Metropol and Optibus to Advance Bus Electrification and Passenger Experience in Santiago

The Metropol Group, a leading public transportation operator in Latin America, has selected Optibus Planning, Scheduling, and Electric Vehicle Management to optimize its bus operations within RED Metropolitana de Movilidad, the public transportation system of Santiago, the capital of Chile.

The decision will see Metropol leverage Optibus’ cloud computing and artificial intelligence to improve service efficiency for 700 public buses and the charging strategy for 370 electric buses. 

Metropol’s Implementation of Optibus in Santiago

In operation for 26 years, Metropol provides public transportation services across Argentina and Chile for more than 230 million annual passengers. In 2022, it expanded to Santiago, becoming one of the city’s eight public transportation operators. There, it operates 51 routes and seven terminals, including two state-of-the-art electric terminals. Its services support the RED system in transporting 950 million passengers each year. 

Metropol will deploy Optibus Planning, Scheduling, and Electric Vehicle (EV) Management across its operation to achieve the following outcomes:

• Advance Bus Electrification: Support efficient management of electric buses, including battery monitoring, charging schedules, mixed fleets (electric and diesel) to reduce emissions. The move will support Santiago’s push to fully electrify their bus fleet by 2040.

• Boost Operational Efficiency: AI-powered optimization will reduce planning time, improve resource allocation for drivers and vehicles, and enable rapid, dynamic adjustments based on real-time demand.
• Enhance Passenger Experience: Offer more reliable schedules and efficient routes, making public transportation more convenient for thousands of daily passengers across municipalities such as Huechuraba, Renca, Puente Alto, and San Bernardo.

Optibus and the Metropol Group 

Public-Private Collaboration for Better Mobility

The implementation of Optibus strengthens Metropol’s collaboration with the city’s transportation authority, Metropolitan Public Transport Directorate (DTPM), which uses Optibus to plan the city's public bus services. With both entities now using Optibus’ software platform,  public-private coordination will improve significantly. This ensures more synchronized planning for Santiago’s expansive bus network — one of Latin America’s most advanced systems with nearly 7,000 buses (including over 2,500 electric vehicles) serving millions of residents.

Daniel Godoy, Strategy and Planning Manager of Metropol Group, highlighted:

"The adoption of Optibus’ technology is a strategic leap forward for the Metropol Group. This partnership reflects our commitment to innovation and to offering efficient, sustainable, and reliable public transportation for all passengers in Santiago. We look forward to working with Optibus to improve service quality and ensure smarter, more connected urban mobility."

Amos Haggiag, Optibus CEO and co-founder, said:

“Public transportation networks are complex systems. To run at optimal performance for the benefit of passengers and EV infrastructure, all stakeholders’ activities and plans must be aligned. We are excited to welcome Metropol as Optibus’ latest client within Santiago’s RED system and to support their collaboration with DTPM and fleet electrification.”

Álvaro Sanderson, Optibus Regional Director for the Southern Cone, stated:

"We are honored to support Metropol in the technological advancement of its operations in Santiago. Optibus’ mission is to make public transportation more efficient, sustainable, and accessible. Our values are deeply aligned with Metropol’s vision for urban mobility and passenger services."

Optibus’ Growing Role in Santiago

Optibus plays a key role in the advancement of public transportation in Santiago. In addition to Metropol and DTPM, the software is also used by Redbus Urbano (RBU), a Transdev operation and key operator of the RED network. RBU uses Optibus to manage its electric bus fleet and improve its passenger services.

Further Reading:

• Santiago, Chile, introduces Optibus AI software to manage citywide public transportation system
• Webinar: Real-Time, Real Impact: Mastering Public Transportation Operations
• Webinar: Discover Optibus Shuttles: Dynamic Routing and Optimization in Action