(Yicai Global) Sept. 7 -- Hangzhou Public Transport Group will introduce the first Big Data-based bus, which can flexibly set up stations and routes according to customer needs and sell tickets via smartphone.

The tailored bus began taking orders today and will undergo a trial run on Sept. 11, Chinese media outlet The Paper reported. The bus will have six stations and each journey takes about 50 minutes. Tickets cost CNY5 (USD0.77).

Using Big Data, the bus can adjust its route to make life more convenient for travelers, said Zheng Min, a head at the organization. Using a specific bus lane, the route can take about ten minutes less than a taxi.

Travelers can buy tickets for the bus using a smartphone app and simply scan a QR code when boarding. The vehicle can accommodate 37 seated passengers.

The bus currently only runs along one route, after the test run, the transport group will encourage users to submit suggestions for start and end points through the mobile app, then use this data to add new routes.