Meet the brand: Freeway Fleet Systems
We catch up with Robert Peel from Freeway Fleet Systems to find out more about their brand and exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo, on stand T62
Tell us a bit about your company?
Freeway Fleet Systems has been providing asset/fleet management software to the UK bus industry for more than 25 years. Today Freeway is leading the switch to seamless digital working taking advantage of the latest technological advances in cloud computing, mobile systems and artificial intelligence.
From the outset Freeway pioneered automation of workshop administration, working in partnership with companies including Reading Buses, Abellio and Tower Transit. Recently operators have embarked on major digitisation programmes in a move to paperless, online working and at Euro Bus Expo 2016 Freeway announced a major new mobile innovation that would underpin this digitisation - and lead to rapid growth in the adoption of Freeway across the UK and international bus sector.Freeway’s new system revolved around a mobile application that synchronised in real-time with the central asset management system. This development eliminated paper ‘on the shop floor’ allowing staff to access and complete their job cards, timesheets, inspection reports and other paperwork on a rugged tablet or smartphone. Subsequently Freeway has developed first-to-market software for managing Earned Recognition compliance and their ‘Fleet in Your Pocket’ management app won the Innovation Challenge Award at Coach and Bus UK 2019.
Freeway is designed to improve asset management, compliance and fleet maintenance, working seamlessly across different platforms from on-premises server or cloud, with desktop and mobile interfaces. The software combines functionality of a number of different systems as a seamless solution incorporating fleet and asset management, maintenance and defect management, stores and stock control, purchasing and compliance. Freeway also seamlessly interchanges data with other systems used in operations, accounts and on-vehicle.
As well as long-term users such as Tower Transit, Reading Bus, Abellio, Cardiff Bus and HCT Group, operators switching to Freeway in recent years include Nottingham City Transport, Lothian Buses, Go Ahead, Rotala, trentbarton and RATP.
Tell us about your latest product(s), service(s), promotions or launches visitors can hope to see on your stand?
Freeway is launching a Real-Time Compliance Tracker that sees live data from mobile devices and onboard sensors processed together with existing defect and maintenance records. Smart software provides intuitive, exception-based interface to provide a complete insight of the status of each vehicle with critical defects and compliance issues highlighted on colour-coded screens.
By targeting the most urgent defect rectification requirements and any outstanding compliance issues, the system makes it easier for bus and coach operators to maintain full compliance and manage DVSA Earned Recognition requirements. Live data is pooled from apps used by drivers for their walk-around checks and onboard systems. Integration has been completed with Stratio, a system that monitors and transmits fault alerts from vehicle sensors, and Wheely-Safe, a system for monitoring wheels, brakes and tyres.
Another development is a software tool that predicts the type and quantity of parts needed to maintain a fleet. This ‘smart storekeeper’ uses historic parts data and stock level algorithms to maintain optimal parts availability and speeds purchasing. The software can initiate automate stock replenishment ensuring the right stock is always available, whilst reducing unnecessary stock. Using mobile devices, engineers can instantly request parts issue and managers can automatically receive requisition requests for one-click PO authorisation. The software prevents parts-related delays in the workshop.
Freeway will also be demonstrating for the first time their ‘Run Out Accelerator’ which minimises disruption to bus operations during busy morning run outs. A Daily Defects Report provides a simple, easy-to-view screen so the workshop can see which defects are blocking buses from service. Work can then be quickly prioritised with rapid action buttons that show what needs to be done to bring a bus back into service.
Why is exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo 2022 an unmissable opportunity for you?
Patrick Tandy, MD of Freeway comments:
Freeway has tripled its bus industry business since first exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo in 2016. With software that is central to bus and coach fleet engineering operations, it is a big decision for operators; a decision they typically only take every 10 years. So, turning prospects into clients can be a slow process. Euro Bus Expo and the Coach and Bus UK events allow leads to be nurtured.
Although it's about the quality of leads, it's as much about building long-term relationships with operators and other suppliers. You get to meet other people who are targeting the same sector and have a common interest. So, getting in front of such suppliers could lead to business partnerships, and this chance to talk to people and build relationships is reason enough to exhibit.
Sales generated from attending Euro Bus Expo do not just come from new customers. Connecting with existing customers and finding opportunities within those businesses have been just as important; never more so after the Pandemic prevented face-to-face contact.
Meet the brand: Prospective
We catch up with Peter Ferguson from Prospective to find out more about their brand and exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo, on stand T63
Tell us a bit about your company?
Prospective enables bus and coach operators to drive passenger growth and maximise fleet utilisation by synchronising individual service schedules and operational management with the wider transport network. Our planning and scheduling technology has been repeatedly proven to increase commercial and operational service performance on the road while saving fleet resources. Using our technology, operators have been able to achieve large and sustained improvements in service punctuality and reliability, increased boarding rates, higher net promoter scores and improved driver satisfaction.
