Optibus Showcases Bus Operators’ Open GTFS Data in Tokyo

Optibus, an end-to-end software platform for public transportation planning and operations, recently attended the TRON Symposium in Tokyo. This symposium, sponsored by the TRON Forum and supported by various enterprise companies and government entities, brought together industry leaders from various sectors to discuss and showcase cutting-edge technologies.

      Hiroshi Oshima, Japan’s Country Manager, and  Yasuhiko Nakata, Presales Engineer presenting about Optibus at the TRON Symposium.

At the symposium, Optibus was part of the Public Transportation Open Data Center (ODPT) and shared insights into advancements in transportation technology. The company presented their General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) services using Seibu Bus—a bus operator and part of the Seibu Group—as a use case. The presentation also included a demo of Optibus’ route planning, timetable management, and scheduling products, showcasing how the software can produce optimized results for transportation scheduling.

Optibus' Scheduling Product  

Addressing Transport Operators’ Challenges with Technology　

One of the primary challenges facing the public transportation sector in Japan is bus driver shortages. The severity of the shortage has prompted the government to implement new regulations aimed at enhancing work conditions for drivers.

Optibus plays a vital role in assisting public transport operators in handling bus driver shortages and overcoming other challenges, such as increasing efficiency, improving service quality, ensuring transportation equity, curbing emissions and costs, and modernizing overall operations.

When it comes to bus driver shortages, Optibus' Scheduling solution empowers schedulers to customize and optimize rosters based on drivers' unique needs and preferences, addressing significant challenges like fatigue and enhancing long-term driver retention. By adopting more flexible scheduling practices, schedulers can not only adhere to union rules and regulations regarding break times, overtime, and more but can also better consider drivers' availability, work-life balance, and individual constraints.

Optibus Expansion in Japan　

Optibus has been expanding its footprint in Japan. The company’s latest deal with Akita City saw Optibus selected as the software solution for redesigning the city’s entire local public transportation network. Additionally, Opitbus was selected to participate in the X-Hub Tokyo Inbound Mobility Program, run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and operated by Deloitte Japan.

Stay tuned for more updates as Optibus remains dedicated to shaping the future of transportation in Japan and beyond through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.