Category: OmniBASE

Edinburgh Trams extends partnership adopting powerful crew scheduling solution

Posted on August 31, 2021 by - CrewPLAN, OmniBASE, OmniDAS, OmniENGAGE, OmniTIMES, Operators, TXC

Sarah Singh, Operations Manager, Edinburgh Trams

1 September 2021 – Edinburgh Trams has extended its partnership with Omnibus by deploying the next-generation automatic crew scheduling tool CrewPLAN – and said it is on track to improve efficiency. 

The operator needed a user-friendly solution to create robust schedules and forecast for future operational costs as new stops are added to the city’s tram network by 2023.  

Sarah Singh, Operations Manager, Edinburgh Trams

With its powerful algorithms CrewPLAN was the operator’s first choice to replace its previous system, and this was confirmed on a fact-finding mission to Blackpool Transport. 

Edinburgh Trams has successfully been using the Omnibus software to test numerous scenarios and operating patterns to build a realistic picture of the resources that may be required in the future. 

Sarah Singh, Operations Manager at Edinburgh Trams, said: “Omnibus has been key for developing a sustainable transport strategy which includes the Trams to Newhaven project. CrewPLAN will provide us with the level of control and accuracy we need to ensure optimised shift patterns. It offers tools for medium-term and long-term crew scheduling based on our organisation’s legal frameworks and guidelines.”

Peter Crichton, Managing Director at Omnibus, said: “Edinburgh Trams’ deployment of CrewPLAN is a testament to the positive achievements of the partnership and demonstrates the strength of the Omnibus software in meeting the needs of the passenger transport market. 

“With our software, Edinburgh Trams can better understand the current and future operational needs of the business and can optimise crew schedules ensuring an efficient and reliable service to customers.” 

Construction on the extension, called Trams to Newhaven, started in 2019. It will add 2.91 miles of track in both directions, connecting Leith and Newhaven to the current end of the Edinburgh tram line at York Place with eight new stops. 

The operator has been utilising Omnibus’ intuitive scheduling solutions, OmniTIMES and OmniBASE, and depot allocation software, OmniDAS, since 2020. CrewPLAN has been adopted last month along with TransXChange Exporter and mobile app myDAS Touch, which allows drivers to view and request changes to their upcoming work.  

Keith Burnett, Scheduling Manager at Edinburgh Trams, said: “Operational efficiency is a key driver on our tram networks, having worked with the Omnibus solutions and the results achieved, we are confident moving from our old crewing system to CrewPLAN, we are adopting a platform which will support us in maximising the efficiency of duties and paid hours.” 

Aiden Proctor, Product Owner – Scheduling Suite at Omnibus, said: “Our team is proud to extend our relationship with Edinburgh Trams.  

“With the current extension being built, Edinburgh Trams required a tool to produce the most efficient crew duties. CrewPLAN is a flexible crew scheduling tool that uses advanced algorithms to find the best possible solution for today and tomorrow within the parameters defined by the user. 

“Also, due to a change in the RTPI supplier to City of Edinburgh Council there was a need for Edinburgh Trams to provide their own timetable data to the RTPI supplier. Our TXC Exporter enables users to export data directly from their timetable system (OmniTIMES) and provide it directly to downstream stakeholders such as the RTPI supplier. It’s an easy-to-use export process that can quickly produce timetable data in an industry-standard format.” 

Edinburgh Trams added they “work collaboratively with colleagues as much as possible on any project” and feedback from Keith was “absolutely important” when choosing a solution.

– END –

Press contact
Harminder Sangha
harminder.sangha@epm-bus.com
07538 935 568

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Creating optimised EV scheduling scenarios

Posted on August 4, 2021 by - Case Studies, Consultancy, OmniBASE, Operators

Luke Marion, finance and commercial director, Oxford Bus Company

Building on the success of their existing electric-hybrid buses, Omnibus were chosen to work in partnership with Oxford Bus Company on their decarbonisation strategy.

Part of the Go-Ahead Group, the operator sought to gain a competitive advantage by creating schedules that supported their bid for the Government’s ZEBRA funding to purchase a fully electric fleet.

