Optibus debuts Ridership Insights as it gains unicorn status
Optibus has launched Ridership Insights, which it says will enable the visualisation and analysis of patronage data directly on a map during network planning. The tool will allow planners to view ridership KPIs on a route, segment or stop level with boarding and alighting data for each stop, or filter by time and date range.
That data will bring insight into how a network is performing and result in the delivery of services that are optimised to meet passengers’ needs, the supplier says. Ridership Insights comes after Optibus closed a $100m funding round with investment from new and existing partners. That takes Optibus’ valuation to $1.3bn, which it claims makes it the first unicorn business dedicated to the public transport sector.
Says CEO and Co-Founder Amos Haggiag (pictured): “Optibus is proud to be the first unicorn dedicated to public transport, which is at the core of a healthy and equitable society.
“By putting powerful technology in the hands of industry professionals, Optibus helps to increase transportation equity and ridership while reducing emissions and costs. Our investors and employees see the double promise of Optibus to generate social good and return on investment, and we are thrilled to lead the industry’s digital transformation.”
Mr Haggiag adds that the latest funding round will allow Optibus to further expand its product offering, “including real-time operations and electric vehicle management.” He continues: “It will also enable us to deliver a superior customer experience… and progress further toward our vision of a holistic, modern operating system for all public transport.”
Stagecoach continues to use Optibus software. It is “revolutionising our day-to-day operations, as well as the passenger experience,” says Stagecoach UK Managing Director Carla Stockton-Jones. “Optibus is the future of public transport and we celebrate this fantastic milestone with it.”
Go-Ahead Ireland starts asset management work with Freeway
Go-Ahead Ireland has commenced work with Freeway Fleet Systems to build a core asset management system built around the supplier’s software. The IT integration programme will “transform” the business’s oversight of its fleet, plant and equipment and deliver comprehensive insight into the costs of running them.
Through an initial implementation in late 2018, Freeway has already been integrated with Go-Ahead’s core financial and bus operations systems, Oracle and uTrack. Development work is now concentrating on capturing live data from drivers and vehicles.
That involves integration with data terminals running a first use check app from Tranzaura and data feeds from vehicles via theur CAN bus systems using the Stratio interface. Wheel loss prevention system Wheely-Safe is also being trialled by Go-Ahead Ireland to gather wheel and tyre pressure data via Stratio.
The operator says that with the consolidation of data, it will have a standard set of outputs that open significant potential for business analytics. Freeway provides a series of standard reports, but for more in-depth analysis, its exports to Microsoft's Power BI data visualisation platform.
Work with Freeway is part of Go-Ahead Ireland’s shift from reactive maintenance to a proactive approach. Predictive systems are thus necessary to prevent failures before they occur, and the Freeway platform synchronises workshop tablets with the central asset management system to give live data on all defects and vehicle status.
Says Go-Ahead Ireland Engineering Director Chris Stringer: “By introducing the latest digital technologies and integrating all our systems, we are gaining a one-click view of every part of the operation.
“As we go along, we suddenly realise that there are very significant unforeseen benefits of this integration. The ultimate aim is to understand costs and, with a mixed fleet of older and newer buses as well as diesel, diesel-electric hybrid and new electric models, gaining a comprehensive insight into lifecycle costs is our objective.
“We can then make better informed decisions using what we feel will be the bus industry’s most comprehensive management information system.”
In addition to fleet management, Go-Ahead Ireland uses Freeway to handle 1,100 assets such as ticket machines, workshop equipment, GPS trackers and others. Inspections are scheduled by Freeway and staff use tablets to ID scan each asset before completing digital reports.
Warwickshire County Council selects Omnibus for BSIP solution
Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is to use Omnibus’s cloud-based platform to plan and publicise bus services and deliver on a commitment to improve journey information for customers.
It comes after the provision of better publicity information was identified as a "priority measure" in WCC's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).
Omnibus's OmniSTOPdesign timetable publicity software will let WCC create and maintain displays in multiple styles, sizes and formats without the need to use a graphic designer.
“Warwickshire County Council creates and maintains NaPTAN stops, timetable schedules, bus routes, roadside publicity displays, as well as analysing ‘what if’ scenarios and importing and exporting data," says Derek Riley, Passenger Transport Officer at Warwickshire County Council. "Following a county-wide survey to help shape our BSIP, better static timetable information was identified as a measure which would encourage more people to use the bus. For example, 'easier access to bus service information' featured as one of the top three measures in the results from both regular users and infrequent or non-users.
"OmniSTOPdesign offers us new possibilities in timetable publicity that can take things to a whole new level. We will be able to manage roadside and online publicity information for local bus services, from improving roadside/in-street route and timetable information, including the use of digital displays, to integrating bus services and timetables in order to maximise scope for multi-modal connections."
The contract was awarded after a tender process. The contract will see the council implement timetabling, mapping, timetable publicity, roadside asset management and data sharing solutions.
Adds Peter Crichton, Founder of Omnibus: “I’m delighted that Omnibus has been successful in being awarded this tender. Our software solutions have been designed with the needs of transport authorities and bus operators in mind to improve operational efficiency.
“Our timetabling system provides flexible modelling tools that provide high-level timetables and schedules to give a quick view of effectiveness for different scenarios. Our timetable publicity software for stop displays enables users to produce information displays quickly and cost-effectively, while our communications and infrastructure applications provide accurate transport data to all internal and external downstream systems.”