Optibus Expands Real-Time Control Capabilities with Four Major Enhancements

Service Alerts, Improved ETA Predictions, Vehicle Diagnostics, and a New Map deliver faster decisions, clearer passenger information, and stronger fleet reliability

Optibus, a leading provider of end-to-end planning and operations software for public transportation, today announced four major enhancements to Optibus Control. These features strengthen real-time service management by connecting operational decision-making, passenger communication, vehicle health insights, and map-based visibility into one unified workflow.

Map Hub: Faster Operational Visibility From a Single Map Workspace

The new Map Hub provides an improved map-based workspace for monitoring live service. The new interface combines real-time vehicle tracking, route visualization, and stop-level information in a single, streamlined workspace.

Key enhancements include:

Quick search across routes, stops, vehicles, and trips with intelligent prefix shortcuts
Enhanced vehicle display with color-coded punctuality status with configurable labels
Real-time delivery metrics are visible directly from the map interface
Flexible route filtering that displays up to 20 routes simultaneously with associated stops and vehicles
Real-time traffic conditions overlay for better situational awareness

The Map Hub's sidebar provides instant access to operational KPIs, including delivery percentages, route filtering, vehicle lists with punctuality status, and stop information, all synchronized with the controller's selected operational profile.

Optibus Control Map Hub

Optibus Control's new Map Hub feature provides a single map-based workspace for monitoring live service

Enhanced ETA Predictions: Consistent, Reliable Countdown Information

The new Countdown Prediction System, which powers live arrival displays for controllers and passengers, provides accurate arrival time estimates by combining live GPS data, controller input, and historical run-time patterns. The prediction engine follows three core principles:

Consistent behavior across scenarios
Alignment between what controllers see and what passengers see
Optimistic trip handling, keeping service visible during normal operations

The prediction engine intelligently handles various scenarios from vehicles running on schedule to those temporarily offline, ensuring controllers and passengers always see reliable countdown information. When live data is unavailable, the system seamlessly relies on recent performance patterns until fresh information arrives, preventing prediction gaps that undermine trust in the system.

Updated ETAs at bus stops

Optibus' Countdown Prediction System supports enhanced real-time ETA predictions for controllers and passengers

Service Alerts: Automated, Real-Time Passenger Communication

Optibus Control now automatically generates and publishes GTFS-RT Service Alerts directly from operational changes made in the Monitoring module. When controllers cancel trips, create partial cancellations, or add reinforcement service, Control can instantly push passenger-facing updates to channels such as Google Maps, transit planning apps, and agency websites, minimising delays in communicating service disruptions.

The new Service Alerts experience includes:

Multi-language support
A redesigned interface to manage active, upcoming, and past alerts
Seamless alignment with controller workflows to simplify operations during disruptions

With these improvements, agencies can ensure passengers receive accurate information with less effort from control room teams.

Optibus Control Service Alerts: Message Creation

Optibus Control Service Alerts: Message Creation

Vehicle Diagnostics: Proactive Maintenance Through Real-Time Alerts

Optibus Control now supports FMS (Fleet Management System) Tell Tale Status monitoring, providing controllers with real-time visibility into vehicle diagnostic issues that may require maintenance attention.

The system captures over 75 standardized diagnostic indicators, including engine warnings, brake system alerts, and other critical vehicle health signals. Controllers can view:

Real-time notifications with severity indicators
Distance traveled since the warning began
Historical data for reporting and trend analysis

This helps agencies address issues earlier, improve vehicle availability and life expectancy, and reduce the risk of failures impacting service.

Strengthening Operations End-to-End

These four features represent a comprehensive approach to modern operations: connecting real-time vehicle health, operational decision-making, passenger communication, and service monitoring in a unified platform.

By reducing manual steps and improving the consistency of real-time information, Optibus Control helps agencies deliver more reliable service, strengthen passenger confidence, and improve operational efficiency.

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.