Today, Optibus, the end-to-end software platform for public transportation planning and management, introduced Operations, the first real-time solution for public transportation depot operations and the newest product in Optibus’ comprehensive platform for all public transportation planning needs. Operations enables agencies and operators across the industry to detect and prevent service disruptions resulting from driver staffing and vehicle challenges, faster and smarter than ever, ensuring services roll out smoothly for passengers and drivers alike.
It takes a significant amount of time to plan a public transportation network. But even the most well-designed services can unravel in seconds as the result of the unexpected, be it a driver who calls out for their shift or a late departure from the depot that disrupts on-time performance. Driver shortages in particular have caused major service delays and cancellations worldwide, with some cities seeing 10-20% of services on some lines canceled due to driver call outs alone. The ability to smoothly and quickly handle disruptions at the depot is key to good services and good business. For every late or absent bus is a person who cannot arrive at work, school, or elsewhere, on time or at all, and operators and agencies can be fined hundreds of dollars for each missed trip.
Using cloud computing and open data, Operations improves driver and vehicle allocation by detecting potential depot disruptions in real time, dispatching automatic alerts to operators, and suggesting ways to resolve challenges. For example, if a driver calls out, is late, or at risk of arriving late, Optibus Operations can suggest the best replacement driver, based on compatibility, compliance, and cost. In line with Optibus’ holistic vision for planning and operations, Operations seamlessly integrates with and syncs incoming data from other Optibus products and integrates with external operational data systems (for HR, payroll, fleet management, and more). By unifying driver and vehicle data, enabling real-time, flexible payroll capabilities, and supporting long-term planning, Operations takes depot allocations to the next level, enabling users to save time and costs, eliminate last-minute chaos, and create a stellar experience for passengers and drivers.
“Our new Operations product is the digital command center for tackling public transportation challenges as they unfold, with agility and speed,” said Amos Haggiag, Optibus CEO and co-founder. “The technology behind the Operations product empowers the public transportation industry to deliver quality, reliable services that increase ridership, take pressure off drivers, and ensure compliance.”
Optibus Operations has been built in collaboration with design partners worldwide, including Transportes Sul do Tejo (TST), the Portugal subsidiary of Arriva Group, to develop an integrated, end-to-end software solution that meets business needs.
“As a design partner on Optibus Operations, we have been continuously impressed by the project’s ambition. It has been hard work to design and develop a new generation of operational processes that resolve modern challenges. But between our operational expertise, Optibus’ technology, and our shared commitment to the project and industry, we believe that the final product will be very successful in improving passenger satisfaction and depot operations,” said Paulo Pires, Managing Director, at Transportes Sul do Tejo (TST.), SA, a subsidiary of Arriva Group.