Luke Marion, finance and commercial director, Oxford Bus Company

Their goal was to keep costs to a minimum by improving vehicle and driver management. In addition, Omnibus advised on the inter-urban services operated by sister company Thames Travel.

Challenge

Oxford Bus Company required scheduling scenarios to support a wide variety of work to analyse the impact of electric vehicles on operations as well as costs. Requirements included creating:

  • Multiple scheduling scenarios created and compared, to maximise the total number of miles operated per vehicle per day due to the limited range of the electric vehicles (EVs) specified, and to ensure that expensive new EV buses purchased would be effectively utilised. These are across numerous rosters at both Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel.
  • Scheduling scenarios produced to inform on the effect that an EV operation may have on driver duty costs and content.
  • Scheduling scenarios produced to inform on the effect that a 100% EV operation may have on overall costs.

The company operates a comprehensive network of services in the city, as well as express coach services to the airports. It also operates the BROOKESbus service in partnership with Oxford Brookes University and park & ride which connects five car parks to the city centre.

Solution

Omnibus’ consultancy team proposed custom performance scenarios agreed with the operator’s vision to operate 100% zero emission vehicles on city routes by 2024. Omnibus also advised on the most cost-effective solution to roll out a fully electric bus fleet. The solution included:

  • Producing scenarios on agreed route groupings to determine:
    • Additional vehicle requirements
    • Changes to duty costs and content
    • Route branding issues
  • Highlighting the minimum cost solutions and advising on the most efficient solutions based on maintaining route groupings.
  • Highlighting requirements for opportunity charging during the day and for overnight charging.
  • Running further scenario testing for long distance inter-urban routes that were expected to be less well-suited than city services to move to an EV operation.

Luke Marion, Finance & Commercial Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “We’ve had a long-standing partnership with Omnibus and have always highly valued their proactive and positive approach to helping us solve our scheduling challenges.

“The work they’ve done to support us on the electrification project has been invaluable in helping us understand how we will need to adapt our scheduling practices to deal with new vehicle technologies.”

Results

By using Omnibus’ consultancy services, Oxford Bus Company was able to use optimal and robust scheduling models to meet its environmental objectives. The operator succeeded in:

  • Maintaining scheduled service times
  • Smoothing the EV charging operation throughout
  • Maximising driver efficiency by re-allocating duties
  • Reducing costs by mixing vehicle workings
  • Maintaining brand identity on established routes

Key features and figures found in these results are to be used to inform and appraise future decarbonisation projects across the Go-Ahead group.

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Omnibus software supports Oxford Bus company to meet ‘net zero’

Posted on June 14, 2021 by - Consultancy, OmniBASE, Operators

Oxford Bus Company

14th June 2021 – Omnibus is cementing its commitment to support bus operators accelerate towards ‘net zero’ – and Oxford Bus Company is the latest to benefit.

The leading transport software supplier has carried out work around electric vehicle (EV) operations for the company, which is part of the Go-Ahead Group. The work will support the operator’s bid for government funding as Oxford prepares to deploy large numbers of electric buses under the government’s ‘ZEBRA’ scheme.

Oxford Bus Company

Omnibus created custom performance scenarios on agreed route groupings and advised on the most operable, cost-effective solution with which they can roll out a fully electric bus fleet across the city. The work will inform Go-Ahead’s wider strategy for decarbonisation, and Omnibus is also advising on the interurban services operated by Thames Travel.

Luke Marion, Finance & Commercial Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “We’ve had a longstanding partnership with Omnibus and have always highly valued their proactive and positive approach to helping us solve our scheduling challenges. The work they’ve done to support us on the electrification project has been invaluable in helping us understand how we will need to adapt our scheduling practices to deal with new vehicle technologies.

“Omnibus have used the feedback from ourselves, and from other operators to feed into the development of  some really useful improvements to their tools, and we believe these will keep Omnibus at the front of the pack of bus scheduling software for some time to come.”

