Optibus Introduces New Transfer Planning Tools to Improve Connectivity and Passenger Experience

Written by Sidra Collins, Product Marketing Manager | February 24, 2026

Optibus, a leading provider of end‑to‑end planning and operations software for public transportation, today announced major enhancements that help agencies design better transfers and understand how passengers move across their networks. The updates include improved Transfer Planning capabilities and a visual Transfer Display in the Timetable feature, giving planners clearer insight into how routes connect and where the passenger experience can be improved.

With these updates, agencies can more easily coordinate services at key transport hubs, including connections with external providers such as rail or regional buses, and see how those connections actually play out across the timetable.

New Transfer Planning Capabilities that Improve Connectivity for Passengers

The new Transfer Display in the Timetable feature visualizes connectivity directly in the timetable. Planners can see how passengers move between routes and trips within the network and the time involved in a passenger’s connection, without running manual checks or multiple reports. The feature makes it easier to:

Understand connectivity between different routes within transfer hubs
Spot weak links including service gaps or poor synchronization between routes
Support data‑driven decisions using visual evidence to guide timetable changes

How does ‘Transfer Display in the Timetable’ Improve Transfer Timing and Integration across Mobility Providers and Modes?

New capabilities within Transfer Planning are making it easy for public transportation agencies to assess transfer quality and meet passenger needs:

Set Connection Rules: Define minimum and maximum times required for a successful transfer (e.g., “Passenger needs at least 3 minutes but no more than 10 minutes”) so passengers don’t miss their connection.
Timetable Optimization: Set transfer connections and prioritization preferences to optimize transfer quality.
Transfer Hubs: Users can define transfers in a Transfer Hub for all routes with stops at that location and prioritize hubs where transfers matter most – including major stations, interchanges, and park‑and‑ride locations – to ensure services are properly coordinated.
Coordinate with External Services: Add routes and trips from external providers and other mobility modes, including trains and regional buses, to create better connections.

Impact for Agencies and Passengers

With the new Transfer Planning capabilities, Optibus enables agencies to:

Improve passenger experience by making transfers more reliable and better coordinated
Design more connected networks that reflect real passenger journeys across routes, hubs, and even different operators
Work more efficiently by replacing manual transfer checks with clear, on‑screen visualizations
Make better decisions faster, supported by data‑driven insights into where transfers work well and where they need attention

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About Optibus

Optibus is a unified software platform for public transportation planning, scheduling, rostering, operations, real-time control, and passenger information, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and optimization algorithms. In thousands of cities worldwide, transportation agencies and operators use Optibus to maximize the positive impact of public transportation on passengers and the planet, improve operational efficiency and service quality, promote transportation equity, reduce emissions and costs, and modernize operations. Learn more: www.optibus.com

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