At the “International e-Mobility Summit 2023,” organized by Mobility Portal, Francesco Golia, Regional Managing Director of Optibus, reveals how costs can be optimized and efficient service provided through electric public transportation.
In this regard, Golia emphasizes that “smart” management can be a significant opportunity when transitioning.
“If the initial plan is good, the operation will be as well,” declares the director of Optibus.
The truth is that while fleet operators seek to reduce emissions, the cost of units and technological differences pose two major challenges.
However, Golia acknowledges:
“Most operators see electrification as a problem from an operational point of view, but no one considers the planning at the beginning, and that’s what causes issues.”
“Everyone is looking to invest in the cheapest infrastructure, but the real problem lies in the operational strategy,” he adds.
To achieve intelligent management, three aspects must be taken into account.
The first one is related to considering the electrification trends and the growing implementation of electric vehicles.
“By 2030, 50% of all cars and 75% of new buses worldwide will be zero-emission,” comments Golia.
And he adds: “Europe is following this path and increasingly prioritizing an ecological transport strategy to combat climate change.”
The second aspect is about data analysis and artificial intelligence as two tools to add value.
“The technology we provide to operators for electrification enables public transportation to be managed according to passenger needs,” explains the director of Optibus.
“There is an abundance of data, but it’s necessary to implement technology that can create value from them,” he adds.
This information will help operators make informed decisions and anticipate demand patterns to provide personalized service.
The third aspect relates to sector integration.
“We have to stop thinking of each puzzle piece as independent and create a mobility ecosystem,” assures Golia.
And he emphasizes: “At Optibus, we believe in the collaboration of different actors because working together and sharing knowledge enables innovation and improvement in public transportation.”
The company maintains that having a “holistic” view of electromobility allows achieving efficiency in the sector since “looking at the transition parts as separate leads to an error.”
Intelligent Management: Optibus Success Stories
The regional director of Optibus mentions that they allowed several companies to save $2.5 million through intelligent fleet management.
“One of our clients needed to incorporate 25 buses with their chargers into the transportation system, each valued at half a million dollars,” recounts Golia.
“By combining strategic schedules and changing the charger selection, we managed to reduce that number to 20 units, resulting in $2.5 million less,” he concludes.
The decrease in the number of units to be acquired not only reduced acquisition costs but also had a positive impact on service and operational expenses.
What other solutions does Optibus offer?
For operators who have already made investments in electric public transportation, Golia explains that Optibus can provide them with other solutions.
On one hand, the company offers an analysis of the current configuration and the development of optimization algorithms to maximize the use of the available network and connections while minimizing costs.
“By considering factors such as charging schedules, battery utilization, and network availability, we can help achieve more efficient operations,” says Golia.
And he concludes: “We support the client in maximizing the use of their existing infrastructure while simultaneously seeking to reduce operational costs.”
Next is Francesco Golia’s participation in the panel titled “Recharging solutions for the electrification of bus fleets”:
