CitySwift raises €2m after launching AI platform for predictive passenger capacity across bus networks

CitySwift, the Galway-based transport data company transforming the operations and passenger experience of public transport, has closed a funding round of €2m bringing funding to date to €3.5m. This round was led by Irelandia Investments, Act Venture Capital, Mike McGearty (former CEO of CarTrawler), and other notable Irish transport entrepreneurs. All investors have been involved in both of CitySwift’s funding rounds.

Dynamic public transport planning and optimising operations through data is set to play the main role in the recovery and new future of public transportation and mobility in cities, and CitySwift’s specialist data engine is set to be at the very foundation of this transport evolution. The platform – an end-to-end SaaS platform- intelligently powers public transportation for forward-thinking operators. It visualises a birds-eye view of a cities mobility data and creates an operational plan and schedule simulations that orchestrate the movements of passengers and every vehicle in a city-wide transportation ecosystem, enabling public transport operators to choose the best options available and create a superior service for passengers while significantly reducing operating costs for cities.

CitySwift’s industry-leading data engine for public transport has been rolled out by a number of the UK’s largest listed passenger transport companies, including National Express and Go-Ahead Group, who have collective revenues of over €8billion, where it is being used to reduce operating costs and increase reliability. The technology has enabled an agile response to social distancing measures and lockdown restrictions being eased assisting bus companies in planning and reacting to the new normal.

CitySwift’s latest solution, a passenger-facing bus capacity checker using AI predictions, works like Google Maps but with the added feature that passengers are able to see how busy their bus is going to be up to two weeks in advance of travelling. It generates dynamic predictions of bus loadings to inform passengers’ journey choices whilst capacities are restricted and as new travel patterns emerge. Passengers can access a colour-coded timetable of bus routes, which shows what buses are likely to be busy or have space, on a stop-by-stop basis. This technology has recently been deployed across Go-Ahead Group’s entire UK operations via ‘When2Travel.co’ with other bus operators showing interest in rapidly deploying the solution to encourage passengers back onto the bus.

On CitySwift’s new “When2Travel” solution and partnership with Go-Ahead Group, Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director of Go North East, said: “What CitySwift have delivered is a more detailed and comprehensive solution than I had envisaged. I think it could be the most powerful use of big data yet in terms of aiding local bus networks and customer service. That’s a bold statement, but we are really excited about it.”

Brian O’Rourke, CitySwift Co-Founder and CEO stated, “One thing we’ve come to learn through Covid-19 is just how important data is – whether for businesses trying to operate, governments trying to reopen or individuals trying to understand this pandemic. This has been even more evident for public transport companies as they monitored the effects of lockdown restrictions on their networks and model and plan for future scenarios as restrictions have begun to ease. The CitySwift platform has been leveraged to enable our clients and their passengers to make informed, data-driven decisions as they navigate the road to recovery in these ever-changing times”.

On partnering with CitySwift, Andy Foster, Deputy Commercial Director for National Express West Midlands, states, “We decided to roll out CitySwift across our entire network to help network planners and schedulers respond more quickly to changes in demand. CitySwift will help us optimise our network for the short-, medium- and long-term, so we can deliver the best and safest possible service for our customers”.

CitySwift’s latest funding will speed up product development and the hiring of 25 new positions, in Ireland and remote, over the next twelve months. The hires will be across commercial and technical roles including business development, customer success, product, data science and engineering, fuelling the expansion of its business in the European market, where they are already working with a number of public authorities.