Prospective is now improving passenger services across the country working in partnership with some of the UK's biggest operators. The company was founded by researchers from UCL, Cambridge and the Alan Turing Institute to help transport authorities and operators improve the competitiveness of public transport using cutting edge data science and automation. We work closely with our customers to help them transition to new ways of working, helping them build in more data driven decision making and automation into their daily workflows and unlocking time from their experienced internal teams to pursue more proactive service design work and stakeholder engagement.
Tell us about your latest product(s), service(s), promotions or launches visitors can hope to see on your stand?
Prospective offers operators and city authorities cloud hosted software products for automating continuous network planning, scheduling and daily operations decisions. Come to our stand to see our scheduling software in action and explore how your business can adopt and then make the most of these new technologies. We can show you how we build a digital replica of your existing services, predict future passenger and vehicle flows under different service design scenarios and build in automation pipelines for continuous scheduling that make the most of your existing fleet resources.
We will be available for 1-1 demonstrations of our scheduling software throughout Euro Bus Expo 2022, 1-3 November.
Why is exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo 2022 an unmissable opportunity for you?
We're passionate about improving public transport, making it a more competitive transport option that will improve quality of life in our cities, tackle congestion and help drive down transport related emissions. As a premier conference for the UK bus and coach industry, Eurobus is a great opportunity for us to meet with the industry stakeholders, better understand their current and emerging challenges and build new relationships that will help drive continuous improvements in service delivery across the UK.
Meet the brand: Jones Coach and Bus Sales
We catch up with Christina Saunders from Jones Coach and Bus Sales to find out more about their brand and exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo, on stand J60
Tell us a bit about your company?
Jones Coach and Bus Sales is the sister company of Llew Jones Limited, a private independent company founded over 50 years ago.
From a small start-up with just three coaches. Llew Jones, with Steve Jones at the helm has grown to be the large, successful company we are today. Operating local buses services, daily school runs and private coach hire, to National Express coaches and coach holidays in the UK and further afield.
It is fair to say with 50 years’ experience, our drivers and engineers have first-hand knowledge of the majority of the coach and bus models on the market.
We understand how important it is to make the right choice when looking for a new or used vehicle and the importance of a timely and efficient aftercare service with minimum downtime. It is why we provide first-class servicing and support and a dedicated parts department stocking an extensive range of new parts to offer you the peace of mind that we will be there should you need us.
Our offices are staffed by experienced professionals who specialise in providing support and advice to businesses of all shapes and sizes. We offer every customer a personal yet professional service and aim to ensure they drive away feeling completely satisfied with their experience.
As a company we started with one ethos and that core principle continues throughout the company today - ‘to treat all our clients as we would hope to be treated’
If you’re one of our long-standing customers, thank you for continuing to work with us, we plan to keep you happy for many more years. For those coach operators and buyers who have yet to experience our service please browse our website or contact us for further help and assistance.
Tell us about your latest product(s), service(s), promotions or launches visitors can hope to see on your stand:
We are delighted to be exhibiting at Euro Bus for the first time and look forward to meeting and showing the visitors the newly designed DAF Turas 900s. Iveco Turas 700s, Mercedes Sprinter Turas 500s and the Rosero Connect Low Floor. Plus, the investments we have made as the Noone approved dealer to offer a first class aftersales by manufactured trained technicians and a dedicated parts department stocking an extensive range of parts.
When Llew Jones, Jones Coach and Bus Sales sister company needed a new multifunctional vehicle to add to their fleet. The Rosero Connect ticked all the boxes. It had to be multifunctional and versatile. Compact to cope with the narrow lanes, psvar certified and with low floor access for the prams and pushchairs, but also luxurious and comfortable to be attractive to the private hire market.
What we found at Noone was not only that the Rosero Connect ticked all our boxes and more, but the Noone Turas Range was setting new standards with their stylish looks and luxurious interiors in the luxury mini and midi coach market.
The Noone Turas Coaches have head-turning looks and a luxurious interior for the private sector, something our guests expect when heading to the races or golf tournaments. The Turas Coaches are also adaptable, reliable, and economical for daily commercial runs. Additionally, visitors will be able to see the new designed Turas 900s that has been redesigned, so there is now no loss of luggage space if you want PSVAR; it really does tick all those boxes.
Why is exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo 2022 an unmissable opportunity for you?
With over 50 years of motor industry experience, the Euro Bus Expo 2022 is Jones Coach and Bus Sales' first opportunity to put us on the road map and tell everyone who we are and what services we offer. The investments we have made to ensure that we can not only offer the Noone Turas luxury range of coaches but also provide a first-class after-sales service and a fully stocked parts department.
Our services include new and used vehicle sales, service engineers, parts department, psvar conversions, part exchange and valuations.
Our dedication to customer service, honesty and transparency has helped us become the company we are today, providing support to businesses of all shapes and sizes. We look forward to continuing that same standard of service as the Noone-approved dealer.
Plus, our access to our sister company Llew Jones network of coaches and buses travelling across the country daily means we can endeavour to get the parts to our clients very quickly.
We look forward to meeting with our long-standing and new customers and spreading the word about all the services that Jones Coach and Bus Sales offer and discussing the Turas range.