation. We are confident that when Etteplan is involved, everything works seamlessly, including the various components and integrations, for example when it comes to payment systems. This supports our goal of providing a trustworthy platform that aligns with our brand,” continuous Jukka.

For transport companies, BusU allows them to reach a broad customer segment on an equal footing with their competitors. It streamlines the management, availability, and adjustment of their fleet, optimizing vehicle utilization. The service also provides a user-friendly dispatch system, enhancing sales by eliminating the need for time-consuming information exchanges.

A Revolutionary Concept with Global Growth Potential

BusU represents a completely new and transformative concept in the industry, revolutionizing existing practices. The service is easily adaptable and can be further developed to continuously improve its offerings.

“Our intention is to seek growth internationally. With a solid foundation in place, we have the potential to enter global markets, as there is no equivalent service currently available. Building a growth plan on top of this foundation is a great opportunity," concludes Jukka.