Shobunsha Holdings,Inc. announced that it will launch operations of “Imaroke,” a new service for managing bus operations via smartphone. As its first deployment, the service will be introduced on 26 school buses operated by Katayanagi Academy, with the aim of visualising vehicle locations and easing congestion.
Shobunsha Holdings,Inc. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) announced on the 19th that it will launch operations of “Imaroke,” a bus location information service jointly developed with Organon. As its first deployment, the service will be introduced in cooperation with Katayanagi Academy on the school buses serving Tokyo University of Technology’s Hachioji Campus and Nippon Engineering College Hachioji.
The deployment covers all 26 vehicles operated by Katayanagi Academy, enabling vehicle locations and operating status to be visualised in real time. Users can check the number of buses in service, their locations and timetables from a smartphone, and the system is designed to encourage users to take alternative routes during periods of congestion.
Operators can analyse travel data to identify peak congestion periods and locations prone to delays, using the information to add temporary services and adjust dispatch intervals. Features include automatic updates, congestion quantification, broadcast communications from administrators to drivers, driver notes and trip history management. The initial implementation fee is ¥0, and monthly fees start at ¥6,000 per vehicle, excluding tax.
Shobunsha Holdings,Inc., Organon and Tokyo University of Technology will also examine correlations between the data collected and congestion levels on campus, with the aim of developing the initiative into joint industry-academia research in the future. The service is designed for use on smartphones and tablets, with potential applications in tourist destinations and local transportation also under consideration.