Nothing stops a Vamooz bus driver, even one of Kernow's (Cornwall's) notorious uphill grinds.

Faced for the first time with the challenge of the notorious Merrymoor Inn hairpin climb, this guy literally rose to the occasion and received a big cheer from pub rubber neckers during grubtime on June 24, 2018.

# First Kernow sign a deal with an app that allows people to choose their own bus routes

First Kernow have signed a deal to bring an on demand, app-based bus service to Cornwall.

The deal is the first time that a partnership has been agreed between the app's creators and another major UK bus operator.

Vamooz is a free app that provides a platform for people to suggest their own bus trips and to book seats on trips that have already been suggested. The more people who book seats for a trip, the cheaper the tickets will be.

Marc Morgan-Huws, Commercial Director of First Kernow, said: “We’re excited to bring Vamooz to Cornwall – it’s proved highly successful everywhere it’s been introduced so far, and we fully expect it to be the same here."


The news comes in the wake of cuts to local bus services from First Kernow. Mr Ronald Swade, an elderly man whose regular 66 bus route was recently cut from five days a week to two, was less than enthusiastic about the app.

He said: "If it's aimed at seniors, not a lot have got smart phones. We manage to get round them. It seems a bit of a strange affair to me. Personally I don't quite go for it myself."

The app was created in 2017 by North of England-based bus operator Transdev, with its first trips – three journeys to the One Love Manchester concert – selling out rapidly.

Vamooz Sales and Operations Manager Rebecca Reeve-Burnett said: “The customer feedback from Vamooz trips has been fantastic, bringing more people to the bus. It’s a new way of looking at public transport, and we look forward to it becoming firmly established in the South West.”

Teams from First Kernow and Vamooz creators Transdev will be at the Royal Cornwall Show at Wadebridge on Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 June to give a guided tour of the new Vamooz app and help get people started with their first trip bookings.