On the 19th of January, Smart Dublin attended the launch of Dublin Bus Innovation, a new programme that has been designed to accelerate practical innovation and improve public transport across the city. The initiative aims to invite fresh new ideas, creative solutions, and will look to strengthen the organisations’ ability to meet and exceed customer needs.
The event was opened by Dublin Bus CEO, Billy Hann who welcomed attendees and set the tone for the discussions ahead. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Arup’s European Director of Cities Léan Doody, Chapter Zero Sustainable Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Government Sector Lead Stephen Prendiville, Dublin Bus Director of Innovation and Technical Services Dr. John McCarthy, and Smart Dublin Regional Manager Alan Murphy. The panel discussed the importance of investing in ongoing innovation to delivering modern transport infrastructure for Dublin.
This is an open call to all employees, stakeholders, and members of the public to share their ideas through a new seed funding challenge. The challenge provides applicants with the opportunity to collaborate with Dublin Bus’s innovation team and receive guidance on developing concepts that could improve customer experience and improve operational efficiency.
The programme is inviting participants to look at four distinct challenges. The first focuses on Data and Visualisation, recognising the scale of information that is generated by Dublin’s transport network and exploring new ways to analyse it and apply it effectively. The second challenge looks at Optimisation, specifically process efficiencies and improved organisational workflows to allow smoother operations overall. The third challenge highlights Collaboration, with an emphasis on enhancing customer interactions and creating stronger engagement throughout the customer’s journey. Lastly, there is the Smart Cities challenge, which is about Dublin Bus supporting the city’s evolution into a more connected, integrated and future focused urban environment, aligning with the long-term mobility strategies shaping the future of Dublin.