In recent years, the UK transport sector has adopted a more collaborative approach between transport authorities and bus operators, with data sharing being a key requirement. However, the challenge goes beyond collecting data; it lies in making the data valuable and the ability to translate that data into actionable insights.
While vast amounts of operational data already exist, they’re often siloed across disparate systems, complicating analysis and ultimately limiting the value of the data. To enhance the effectiveness of this data, transport authorities need tools that consolidate the data and can turn performance metrics into actionable insights.
To this end, we were delighted to welcome a team from Velociti Solutions to TRANSPORT Smart Class, Scotland 2025.
Chief Revenue Officer Josh Mellor’s presentation explored how technology can support closer collaboration and promote transparency. We discovered how leveraging the right data, through seamless consolidation and performance monitoring, can support you in building a successful, passenger-focused network that drives increased patronage.
With support from Adam Quieros (Account Manager – Public Sector) and Tom Birkin (Product Owner), Josh subsequently hosted deeper dive roundtable sessions with the delegates.
Presentation highlights and notes:
- Meet Velociti…
- Velociti Solutions is a transport-focused software company that provides innovative digital solutions and specialist consultancy to power the mobility of people and goods around the world; EPM Bus Solutions, Omnibus Solutions, and 3Squared were integrated in late 2024 to form Velociti Solutions – a new brand boasting impressive heritage;
- Josh and his team are working with transport authorities to deliver contract management insights that foster data-driven partnerships with operators. They are also innovating in the bus operator control room, bringing together disparate systems into a single interface that supports real-time decision-making and reduces manual input;
- How can technology support Transport Authorities to run great bus services?
- Context: For Velociti the context is around contract management and performance management and bringing that data to the forefront so that transport authorities – who are increasingly managing contracted services, subsidised services or franchised services – are able to have service management conversations about what good looks like, and how they can improve bus services and establish a consistent quality of service across the region;
- There are lots of benefits associated with a system that brings contract management data and performance management data together. For example…
- 1) Support quality service management – Enable partnership working; Create clear, fair contract management;
- 2) Enable data driven discussions – Create clarity on what good service looks like;
- 3) Accessible, quality performance data – Shift focus from collating data to taking action;
- “We have seen demand growing significantly in the past 18 months” – A report commissioned by Velociti Solutions with CIL Management Consultants found that as authorities are taking on more transport services and playing a more active role in transport planning, a higher level of demand is expected for these systems; and this has been borne out with 3 tenders this year already leading to system deployments in Lancashire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire;
- The Marketplace: There are lots of home grown systems and in-house developed databases out there – such purpose built systems are expensive and many of them are dependent on Excel; It’s a crowded market – In response to a hot topic, many solutions are entering the space and some of them don’t make things easier; Why make it easier? It’s about creating off-the-shelf systems which can plug into the systems that most bus operators in the UK are using – Missing mileage systems, for example;
- The data being pulled together can be broken down into three areas – Reliability of bus services (the most important), the Driver (with whom the passenger interacts), and the Vehicle; We can then build up a picture; Data is pulled from lots of different places – some from Velociti’s systems and some from third party systems;
- What data is available?
- Ticket machine data and AVL data to track locations, which is where we get reliability; Telematics data to see how people are driving; Customer services data; Staff records; Training data to ensure those who operate services are trained to the right standards; Fleet Management and Inspection and audit data – around how vehicles are being looked after and maintained, which lead on to compliance;
- Client Case Study – Transport for Wales…
- Situation– TfW were taking responsibility for cross Wales bus services; Objective – Increase patronage through high service quality;
- Reliability: Journey completed analysis – the percentage of journeys where all key stops in the timetable have been visited by the vehicle; Journey time start – the percentage of journeys where the trip started on time; Completed to specification – the percentage of journeys where the preferred or allowed alternative vehicles have been used;
- Driver: Driver related complaints and compliments; Driver training – the percentage of drivers that have completed required training sessions; Operator audits – the overall score of operator audits conducted by or on behalf of the transport authority; Driver telematics – the drivers overall safety scores;
- Vehicle: Vehicle inspections – the number of unactioned issues found during inspections; Engineering audits – the overall score of operator audits conducted by or on behalf the transport authority;
- To create one single picture for TfW, Velociti had to put all of the following data together so that the right conversations could take place in order to improve bus services in Wales – BODS; Ticket Machine; Real Time AVL; Staff records and training; Fleet Management; Telematics; Customer Services; Inspection and audit;
- Creating a Scoring Matrix for Operator evaluation…
- Reliability Performance – Breakdown/ 10k miles; Journey punctuality; Journey completed; Journey completed to specification;
- Vehicle Performance – Engineering system audit; Vehicle exterior; Vehicle interior;
- Driver Performance – Telematics score; Training; Operator management; Driver excellence; Complaints/ 10k Passengers;
- Thoughts for roundtable discussions…
- How do you manage this today?
- How would you improve it?
- What impact do clear expectations have on supplier/client relationships?
- What impact does effective partnerships have on passengers?
- Summary…
- Technology enables collaborative performance management;
- Clear data + defined expectations = better experience for all
If you satisfy our regular delegate qualification criteria but were unable to join in Edinburgh on September 11th for the live in-person event at Riddle’s Court, CLICK HERE and complete the short “Download form” (located at the bottom of the post) to receive a unique link enabling free access to the presentation video recordings and slides (including the film footage and slides from Josh’s initial presentation).
Those qualifying to receive the rich presentation content from this event include commissioning, procurement, trialling, partnering and policy leads, senior influencers, strategic decision makers, programme managers and planners from local authorities (e.g. city, borough, metropolitan, district and county councils); public transport operators; regional transport partnerships, sub-regional transport bodies, combined authorities, integrated transport authorities and passenger transport executives; highways authorities and road operators; government and supporting national transport agencies; non-governmental organisations; fleet operators, parking operators, prime contractors etc.
