Innovative First Bus AI Timetables Help Service Reliability Hit New Heights in Glasgow Following £3 Million Investment in Improving Services
Glasgow’s biggest bus operator sees 13.5% improvement in on-time performance across its network
A £3 million investment by First Bus in Glasgow has led to a significant 13.5% average increase in on-time performance across its services.
The investment was made in bus and driver resource to implement new timetables created by AI-driven software, which works to account for issues on the route, ultimately aiming to increase the reliability of its services and create an improved experience for customers.
The introduction of AI-driven software to create more accurate and reliable timetables has been a cornerstone of this improvement, with the new approach accounting for real-life conditions such as road congestion and ongoing roadworks.
Following the introduction of the latest timetabling in June, the operator has achieved a 13.5% improvement this year across over 60 routes in Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire. Some services have seen notable increases, including the East Kilbride to Clydebank service 6 with 23.1% increase in reliability, service X11 from Buchanan Bus Station with 25.9%, service 4 with 27.5% and service 4a which achieved the most impressive boost of 32.8%.
By achieving an increase in reliability of service, First Bus hopes to encourage more people to use the bus and embrace sustainable travel. First Bus as a business is committed to achieving a fully zero-emission bus fleet by 2035 and wants to offer Glasgow commuters the opportunity to choose a greener way to travel, that will also get them where they need to go on time
While the investment has proved to be effective, it underscores a broader issue facing public transport in Glasgow. The £3 million spent to combat congestion is money that could have been used to expand the network, introduce new routes, or reduce fares for customers. This highlights the urgent need for more comprehensive bus priority measures within the city to ensure that resources can be directed towards further enhancing the public transport system rather than merely maintaining it.
Duncan Cameron, Managing Director of First Bus Scotland, commented: “The results speak for themselves. Our buses are now more reliable and timely, providing our customers with a service they can depend on. We’re proud to say that these changes mark a significant improvement in our Glasgow services, something we will continue to build on as we look to embrace more modern technology.
“Our aim is always to improve our services and provide the best possible experience for our passengers. It is vital more people start to consider bus as an attractive, sustainable travel option and we hope these results go some way to achieving that. However, the lack of sufficient bus priority measures forces us to allocate significant funds just to maintain reliability amidst increasing congestion.
“With better support from city infrastructure, we could invest more in expanding our network or lowering fares, making bus travel even more accessible and affordable.”
First Bus continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving customer experience through substantial investments in technology and resources. The implementation of new timetables for over 60 services across Lanarkshire and Greater Glasgow is a testament to this dedication. The AI-driven software behind these timetables not only enhances reliability but also reflects the company's proactive approach in adapting to the real-life challenges of urban transportation.
Notes to editors
About First Bus
At First Bus, we’re on a mission to grow bus usage – so we’ll get behind initiatives that move people out of cars and onto the bus.
We’re one of the UK’s largest bus operators, transporting more than 1.5 million passengers a day. Our local bus services serve more than 25% of the population of Great Britain and over half of the UK’s top 15 most populated urban areas.
We are a leading operator in the majority of our local areas, including major urban centres such as Glasgow and Leeds.
We have proudly launched our First Bus London operation and now operate 83 routes in west and central London from 10 garages serving 180 million passengers annually.
The combined operation now manages a fleet of over 5,750 buses across the UK.
Transforming our business for the better, we’re putting our people and customers at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we’re the UK’s largest national bus operator to achieve real Living Wage employer status, cementing our position as an employer of choice in the sector.
First Bus is committed to operating a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035. We will have over 1,500 zero-emission buses in operation across our UK fleet by the end of 2026.
We’re passionate about giving back to the communities we serve, which is why we’re helping local businesses to progress their decarbonisation journeys – giving them access to our charging hubs while our buses are on the road.
We also operate, Specialist Passenger Solutions, First Travel Solutions, York Pullman Bus Company, Lakeside, Ensignbus, Anderson Travel - and the Aircoach network and Matthews in Ireland.
First Bus is a division of FirstGroup.
For more information on First Bus: news.firstbus.co.uk