Transport for Wales (TfW) has selected Optibus to help it deliver the ambitions of its ‘One Network, One Timetable, One Ticket’ white paper, which outlines the Welsh Government’s vision to transform bus service delivery across Wales and establish a bus network that maximises sustainability and social impact. Using Optibus’ software, TfW intends to work closely with all local authorities plus bus operators to design its public transport network to better serve Wales’ residents and the more than 52 million passengers who travel on buses in Wales each year.
TfW’s aims to increase the number of journeys made by active travel or public transport to 45% of all journeys by 2040, as set out in the 2021 Wales Transport Strategy. Optibus will assist with digitising Wales’ bus network, replacing traditional manual operational methods with software-based tools and capabilities, including artificial intelligence, optimisation algorithms, cloud computing, rapid scenario generation, and more, giving the ability to analyse demographic data alongside the route network to enable TfW to enhance service quality and accessibility.
Lee Robinson, Director for Development of Mid, North and Rural Wales at TfW said: “Working closely with our partners in local authorities and bus operators, Optibus will play a key role in helping us build a reliable, efficient, and sustainable bus network that serves passengers across Wales. The software’s ability to digitise the network and timetables quickly and test scenarios that result in the most effective operational decisions has been a revelation. We will be able to accurately model the delivery of the entire network in a single tool.”
Optibus CEO and co-founder Amos Haggiag added: “It is an honour to be chosen as the planning and scheduling software for Transport for Wales, and to take part in this historical chapter for advancing public transportation in Wales.”
