Shotl launches LetsBus app to help manage capacity

Shotl, the on-demand transport technology company, has launched its new LetsBus app to manage bus network capacity.

Over the latest months during the pandemic, bus operators have been losing as much as 90% of revenues from passenger fares, as individuals remain at home.

Bus services have been operating reduced timetables since the lockdown, yet some services still have very few passengers on board, resulting in what's known as ‘ghost-buses’.

The  LetsBus app helps drivers control vehicle occupancy, which helps travelers waiting at the next bus stop access the available space of the coming bus.

Transport operators can get real time occupancy data of their fleet and LetsBus will sorts data on travel times, passenger pick-up and drop-off and permanent geolocation.

Shotl said this data can be used to dispatch additional vehicles if needed during times of higher demand.

A statement from Shotl said: “Public transport operators have confronted numerous issues in recent years - and keeping up social distancing on vehicles when ridership increments at peak times will be yet another.

“While services need to be reduced, they cannot be interrupted, as public service agreement forces transportation companies to comply with the minimum services to fulfil demand in less popular -and often highly subsidized- routes.

“If we want to recover people’s trust in bus services, we must guarantee social distancing on board at all times, and groundbreaking technology is now vital for cities to supply efficient robust public transport services.”