This article explains how to set up the Busbud integration to distribute your transportation services and how to manage customer communications and cancellations for Busbud bookings.
In this article:
Overview
Busbud is a leading global marketplace for intercity ground travel. By connecting Zaui to Busbud, your real-time availability and pricing are synced directly to the Busbud platform, allowing customers to book your services alongside thousands of other bus and train routes worldwide.
Connecting Zaui to Busbud
To begin selling your inventory on Busbud, follow these steps:
Register with Busbud
Contact Busbud: You must first have an active partnership with Busbud. You can apply via their Distribution Partnership Program.
Create Busbud as a Company in Zaui
- Go to Resellers > Companies > Company List. If Busbud is not on the list of companies, click Create Company from the shortcuts panel. If it is on the list, click on it to view details.
- Fill out the Company Information section (only Company Name is required, other fields are optional).
- In the Rate Type section, select Wholesale Discount/Invoice type and leave all boxes unchecked.
- In the Rate Codes section, assign a rate code to Busbud based on your negotiated commission/net rate with them and define which products it applies to. This will ensure your reports account for the correct Net Rate. Learn more about rate codes here.
Enable the Busbud Channel in Zaui
By default, API connectivity is disabled. You will need to enable the busbud channel enable them to resell your products.
Go to Resellers > Channel Partners.
Locate Busbud in the partner list
- In the Map reseller to account field within the Channel Information section, select Busbud.
- Check the Enable Channel box to turn this channel on.
In Channel Rules and Controls section, define which activities you want to allow Busbud to access via API Connectivity and what rules to apply. Learn more about Channel Rules and Controls here.
Contact Zaui Support to complete enabling of the Channel
Send a message to support@zaui.net requesting a connection to Busbud. Busbud and Zaui will coordinate API connectivity directly once your partnership is active.
Mapping Products in Busbud Supplier Administration Portal
Map Your Services: Ensure your Zaui activities/routes are mapped to the corresponding Busbud listings to ensure real-time syncing. You may need to contact your Account Manager at Busbud for assistance.
Important: Customer Data & Privacy Limitations
It is important to understand that Busbud, like many Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), prioritizes customer privacy by restricting the sharing of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) via API.
Masked Email Addresses: Busbud does not typically provide the customer's direct email address. Instead, they provide a masked relay address (e.g.,
user_123@m.pforward.net).Communication Delivery: Emails sent from Zaui to these masked addresses are subject to Busbud’s internal relay filters. In many cases, automated notifications (such as booking confirmations or cancellation alerts) may be blocked or dropped by the relay to prevent third-party tracking.
Notification Reliability: Because of these third-party filters, messages sent from Zaui are not expected to reach the Busbud customer.
Even if the email sends successfully, Busbud remains the source of truth for guest communications and refunds. That helps protect operators in blame situations.
How to Handle Changes and Cancellations
If a service is changed or cancelled, special care must be taken with Busbud bookings to ensure the guest is notified.
Step 1: Update the Status in Zaui
Change the booking status in Zaui as usual. However, do not rely solely on the automated "Cancellation Email" trigger, as it may not reach the customer due to the masked email limitations mentioned above.
Step 2: Use the Busbud Operator Portal
To ensure the customer is notified of a cancellation:
Log in to your Busbud Operator Dashboard.
Locate the specific booking and use Busbud’s internal messaging tool to contact the guest. This ensures the message is delivered within the platform where they made the purchase.
If the cancellation is initiated by you (the operator), you must also notify Busbud Support so they can process the appropriate refund or credit to the guest according to their Refund Policy.
Step 3: Manual Contact
If a phone number is provided in the Zaui booking manifest, a manual phone call is the most reliable way to confirm the guest has received the message and avoid "no-show" complications or unexpected guest expenses.
Zaui Pro-Tips:
To easily identify reseller bookings in passenger manifests, it is recommended to add the manifest field 'Voucher'. If this field is populated, the booking is from a reseller such as Busbud. Go to Settings > Manifest Layout > locate Voucher and add as a new manifest field. More info here.
2. Always check your Booking Manifest 24 hours prior to departure. If you see an email address ending in
@m.pforward.netor a similar relay, assume that automated communications will not reach that guest.