Image source: TfGM
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has entered a partnership with transport data specialist CitySwift to optimise the performance of the city’s bus network.
It will involve using the company’s Spotlight intelligent recommendation engine, which uses AI to produce insights into performance and resource metrics.
This measures factors such as timeliness, cost and vehicle numbers through scanning the whole network, provides information on optimising the services and proposes measures for a positive return on investment.
It will use data from across TfGM’s Bee Network to identify trends and pain points and support decisions on where improvements should be made.
TfGM said this makes it the first franchise transport authority in the UK to utilise AI for better bus services. Around of the bus network in Greater Manchester is under its control, with the other half to join in January 2025.
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Catherine Towey, senior lead for bus franchising at TfGM, 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.”
TfGM said the Bee Network aims to increase the use of buses in Greater Manchester by around 30% by 2030, equating to nearly 50 million journeys per year. This will require more integrated and user-friendly services and better infrastructure.
CitySwift already partnerships with several other transport organisations in the UK, including Transport North East and National Express.
