Arriva London will roll out the FlowOS Live artificial intelligence bus service control platform from Prospective Labs thanks to an investment by the operator’s parent Arriva Group.
Deployment of the AI-based software will improve punctuality and reduce excess passenger wait times by a claimed up to 20%. Implementation comes after an eight-week trial by Arriva London. The product will be used across all the operator’s control rooms.
FlowOS Live uses vehicle GPS systems and fleet data to create a digital version of each route that can be used to test the impact of dispatching different sets of fleet instructions in a safe virtual environment.
The software can run thousands of simulations per second to identify the best course of action for optimum fleet efficiency, benefiting the passenger’s experience. Instructions for regulating headways help to mitigate the impact of congestion and network disruptions, Arriva notes.
FlowOS Live can also amend departure times and manage the changeover of drivers and vehicles while automating much of the reporting and administration tasks of control room staff so they can spend more time focused on service performance.
Arriva London will complete rollout of FlowOS Live in 2026. The group says that to build on that work in the capital, it is exploring how AI and machine learning could enhance the passenger experience and operational efficiency elsewhere across its networks.
The group adds that such developments have potential to build confidence in public transport and encourage modal shift. Findings from London will inform considerations of where else across Arriva’s operations in Europe the technology can be implemented.
Prospective.io CEO Pete Ferguson has commended the Arriva team for its commitment to the pilot and for how extensively the operator tested the product “on the road in a wide range of network conditions [while] making sure the system really works for its operations on a practical day-to-day basis.”
He adds: “We are excited to work with the whole team to roll out FlowOS Live and to go even further to help it deliver better and better services for bus passengers in London.” The product is already in use with other operators, including Metroline in the capital.
