Flexibus

Flexible, on-demand bus travel

In areas with limited or no public transport Flexibus, our on-demand ride share service, can help connect you with your local area and the wider public transport network.

Flexibus operates Monday to Saturday 7am-7pm, excluding Bank Holidays.


Booking

Flexibus Logo

We currently don't have web or email booking.

Smartphone or tablet: via the Ride Pingo app.

Call: 01273 078203
(9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)

All bookings must be made through the app or the call centre. 'Walk up'  and telephone bookings cannot be taken directly by drivers. 

If booking on behalf of someone else, telephone booking is recommended so that the correct passenger name is assigned to the trip. 


Plan your journey

Flexibus trips can be booked to a destination within a 14 mile radius of your pick up point.

A single ‘zone’ outlines an area that covers over 90% of East Sussex and some key destinations beyond the border such as transport hubs and hospitals.

There are some areas of county that are not within this zone - such as coastal towns like Eastbourne and Hastings that already have good bus coverage. Flexibus cannot be used to book trips within towns (for example Crowborough-Crowborough or Lewes-Lewes), but you can book to travel from a town to other destinations in the county. 

Use our trip checker tool to see if your pick-up point and drop-off point are covered: East Sussex Flexibus Trip Checker (podaris.com)

Pick-up points can be home addresses, but please remember:

  • The buses are large and may struggle with narrow roads and cul-de-sacs
  • Home addresses within walking distance of a bus stop may not be covered

If you can walk to a train station or key landmark, or indeed a bus station, we recommend choosing this as your pick-up point. This helps make the service more efficient for all users and helps the drivers.

You can’t book a Flexibus journey to travel along an existing public transport route.  If a bus or train already goes from A to B you cannot book a Flexibus - this includes booking before or after that service starts or finishes. The app will advise you of the services you can use instead. You can also use Journey Planning information.  You can  check buses in the area on our East Sussex Bus Map (cartogold.co.uk) which will give you bus timetables.  

You can download a PDF map which highlights the area Flexibus covers, with the rail network and key bus routes also shown.

East Sussex Flexibus Single Zone map [1.4 MB] [pdf] 

Operating times

Services run 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday (not Sundays or Bank Holidays).


How to book

You can book a Flexibus ride as little as 30 minutes before you want to travel and up to 7 days in advance. Bookings can be made using an app and by telephone to the call centre.

You can book for up to 9 passengers per trip, subject to availability.

To help make rides as efficient as possible, passengers cannot add multiple stops or change their pickup/drop off location. 

Buses will be routed to pick up/drop off other passengers. Making the bus wait causes delays to the service for others. 

Book by phone

Call 01273 078203 - 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

At busy times, there is the option to request a call-back. Please note that if your number is withheld/private a call-back won't be possible. 

Downloading the Ride Pingo app

Download the Ride Pingo app to our smartphone or tablet:

Using the Ride Pingo app

With Ride Pingo, you can:

  • quickly see your closest meeting point
  • book and pay for your ride
  • track your vehicle in real-time.

Watch a video: How to use the Ride Pingo app

Pre-purchased tickets are validated by the driver. You must show proof of payment or a pass or ticket if you have pre-paid.

You can also pay on the bus. 

Always use the latest version of the app.  Please ensure notifications for the app are ON.  Remember to carry the device you booked the trip with on you. This means you will get updates on the bus location and if there are delays. 

Booking confirmation

App bookings will receive a confirmation within the app, with an estimated pick up and drop off time. Timings may vary from the estimated time. In-app use the 'arrive by' or 'pick-up' feature depending on whether your arrival time or pick-up time is more important to you. Call Centre staff can ask you this when you speak to them.  Occasionally due to bus or driver availability, the call centre may suggest an alternative booking time for you. 

Telephone bookings will receive a confirmation phone call where contact details have been provided. 

Your ride confirmation will be the zone name and vehicle number plate. The driver will check your booking details when you board. All buses will have the FlexiBus branding on the side and the front.

Payment receipts are sent via email. 

Flexibus Image 02
Flexibus Image 03

Cancellations and missed rides

Cancel a booking via the app or by phone. If you cancel up to 30 minutes before the start of your booking, you will receive a full refund.

Missed rides delay other passengers - please cancel where possible. Missed rides will be charged in full. Frequent cancellations or missed rides may result in your account being suspended.

Late buses

We will always aim to be at your meeting point on time but occasionally circumstances out of our control may cause a delay. You can use the app to keep updated on the bus arrival time.


Fares and tickets

FlexiBus uses a simple fare structure to make it easier to understand and budget for. The cost will be clearly displayed on the app or you'll be told when booking over the phone.

