Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) Services in Aberdeenshire

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Consultation has concluded


Aberdeenshire Bus


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.




Aberdeenshire Bus


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.



Consultation has concluded

If you have a question about demand responsive transport (DRT) services or Aberdeenshire Council's pilot project to replace fixed route bus services with DRT you can ask here.

  • Share Will the trial suggested for Inverurie simply be a town service or would it allow communities 15 miles distant say to travel to Inverurie and villages on the way? on Facebook Share Will the trial suggested for Inverurie simply be a town service or would it allow communities 15 miles distant say to travel to Inverurie and villages on the way? on Twitter Share Will the trial suggested for Inverurie simply be a town service or would it allow communities 15 miles distant say to travel to Inverurie and villages on the way? on Linkedin Email Will the trial suggested for Inverurie simply be a town service or would it allow communities 15 miles distant say to travel to Inverurie and villages on the way? link

    Will the trial suggested for Inverurie simply be a town service or would it allow communities 15 miles distant say to travel to Inverurie and villages on the way?

    Peter asked about 3 years ago

    It is proposed that the Inverurie DRT service would cover the wider area around Inverurie including Insch, Monymusk, Kemnay, Kintore, Oldmeldrum and Rothienorman.  People could travel between these places as well as to/from/within Inverurie.  There would be some exceptions to the journeys that could be made. For example, Stagecoach operates a bus service between Kintore and Inverurie so the DRT service would not compete with this bus service.

  • Share Watched video, don’t understand how it work. Would people simply phone for a bus to go from A-B and expect it to arrive? on Facebook Share Watched video, don’t understand how it work. Would people simply phone for a bus to go from A-B and expect it to arrive? on Twitter Share Watched video, don’t understand how it work. Would people simply phone for a bus to go from A-B and expect it to arrive? on Linkedin Email Watched video, don’t understand how it work. Would people simply phone for a bus to go from A-B and expect it to arrive? link

    Watched video, don’t understand how it work. Would people simply phone for a bus to go from A-B and expect it to arrive?

    12 asked about 3 years ago

    Passengers who use a smartphone could download an Aberdeenshire DRT app (e.g. from Google Play app store). They could use the app to request a bus - either to travel in the future, e.g. to go to work the following week, or to travel as soon as possible.  If someone wanted to travel straight away and there was a bus free nearby this bus would be sent straight away.  If someone wanted to travel straight away but there weren't any buses free, the app would specify the first available time that the person could be picked up. The person would then decide whether they wanted to travel at the time offered.

    Passengers who cannot or do not want to use a smartphone could phone an office and someone in the office would make a booking for them. The person in the office would advise the passenger of the time the bus would be available.  This could be a short-notice booking if a bus was available in the area where the passenger was calling from and there was enough time to fit in the passenger's trip along with any pre-booked trips. Alternatively the passenger could choose to make an advance booking, e.g. for the following day or the next week.  

  • Share How is this proposal supposed to work in Ballater? Will a bus be available frequently, as and when required? on Facebook Share How is this proposal supposed to work in Ballater? Will a bus be available frequently, as and when required? on Twitter Share How is this proposal supposed to work in Ballater? Will a bus be available frequently, as and when required? on Linkedin Email How is this proposal supposed to work in Ballater? Will a bus be available frequently, as and when required? link

    How is this proposal supposed to work in Ballater? Will a bus be available frequently, as and when required?

    Tina asked about 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question. The suggested area for the potential Deeside DRT service does not extend to Ballater.  Stagecoach’s Service 201 will continue to serve Ballater.