Eric Souza
3 hours ago , Reading time: 1 minute, 42 seconds
The Greater Manchester region in the United Kingdom will receive a performance optimization platform on the city’s bus network. The system uses artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis from the public transport service to propose actions to optimize operations. The implementation of the technology is part of the Greater Manchester Bus Strategy announced last year.
Read more: UK bus operators partner with artificial intelligence company
Developed by CitySwift, the performance optimization platform provides transport operators and authorities with recommendations and predictions based on reading service information. The technology is programmed to provide efficient, reliable and on-demand services.
According to Transport for Greater Manchester (Tfgm), the local government body responsible for transport in the Manchester area, expects the use of the technology to increase the number of bus users. The organisation’s initial expectation is that it will initially see a 30% increase in the number of bus users by 2030, compared to 2022 and 2023 levels. In absolute numbers, this equates to around 50 million extra bus journeys annually.
UK Bus Network
For the agency, the use of the platform could facilitate this outcome. Using the technology, TfGM will have access to performance data from across the B network, Greater Manchester’s integrated transport network. This information could, for example, help identify trends and problematic points in the service.
“We can then use this information to prioritise improvements and provide a better service for passengers,” says Katherine Tovey, senior bus franchise leader at TfGM. The B network includes journeys made on trains, trams and buses in the region. In total, around 5.6 million journeys are made on the city’s roads every day.
