Kinetic will start reminding people to cancel their bookings if their plans change. (ABC News: Georgia Hogge)
The company that runs intercity bus services between Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport is rolling out a new reminder system in a bid to prevent unused bookings.
Kinetic says unused bookings have increased since public transport was made free in March this year, making it more difficult for people to get seats on the buses.
Kinetic says it will continue to closely monitor booking behaviour, and will explore further options if the problem continues.
Since the Tasmanian government made public transport free in March this year, bus company Kinetic says there has been a record number of people using its inter-city bus services.
But the free fares have had an unwelcome side effect: there has also been an increase in the number of people reserving seats and not showing up.
"The fact of the matter is that if you're not paying for a seat, typically there's not as great an incentive … to cancel because you're not losing any money," Kinetic Group CEO Michael Sewards said.
In an effort to prevent no-show bookings, the company is rolling out a new reminder system, following a two-week trial on the Hobart to Launceston service.
The number of people using Kinetic's intercity bus services has increased by about 20 per cent since public transport was made free, according to Mr Sewards.
But as patronage has increased, so too has the number of unused bookings.
Christer Osbeck often rides the bus to Hobart and says it's "sad" people were missing out on seats. (ABC News: Georgia Hogge)
Mr Sewards said this increase has been a "significant issue" for people wanting to travel on the buses, though it's not clear how many have missed out on seats as a result.
"The issue was, people were having to go to the transit centres and stand and wait and hope that the people who didn't turn up didn't turn up, [so] they can get on the bus," he said.
"The issue was process and the frustration and the uncertainty of people not knowing if they could actually get on the bus or not. And so that's what we've been trying to remove."
Northern Tasmanian Christer Osbeck said he used Kinetic's service to visit his kids in Hobart.