Optibus Adds Intelligent Route Planning Capabilities to its Market-Disrupting Mass Transport Platform

SAN FRANCISCO and TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Optibus, a next-generation mobility platform provider to mass transport agencies and operators, today announced the launch of Optibus Route Planning, a new set of capabilities within the Optibus Platform. Together with the previously announced Optibus Timetables, Optibus Route Planning brings modern, cloud-native solutions to transportation agencies and operators around the world, giving them the ability to quickly and more flexibly plan mass transportation on one holistic platform from routes and timetables, vehicle and crew scheduling, to weekly rosters (rotas).

"The biggest conundrum regarding mass transportation routes is that while rider demand changes daily, weekly and seasonally, routes are kept constant with some systems using the exact same routes for over thirty years," said Amos Haggiag, Co-Founder and CEO of Optibus. "Most scheduling and planning tools used today are inflexible and require long, laborious processes to make the simplest route changes. Our overarching goal is to modernize mass transportation solutions so that agencies and operators can better serve passengers by adapting routes to match demand. We've created a visual, integrated and intelligent route planning platform on a cloud-native platform to achieve that vision."

The Optibus Route Planning module extends the power of Optibus' software-as-a-service (SaaS) and cloud-based planning and scheduling platform, allowing for quick and simple route creation and modification. Some of the capabilities of the Route Planning module include the ability to:

• Plan routes from scratch, including adding routes or adjusting them, by using the algorithmic power of Optibus' platform
• View and modify routes via a modern and interactive user interface that uses the most up-to-date maps and satellite views; by drilling down into street-level pictures, users can easily see what the route and stops look like in real life from the driver's point of view
• Move from the Route Planning module to the subsequent Timetable, Scheduling and Rosters (rotas) modules, creating a seamless workflow and ending the industry's dependence on disparate tools
• Validate routes simply and effectively; the module points out errors to prevent extra work

The Optibus platform is an end-to-end, SaaS offering that intelligently powers mass transportation. It creates an operational plan and schedule that orchestrates the movements of every vehicle and driver in a city-wide transportation ecosystem, choosing the best options available to transit operators and agencies and creating better service for passengers with lower operating costs.

"With the Route Planning module, Optibus is modernizing the world of mass transportation software," said Leon Daniels, Head of UK Strategy at Optibus and the former Managing Director of Surface Transport at Transport for London. "With decreased ridership and budgets, bus systems around the world are at risk of shutting down. Optibus' advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence are delivering the innovative services that the market needs to keep mass transit at the center of mobility."

This announcement comes on the heels of the closing of Optibus' $40 M Series B financing round, led by Insight Venture Partners with a strategic investment by Alibaba Group.

About Optibus:
Optibus' software-as-a-service (SaaS), cloud-native planning and scheduling platform leverages artificial intelligence and powerful algorithms to rapidly reduce labor, fuel and vehicle costs as well as improve passenger service and grow ridership for mass transportation operators and agencies. With the most intelligent platform in the industry, Optibus ensures an improved rider experience through expertly planned and controlled core operations. Optibus has been chosen by more than 300 cities to drive some of the most complex and large-scale transportation operations worldwide, streamlining operations while reducing congestion, emissions and costs. The company has offices in San Francisco, London, Tel Aviv and Düsseldorf. For more information, please visit: https://www.optibus.com/.

SOURCE Optibus

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https://www.optibus.com/