Go South Coast, a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group, needed more control and flexibility over bus stop publicity displays. The operator is one of the largest and most diverse passenger transport companies in the UK, managing approximately 10,000 at-stop displays across its 6 bus businesses covering Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

To reduce demand on the design and commercial teams, the operator turned to existing partner Omnibus for a user–configurable solution with capability to accelerate the production of roadside publicity. The PDF output needed to be accurate, well-presented and reflect each business’s locally branded buses.

Well-designed print-ready files

Omnibus implemented OmniSTOPdesign, the sophisticated publishing solution simplifying the creation of bus stop information displays. Southern Vectis was the first Go South Coast business to implement the solution in 2019. Following a smooth transition OmniSTOPdesign was rolled out to Morebus, Blue Star and Salisbury Reds in 2021, and Swindon’s Bus Company and Damory in 2022. 

Go South Coast now employs just one member of the commercial team to create bus stop publicity for all 6 brands. Proofreading the information takes less time as data is taken directly from the operator’s timetabling solution (OmniTIMES). User configurable templates allow displays to be fine-tuned to the exact requirements of each brand, and the design team is only needed for the creation of initial template graphics as the PDF outputs are print-ready. Go South Coast customers benefit from well-designed and easy-to-understand at-stop displays, which include a stop-specific QR code for real-time departure times.

“There is a noticeable saving in time and human resource. Previously, we used a graphic designer almost full-time to put the PDF output into the template for every single stop. Now, after the initial set-up, I can complete a service change in a click of a button. From pressing the button to checking the displays at stop level takes minutes rather than days or weeks.” –  Ollie Meech, Commercial Officer at Go South Coast

Increasing efficiency

By implementing OmniSTOPdesign, Go South Coast can communicate service changes quickly, easily and efficiently. 

• 14,000 individual displays have been created between 2019 and early 2023. 
• During the Covid-19 pandemic, a print job for 900 stops took just 30 minutes. The previous system would have taken 3 weeks. 
• One person, instead of a team, produces roadside publicity for 6 bus businesses which all have different brand identities.

“We need to easily and quickly produce a significant number of displays which are accurate and visually attractive. OmniSTOPdesign prints one display in three seconds per stop as opposed to minutes using the previous system. The solution is highly configurable and provides the control and flexibility we need to create customer friendly displays that meet the same level of quality produced by a designer.” – Ben Bartram, Schedules Assistant Manager at Go South Coast

D&G Bus, part of Centrebus Group, operates in Cheshire, Staffordshire and extends into Derbyshire and creates roadside publicity for stops not managed by a transport authority.

Following its expansion to include Chaserider, D&G’s managed bus stops have increased to 1,000, of which the new brand accounts for 70%.

The discrepancy is due to Chaserider’s stops being closer together and responsibility for maintaining displays in Stafford, Cannock and Lichfield resting with the operator.

Challenge

It immediately became apparent to D&G that a purpose-built solution was needed to prevent roadside publicity becoming a full-time job. As well as accelerating productivity, the solution needed to provide stop-specific displays with return journey times to reduce the high number of customer enquiries. It also required capability to combine timetables for rural stops with a case only on one side of the road. Achieving this in a spreadsheet was proving very complex with an increased risk of errors. 

Solution

An existing customer of the Omnibus scheduling suite, D&G implemented OmniSTOPdesign, which simplifies the creation of timetable publicity. Four key features stood out to D&G:  

• Timetable data is taken directly from OmniTIMES, ensuring accuracy and data integrity 
• In-built database to store case information and easily assign templates to stops 
• User-configurable templates provide complete freedom over style, size and format 
• Batch create PDF output in-house and without third-party software or support 

Result

OmniSTOPdesign has enabled D&G Bus to optimise roadside publicity, increase online sales and improve customer satisfaction.

“We wanted to make timetable publicity administration faster and more efficient. It now takes 3 seconds to create one panel instead of 15 minutes. We wanted to spend less time answering enquiries by providing better information. We generate thousands of pounds a week more in online ticket sales by adding our app to displays. Passengers can also access real-time journey information by scanning a QR code.” – Chris Almond, Centrebus Group Commercial Officer