Bus Fleet Management
Serco runs the bus fleet management system for Glasgow City Council. This is a fully integrated system for the management and operation of some 500 of Glasgow's buses and bus stops. The system monitors general traffic and bus operating conditions along the routes. Using the knowledge gained, the system provides priority for buses at traffic signals and specially configured bus priority sites such as queue relocation sites.
The people of Glasgow no longer experience the frustration of waiting hours for a bus and then seeing three arrive at once. That’s because buses on eight of the city’s busiest bus corridors are fitted with an on-board GPS system supplied by Serco that gives buses priority over cars to help them stick to the timetable. If a bus is running behind schedule as it approaches specially adapted traffic lights on green, it emits a signal that keeps lights green for longer until the bus gets across. If the light is red the system can shorten the stopping time if it’s safe to do so. Passengers waiting at bus stops along the route know exactly when their next bus is due thanks to a real time passenger information system that displays the anticipated arrival time at the stop.
The partnership project between Glasgow City Council, Dunbartonshire Council and bus operator First has many other benefits. As there are fewer buses queuing at lights, emissions are reduced and traffic flow is improved.
Importantly, with measures like CCTV on the buses to deter anti social behaviour, Serco hopes to attract more road users back on to buses, ultimately reducing the number of cars on the road.