Arriva Group invests in Artificial Intelligence for enhanced bus network performance

Arriva Group, the international passenger transport company, has announced an investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for its London bus network, designed to help improve operational performance and journey reliability.

The software, known as FlowOS Live, is being implemented following an eight-week trial and is expected to provide significant improvements for passengers by reducing excess wait times by up to 20 per cent.  The software will roll out across all of Arriva’s London control rooms.

FlowOS Live uses the vehicle’s GPS systems and fleet data to create a digital version of each bus route that can then be used to test the impact of sending out different sets of fleet instructions in a safe virtual environment.  The software can run thousands of simulations a second to identify the best set of instructions to issue for optimum fleet efficiency which in turn benefits passenger’s experience.  Instructions for regulating the space between vehicles helps mitigate the impact of congestion and network disruptions.  The system can also change departure times and manage the changeover of drivers and vehicles.  FlowOS Live also automates much of the reporting and administration tasks of control room staff so that they can spend time more focussed on service performance.

Marcos Hart, Managing Director Arriva UK Bus London, said: “This technology is all about delivering the best service to Londoners, using AI insights that support our teams to make the right decisions at the right time. If we can provide more reliable services and improved experiences for customers, we can encourage more people to choose buses as their primary form of transport.”

Pete Ferguson, CEO at Prospective.io, the company behind FlowOS Live, said: "We’re thrilled that Arriva is rolling out FlowOS Live across their operations. The Arriva team has been highly committed to the pilot process, thoroughly testing the capabilities and impact of FlowOS Live on the road in a wide range of network conditions and making sure the system really works for their operations on a practical day to day basis. We’re excited to work with the whole team to roll out FlowOS Live and to go even further to help them deliver better and better services for bus passengers in London.”

Building on this latest development, Arriva is exploring the power of AI and machine learning technologies to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency across its networks.  This type of technology has the potential to provide more confidence in public transport networks, encouraging modal shift away from private cars and onto more sustainable forms of transport.  Using the findings from the London trials, the company is now considering where else across its European network, this type of technology could be implemented. Arriva is committed to delivering smarter, more responsive transport solutions that meet the changing needs of customers,

The rollout of the FlowOS tool will be completed in London in 2026.  The investment builds on Arriva’s ongoing investment in its London electrification programme, in line with the Mayor of London’s ambition for the capital’s entire bus fleet to be zero-emission by 2030.

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About Arriva Group:

Arriva is a leading provider of passenger transport across Europe, employing around 36,200 people and delivering around 1.5 billion passenger journeys. With buses, trains, coaches, trams, waterbuses, bike-sharing systems, on-demand transport solutions and a rolling stock leasing company, Arriva proudly connects people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably across 11 countries, delivering these services in a better way, every day. The activities of Arriva are divided into four business units: UK Bus, UK Trains, The Netherlands and Mainland Europe. Arriva has passenger transport operations in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom, and also operates a rolling stock leasing company in Romania.

About Prospective:

Prospective is a leading provider of AI powered transport management software to the public transport industry with large scale deployments of its automated timetabling, fleet scheduling and real time operations management software for some of the world's largest public transport operators. The company has developed unique technology that combines Machine Learning, rapid transport simulation and optimisation methods to help operators predict future service demand, optimise plans, timetables and itineraries and to deliver during daily operations.