Launched in June 2018, Oxford's PickMeUp service was the largest of its kind in the UK. It served an arc to the east of the cty and was designed to complement existing bus services. The company worked hard on the subsidised project to make it a success but it was not going to be a commercial proposition and despite searching for ongoing funding the service ceased two years later, by which time more than 38,000 people had downloaded the app and more than 300,000 journeys were made on the service. Mercedes City Sprinter 45 971 (BU18YRN) was seen just over half way through the experiment in July 2019 outside Space NK in the High Street, which has also ceased to operate!
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In St Aldate's earlier that month was another of the six buses deployed, 973 (BU18YRP) outside another closed establishment, Cafeloco by Rose Place.
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The six buses found a variety of uses after the experiment ended. Slightly reliveried 971. seen in the city in April 2022 was deployed on a Blenheim Palace shuttle.
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Others, like 973, seen later in April, found a new use on special services to the BMW Mini plant in Cowley others helped launch a similar project funded by Buckinghamshire County Council in High Wycombe, using the same branding and operated by Carousel. One went on loan to fellow Go-Ahead subsidiary East Yorkshire.
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