Real-time Telematics: The demand for higher efficiency and increased flexibility in route planning and scheduling has increased, with these pressures passed on to public transport providers, retailers, delivery service providers, and third-party logistics providers. The number of public transport and delivery vehicles on the road has steadily risen over the past decade due to increased Mobility as a Service (MaaS) suppliers and the explosion of the e-commerce market.

As a result of rising travel demand and changing consumer preferences, more and more companies are investigating the potential advantages of implementing route changes after travel has already started. This added flexibility increases the likelihood that public transport users, sellers, and retailers will enjoy the mobility and delivery processes while benefiting from increased efficiency overall. By monitoring real-time telematics from ground transportation, businesses can respond quickly to altering traffic conditions in real-time by using dynamic route planning. To guarantee that their time targets are met, logistics providers can instantly re-optimise routes adding new jobs or removing cancelled deliveries, with public transport companies optimising routes based on real-time customer demand.

Innovations in Real-time Telematics for Dynamic Route Scheduling

To meet the rising demand from multi-drop distribution operations for optimised scheduling and live transport management, Ctrack by Inseego has partnered with MaxOptra. The collaboration will provide telematics-enabled solutions that support dynamic route planning and planned vs. actual performance monitoring using highly accurate real-time data. Ctrack’s cloud-based telematics platform has been seamlessly integrated with MaxOptra’s route planning software to obtain accurate vehicle data and provide real-time visibility of what is happening on the road.

It can now compare planned vs. actual routes and better understand delivery performance thanks to the integration of the two market-leading technologies. This will enable road transport operators to carry out forward-looking and dynamic plans better and inform clients of any unforeseen delays or potential problems. With regard to leading third-party applications, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), routing and scheduling, work management, Geographic Information System (GIS), and transport management, Ctrack has extensive experience integrating its fleet tracking software. The company’s development team can create custom solutions that export live data into other back-office software tools using an Application Programming Interface (API), adding a completely new level of capability for intelligent reporting. Stephenson’s Rental Services, based in Toronto, Canada, has begun testing various solutions, including taxi efficiency and transit time improvement software, to address the need for visibility of its delivery operations.

Enhancing Delivery Fleet Management and Dynamic Route Planning Solutions

Stephenson’s findings revealed that GPS tracking systems fell short as a comprehensive solution due to their high initial hardware expenses. After adopting Descartes Systems Group, Canada’s dynamic route planning, execution, and mobile solution, Stephenson’s successfully acquired the two essential components required for real-time visibility and the flexibility to plan for both immediate and future orders. The cloud-based Descartes solution provided Stephenson’s with a simple and affordable way to track and monitor its delivery fleets. This on-demand route planning solution provided dispatchers, managers, and support staff with a real-time view of driver movement and order status across fleets of vehicles by fusing sophisticated planning and tracking functionality with the ease of a web-based solution.

Volvo of Sweden has established several connected services for real-time route scheduling, bringing a new level of control to businesses that are tailor-made for bus and coach operations. These features are capable, accurate, and easy to use and are customisable to meet growing demands whilst providing substantial business benefits such as optimised fleet performance, optimised operational costs, increased availability, increased energy efficiency and profitability, enhanced driver performance, improved traffic safety, improved business control, and reduced administration. The ‘Buses on Demand’ research and development programme is concerned with real-time customer demand, where connectivity and automated functions can help fundamentally redefine bus traffic with customer-driven deployment and dynamic route planning.

Enabling Real-Time Telematics Route Modification with Advanced Digital Tools

Real-time route modification is only possible with the appropriate digital tools that can analyse and deliver instant insights after evaluating data from various sources, ensuring that drivers always have access to the best route. Netherlands-based Local Eyes HERE software has made this possible by utilizing more than 100 parameters, cutting-edge routing algorithms, and rich map datasets to continuously update travel information in real-time. Local Eyes provide solutions that use the HERE software and exceptional customer support with transparent, responsive, and optimised journeys.

The software enables dynamic route planning using complex algorithms, ensuring the most efficient utilization of real-time telematics data and ultimately reducing journey times. In addition to being a flexible scheduling tool, the Trapeze Novus SchedulePlus solution (manufactured by the public transportation software Trapeze Group, UK), created in collaboration with a team of UK scheduling experts, uses the same platform as Trapeze’s Novus-DR for demand response planning and scheduling of public transport using real-time telematics. By integrating these solutions into transportation companies, flexible services can be easily and affordably provided alongside conventional buses and Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) vehicles. The close possibility of flexible services exists due to the significant technological management already in place in this area. Trapeze’s Duty Allocation System (DAS) currently manages bus drivers and payments for both Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) and bus services, enabling operators to dynamically update tasks without concerns about legal compliance.

Enhancing Flexibility in Public Transportation Operations

Inspectors can have the increased flexibility and control needed for this type of operation through automated vehicle allocation, and the information produced by such flexible services can then be fed back into the larger network. In specific instances, when ridership indicates sufficient demand, transportation operators can transform the flexible component of a route into a regular, for-profit bus route, thereby ensuring the network’s continued effectiveness and profitability. It is important to note the significance of these same technologies in a post-COVID world. Trapeze’s onboard driver self-service application is essential for providing drivers with the knowledge and connectivity necessary to deliver flexible services. It is also essential for enabling mobile sign-on so drivers can start working without visiting busy depots.

The Future of Real-time Telematics for Dynamic Route Scheduling

In 2022, the global route optimization software market had a value of US$3.7 billion. It is projected to reach US$12.4 billion by 2030, experiencing a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.6%. North America has typically dominated the route optimisation software market, with the Asia-Pacific market predicted to increase significantly during the forecast period.

Businesses need to keep up with market trends to comprehend public transport needs and delivery trends to ensure businesses are at the cutting edge regarding real-time route optimisation. Real-time dynamic routing can be assisted by dynamic route planning software using real-time telematics, increasing the efficiency of deliveries and public transportation trips while utilising cutting-edge yet simple technologies. The software available from different companies in this field assists businesses from various industries in planning and optimising routes, typically with just a few easy clicks. Optimised routes and turn-by-turn driving instructions also remove the chaos of manual route planning and helps scale businesses more profitably.