Context

The challenge for the SEN and Passenger Assistant Transport team is balancing individual passenger requirements against a finite budget.

As Adrian Weissenbruch, SEN and Passenger Assistant Transport Manager, notes, the goal is equity: “We need to use our transport budget equitably… [and ensure] we’re making fair use of the budget we have.” To do this, the team needs to assess every request in the context of the whole network, rather than looking at pupils in isolation.

Challenge

Historically, the sheer time required for manual planning limited the council’s options. Because plotting a complex route took hours, the team was forced to plan around the status quo.

They had to design routes based on the vehicles they knew were currently available from operators, simply because they didn’t have the time to model alternatives. Exploring ‘what-if’ scenarios wasn’t an option, meaning inefficiencies were often baked into the system because there was no time to challenge them.

Stage 1: Speed as a strategic tool

The move to QRoutes changed the pace of operations. The software delivers results in a fraction of the time required for manual plotting.

“It doesn’t just save money… planning with QRoutes is so much quicker,” says Adrian. “I can get results in three minutes that would normally take me half a day.”

This speed is not just about saving admin time; it allows the team to test and compare multiple solutions. Planners can now scrutinise different options until they find the best answer for the client and the taxpayer, rather than settling for the first workable plan.

Stage 2: Evidence-based negotiation

With the ability to model ‘ideal’ scenarios, the conversation with operators has changed. The team now has hard evidence that using larger vehicles, or different vehicle mixes, would be more efficient.

Instead of asking operators what vehicles are available, the council can present data-led requirements. This allows them to engage with local providers to encourage them to source vehicles which enable an inclusive journey experience for students while maximising efficiency.

Outcome

The financial impact has been immediate, with the council’s savings already covering the cost of the subscription many times over.

• Post-16 College: Reduced the number of routes from 12 to 9, equating to over £60,000 per annum in savings.
• School Contract: Analysis indicates a reduction in contracts at one school from 30 down to 19.
• Total Projection: The council expects an ongoing return on investment many times the cost of the software.

Key results

• Time: Reduced planning tasks from half a day to 3 minutes.
• Efficiency: Cut routes at a single college by 25%.
• Savings: Projected annual savings to exceed £300,000.