Transport performance optimisation specialist CitySwift has partnered with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to help drive the future of Manchester’s public transport network through the use of AI and data.
The company says the move makes TfGM the first franchised transport authority in the UK to utilise AI to deliver more reliable, frequent and quicker bus journeys, helping to build on the Greater Manchester Bus Strategy announced last year and which sets an initial target of a 30% increase in bus patronage by 2030 from 2022/23 levels, equating to nearly 50 million additional bus journeys annually. This growth, it says, will be driven by improvements such as a more integrated, user-friendly, and frequent network, and better infrastructure for reliable bus journeys, with CitySwift playing a key role in this transition.
CEO and Co-founder of CitySwift Brian O’Rourke said “The goals and vision set out in the Great Manchester Bus Strategy speak clearly to our mission at CitySwift – grow patronagewith frequent and more reliable buses. I am thrilled that we’re partnering with TfGM, supporting them in achieving this goal through our transport data-solutions, as we continue to build the smart cities of the future.”
TfGM will have access to CitySwift’s performance data across the entire Bee Network, helping to identify trends and pain points, allowing it to recognise where improvements can be made to benefit passengers. Additionally TfGM will leverage CitySwift’s latest product offering, Spotlight, designed to enhance decision-making by providing AI-powered insights into performance and resource parameters like timeliness, cost, and vehicle numbers through scanning the whole network, executing optimisation variations, and proposing ROI improvements.
Senior Lead for Bus Franchising at TfGM Catherine Towey said: “Customers are at the heart of the Bee Network and by working with CitySwift we will be able to see more clearly than ever how services are performing. We can then use this information to prioritise improvements and deliver a better service for passengers.”