Peter Crichton, Omnibus Managing Director, said: “We’re committed to giving our customers complete visibility over their fleet and operations and delivering accurate information first time.

“Our software has been used to successfully plan for numerous EV operations and limited range vehicles – and naturally we are delighted Oxford Bus Company chose our team to support them in their bid for government funding.”

Kieran Proctor, Omnibus Technical Account Manager who worked on the project, said: “Oxford Bus Company needed scheduling scenarios running to see how they can maximise the total number of electric miles operated, whilst also considering the limited range of these vehicles – so the vehicle workings needed to be spot on. They also wanted to analyse any impact to driver costs that these revisions may cause.

“By producing several realistic scheduling solutions we were able to consider the various cost implications of each. The customer was delighted with the results, and this level of scrutiny has given them the confidence that they have the best possible plan to introduce a fully electric bus fleet to the streets of Oxford.”

Omnibus has worked on a number of decarbonisation projects for customers in the UK and in Europe. National Express UK Bus and Harrogate Bus Company, amongst many others, use Omnibus software to plan and manage existing EV operations.

Through active involvement in similar projects and valuable feedback from customers, the Omnibus team have been able to design software improvements that make planning EV solutions much easier.

With further enhancements in the pipeline, Mr Crichton said Omnibus is committed to giving customers the best solutions for the job.

– END –

Press Contact:
Harmi Sangha

Marketing Manager – Omnibus and EPM Bus Solutions
07538 935 568
Harminder.sangha@epm-bus.com 

Supporting operators to improve efficiency when scheduling alternative fuels vehicles

Sam Greaves
Head of Service Delivery at Tower Transit

How OmniBASE has improved efficiency at Tower Transit around scheduling electric vehicles.

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Australian bus operator adopts our scheduling solution to expand its business

Posted on December 7, 2020 by - CrewPLAN, OmniBASE, OmniMAP, OmniROTA, OmniTIMES, Operators

Buses in Australia

7 Dec 2020 – Omnibus works around the clock to support Buslines in Australia to support company growth

Omnibus has been working with Australian bus operator Buslines to automate its processes and facilitate the company’s continued expansion. Buslines operates a fleet of 380 buses, servicing a network of bus routes in major regional towns throughout New South Wales (NSW). The Group’s operations carry over 10 million customers annually and employ more than 500 staff.

Buses in Australia

Buslines has adopted Omnibus scheduling software to replace its previous manual system for creating shifts and rosters. The aim was to digitalise the process to allow for continued growth of the business and build a scheduling capability within Buslines’ existing employees who have long term operational, planning and scheduling experience. To facilitate this, training for Buslines schedulers was conducted remotely by the Omnibus team in Australian local time.

David D’Apuzzo, Management Accountant for Buslines, comments: “We had heard through other operators about the excellent software and support offered by Omnibus, and after meeting Peter Crichton at a conference in Canberra, we invited them to provide a demonstration.” David was particularly impressed with how user-friendly the Omnibus software is: “It is obvious that it has been written by people with a scheduling background rather than software engineers trying to write a program. Also, it was refreshing to deal with software providers that showed a genuine interest in improving our business, so it was a simple choice in picking Omnibus.”

Both parties worked together to overcome the time difference, as David explains: “We initially arranged meetings at the beginning of the UK working day and the end of ours, but the training needed to be conducted during our normal business hours, which led to some very late nights for the dedicated Omnibus team!”

The company is already looking at adding OmniDAS, the market-leading driver and vehicle allocation system.

David concludes: “Peter and team have been great to work with. They’ve shown a genuine interest in helping us improve as a business. No task has been too difficult and whenever we’ve raised a question they’ve come up with a solution.”

Buslines operates across 13 locations in rural and regional NSW: Berrima, Picton, Ulladulla, Lithgow, Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Griffith, Tamworth, Forster, Wingham, Ballina and Northern Rivers.

-ENDS-

Press Contact:
Harmi Sangha
Marketing Manager – Omnibus and EPM Bus Solutions
07538 935 568
Harminder.sangha@epm-bus.com