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Liftango has launched a new on-demand and fixed route transport solution for Nelson City Council in New Zealand.
The new service, eBus OnDemand, will replace a previous fixed route to optimise vehicle and route usage as part of a more sustainable, efficient transport model. Trips can now be planned and booked through Liftango’s easy-to-use passenger app, whilst the service operator can set service shifts, manage fleet operations and administer booking requests through the Liftango operations platform.
Starting with a single vehicle and with exciting future growth plans, the Liftango platform needed to be flexible, scalable and easy to implement to support eBus OnDemand. To prevent cannibalisation of the region’s existing routes, the platform incorporates both fixed route and on-demand options, providing convenient transport solutions that work for both passenger and operator.
Liftango’s technology helps ensure that investment in both fixed route and on-demand services are maximised. It allows Nelson City Council to provide frequency of services connecting different regions while maintaining equity of access to public transport in the Stoke region by offering on-demand transport for local travel purposes.
eBus OnDemand is only the second on-demand service to be made a permanent fixture of a public transport network in New Zealand following the AT Local service in Auckland, which also uses Liftango technology. In both cases Liftango was selected as the preferred supplier following a rigorous supplier assessment supported by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
eBus OnDemand launches as a key part of Nelson City Council’s transport strategy on 1st August alongside the new city-wide eBus network.
Nelson City Council Group Manager Infrastructure Alec Louverdis says he believes the new service is a considerable upgrade for Stoke.
“eBus OnDemand covers a wider area than the old loop service, going as far afield as Marsden Valley Road and Monaco. The new system will reduce the amount of time passengers need to wait outside and minimise the amount of unnecessary driving for the bus. We’re really happy to be able to launch the new service alongside Liftango, who have been great to work with.”
Kevin Orr, CEO of Liftango, added, “We’re very excited to be working with Nelson City Council as part of the eBus OnDemand launch. Our passion for building sustainable and equitable transport technology means we’re able to create a tailored solution for each and every project we work on. We’ve worked closely with Nelson City Council to create a platform that solves their existing challenges and has future service ambitions in mind, too, and we look forward to helping optimise their services further post-launch.”
