Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) Services in Aberdeenshire

The use of bus services across the UK has been in decline for several years, even before COVID -19, so Aberdeenshire Council decided to investigate whether to trial a new type of bus service as operated elsewhere in the UK. Consideration was given to introducing enhanced or digital demand responsive transport (DDRT) services in one or two areas of Aberdeenshire, replacing traditional fixed route timetabled services.

In our survey we asked about:

• whether the timing was right to try operating a different type of bus service

• how you would like a DDRT service to work

• your current and proposed levels of bus travel

• your views on testing DDRT in the Inverurie and/or Deeside areas.

You told us:

• It was a good time to try a new type of bus service (75%)

• You liked the concept of DDRT (82%)

• 32.2% indicated they would wish to book using an App, 50.2% wanted the option of booking by App and phone and 11.2% would prefer to phone;

• 19.1% would want to book trips in advance, 11.6% just before travel and 66.6% would wish to have both booking options;

• 44.7% would want to use a bus stop, 18.8% to be picked-up at their ‘door’ and 34.3% either at a bus stop or their door depending upon the circumstances;

• 84.4% thought it was important to be able to track the vehicle through the App, with only 5.2% not considering this important;

• 89.9% felt it was important to receive service disruption information, e.g., late running, through the App, with only 1.8% stating this was not important; and,

• 83.1% believed it was important that the App also included details of other bus information/times, with only 8.9% considering this to be unimportant.

We did:

• We decided to introduce a pilot project up to August 2022, initially operating in the Inverurie area.

• We commissioned a software supplier, Moovit, to provide a system for booking and managing a DDRT service.

• We commissioned a bus operator, Watermill Coaches, to operate a pilot DDRT service in the Inverurie area.

• We launched the Ready2Go DRT app, incorporating a public transport journey planner and Ready2Go booking facility, in early August 2021.

• We launched the Ready2Go Around Inverurie bus service on 16 August 2021.

• We commissioned a consultancy firm, Stantec, to evaluate the project.

• We decided to extend the pilot Ready2Go Around Inverurie initiative for another year until August 2023.