Until 31 December 2024, the cost of FlexiBus fares will be capped at £2 for single journeys due to the Government price cap. See: Help for Households - travel costs - GOV.UK 

Weekly Freedom tickets cannot be bought or used on FlexiBus. 

FlexiBus fares from Monday 29 April
Fare type Age/concession Cost
Concessionary pass holder Free (usual time restrictions apply)
Under 5s Free
Single Adult £2 fare price cap (normally £5)
Child (5-18) £2 fare price cap (normally £3.50) or 50p with an adult
Return Adult £4 fare price cap (normally £8)
Child (5-18) £3
East Sussex Day Pass Adult £5.50 (normally £12)
Young Persons (19-29) £4.10 (normally £10)
Child (5-18) £3.20 (normally £8)

How to pay

You can pay when booking, by debit or credit card, within the Ride Pingo app. 

Payment can also be made on the bus: cash, card and contactless. 

Operating in rural areas, means payment machines may occasionally fail.  It's helpful if you have the exact fare with you. 

Promotional fares now appear in the app so you can pay in advance. Don't forget your pass, card or cash for use on the bus if needed!

Concessionary pass holders

Concessionary pass holders travel free at most times. The usual time restrictions apply, see: When you can use your bus pass.

You must show the driver your bus pass when boarding and tap it on the on-board ticket machine. If no pass can be shown, you are liable for the standard fare.  Concessionary pass holders are still required to cancel rides if travel plans change. 

East Sussex Multi-Operator Day Passes

Multi-Operator Day Passes can be used on FlexiBus services. Tickets can be bought via  operator apps or on the bus.

FlexiBus services will accept Multi-Operator Day Passes that have been issued by other operators that are participating in the East Sussex scheme.


Travelling with us

Accessibility

Buses are accessible by wheelchair users via a rear lift and have a wheelchair space on board which can be booked through the app or by phone. Due to limited space on board we cannot carry mobility scooters.

For passenger safety, bicycles cannot be carried onboard. This restricts access for others, including wheelchair users.

Assistance dogs are welcome on board our buses.

Drivers are able to offer extra support at your pick-up point or destination. They may not be able to do so on all occasions for health and safety reasons. This includes their own mobility, security of other passengers and the vehicle and their discretion. If you have a specific requirement or want to request a meeting point closer to your home to assist with accessibility, please contact us. 

If you have a visual impairment or mobility limitations and use a frame, walking stick or crutches, you can use the ‘mobility assistance’ option in the app or through the call centre. This means you will not need to book the dedicated wheelchair space, but the vehicle will still get as close as possible for your pick-up and drop you as close as possible to your destination to save you having to walk too far. You can also request this option through the call centre.

Please stow or hold securely items such as walkers, buggies, shopping and luggage. Passengers remain responsible for the safety of their own items. This includes getting those items on/off the bus. Please wear your seat belt. 

For everyone's safety, any passenger needing 1:1 support must travel with a companion. For more information on disabled passes see Disabled and Companion Bus Pass Information

Travelling with children

Prams and buggies may sometimes need to be folded by passengers to keep the dedicated wheelchair space free.   

Children who are travelling on their own are, where possible,  recommended to book via the app on the device they will be travelling with. This is so that they can receive trip notifications.  If someone else makes the booking, that person will receive the booking updates, not the traveller. 

Unaccompanied chidren

All children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult. 

Lost property

If you have left something on board, please get in touch via telephone 01273 078203. We will try and reunite you with your lost item as soon as possible.


Fair use policy

FlexiBus services are generally not suitable for regular trips such as school trips or commuting to work. 

For the benefit of all passengers, there is a FlexiBus fair use policy.

Customers who:

  • fail to turn up for a booking without cancelling it
  • repeatedly cancel journeys at short notice (less than 30 mins before pick-up)
  • book multiple short journeys to make up a longer journey
  • book more than 6 single trips or 3 return journeys a week
  • make back-to-back bookings expecting the bus to wait

will be reminded of the fair use policy. If they continue in this way, customers may be temporarily suspended from using the service. If misuse continues after the temporary suspension customers may be permanently banned from using the service. 

To ensure the FlexiBus service is available for as wide a number of people as possible, passengers should book no more than 3 return trips or 6 single trips per week.  Bookings must have a minimum 30 minute gap between them. We encourage passengers to link to other public transport for longer journeys.

Abuse, threats, aggression or violence towards FlexiBus drivers will not be tolerated and may lead to a permanent ban on using the service.


Contact us

  • Phone:  01273 078203 - 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (not Bank Holidays)
  • Email: FlexiBus team

Feedback

Your feedback helps us improve our service.

Users of the Ride Pingo app can give feedback during various stages of the booking process. You will also be prompted to give a ride rating, following a journey.

You can also send feedback using the contact details on this page, or via our social media channels.