The Optibus Driver App focuses on connecting “drivers, depots and documents,” according to a press release. It seeks to create a single place — as opposed to the many places drivers might currently be asked to search — to interface with those who manage transit operations.
That means clocking in and out, accessing paperwork, communicating about shift changes, exchanging pre-shift information and more can be done via one app on a cellphone.
Duarte Cunha, planning and operations manager at the transit operator Transportes Sul do Tejo, S.A. in Portugal, was one of the early testers of the app. In the statement, Cunha said it’s been a hit with drivers.
“When we started using the app with a test group of drivers, the other drivers could not wait to also have access to it,” Cunha said. “The user stats show that drivers are using the app every day. Additionally, our schedulers and our controllers are also requesting it, as it reduces the number of calls and queries they receive from drivers, since drivers can see all the information they need on the app.”
The app can also be used to create lifestyle rosters, a concept Optibus has already been working on that gives drivers the ability to request schedules that better fit their preferences. That, and this app, are meant to help transit agencies retain drivers amid a persistent national bus driver shortage.
Optibus is based in Israel but has been expanding its North American operations. It is one of a handful of “unicorn” gov tech companies valued at more than $1 billion by investors.
