Demand: Cheaper Costs
Cut-price companies like Megabus are popular for one reason – they cut prices. With public spending still low, people are more willing than ever to look for the cheapest deals around. Campaigns like the Fight for Fair Fares team have begun to demand cheaper options for coach and bus travel, with commuters and schoolchildren taking the brunt of high fares.
Solution: With the need to cut costs elsewhere, investing in solutions to reduce overall fleet costs is a good idea. Vehicle CCTV is a great way to protect your vehicles and drivers, bringing down insurance claims and premiums. Telematics and Fleet management systems are also a great way to maximise efficiency and reduce fuel and driving costs.
Demand: Networks available on demands
Tech Companies like Uber and Lyft are providing Taxi Services more conveniently than ever and a rising demand for on-demand bus and coach travel has been talked about for a while. Apps like Zeelo and Sn-Ap are changing the way consumers travel around the country, providing on demand services and a large network of high quality coaches. By providing convenient travel with low fares they could spell the end of charter coaches.
Solution: The idea of ‘network travel’ is growing, and tracking vehicles with a telematics suite is the best way to keep tabs on your fleet. Manage locations and journeys with a telematics suite to maximise your routes and make the most of time on the road.
Demand: Faster Routes
In a world where faster is better, passengers hate nothing more than long journeys filled with stops. Today’s consumers would prefer to get from A to B and make the last mile journey themselves. With Start-ups offering direct routes on demand, this is likely going to change the way routes need to be planned.
Solution: Fleet management systems are now enabled with route planning and live traffic updates. A great way to ensure faster routes is to plan ahead and stay up-to-date on traffic to redirect routes.
Demand: Lower Emissions
This year has seen big announcements for the environmental standards of vehicles. Earlier this year Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, announced the introduction of 10 new low emission buses to replace the old “dirty diesel models”. New government initiatives have been announced to make all vehicles ultra-low emission and the Coach and Bus industry is likely to see a change to an alternative fuel. With electric, hybrid and natural gas vehicles being developed, this could be something for fleet operators to keep an eye on.
Solution: While changing vehicles is the only solution in the long-term, the short to mid-term solution is telematics. Using a fleet management software is a great way to monitor fuel consumption, driving behaviour and route planning. Technology is capable of optimising these, thus reducing the amount of fuel and emissions your fleet produces.
Demand: Industry Compliance
Compliance is becoming a big part of both the Haulage and Construction industries, with organisations like FORS and CLOCS leading the way. Urban Buses and Coaches are likely to be the next industries which see a new compliance bodies start up. Both Operators, Drivers and Passengers would like to see traffic incidents beginning to drop, so this would certainly be a good step to protecting vulnerable road users.
Solution: Protect yourself, your drivers and other road users with the best in road safety technologies. Combine Driving-Aid cameras with road safety accessories such as left- hand turn alarms and proximity sensors to make your company operates to the highest levels of safety.
Summary of challenges bus operators face: At ACSS we pride ourselves in understanding the challenges faced by Fleet Operators daily. Click here for more information on our fleet management, tracking and telematics solutions.
