Transport for London selects Cognito to boost mobile workforce productivity

24 May 2013

'Complete Cognito back-end and mobile solution' aims to improve passenger experience and ensure employee satisfaction

Transport for London (TfL), has commissioned O2 and Cognito, the mobile workforce management specialist, to replace its existing mobile workforce management solution to support over 500 users in its Bus Operations and Bus Enforcement divisions.

Cognito, who has worked for TfL since 1995, was responsible for designing and integrating the sophisticated new solution, which upgraded the mobile handheld systems supporting TfL’s field based Revenue Protection Inspectors and Infrastructure Managers.

In collaboration with specialist transport and timesheet management software providers, Cognito also provided an entire new back office system for the management of staff time and attendance and processing of fare evasion and other enforcement cases.

The new solution allows managers to have full visibility of staff activity and performance, which adds an additional level of security to lone workers and ensures employees are paid in-line with hours worked, annual leave taken and any overtime.

TfL Bus Operations
For the Bus Operations division, the solution provides better visibility of assets and safety risks across the bus network, resulting in identifying and reporting hazards as well as initiating quicker repairs and maintenance. This has led to a safer environment for passengers, as well as more accurate data recording and greater information availability for reporting in real-time. These enhancements have provided TfL with the ability to improve asset management capabilities and benefit from a centralised coordination of bus stands/stops maintenance patrols. Bus Operations are looking at using the system to assist in providing passengers with improved real-time information in the event of road closures, events or unplanned incidents.

TfL Bus Enforcement
Within the Bus Enforcement division, Cognito’s solution has helped eliminate paperwork, improving the process of recording fare evading passenger details. As a result the process is more accurate, less labour intensive and quicker. This means there are fewer disturbances to the majority of passengers who travel having paid their fare. The improved process has resulted in a reduction in the length of time taken to bring offenders to justice.

“We have worked with Cognito for over 15 years so when we needed to replace our previous system against tight timescales, we were confident in their ability to work with O2 not just to deliver on time but also to provide a solution which better supported our field and office workers,” said Nick Owen at Transport for London.

Nick also comments, “The benefits have been immediately visible for example; we can now deal with instances of alleged fare evasion more quickly and effectively. This benefits not only those involved, but also other passengers who see the potential for their journeys to be disrupted reduced.”

“We were delighted to provide Transport for London with a replacement system which upgraded the previous mobile workforce solution as well as deploying new back office systems. With London’s transport system in the spotlight during last summer’s busy events schedule, it’s more important than ever that organisations are supported by technology that enables them to provide exceptional customer service, it’s great to see TfL leading the way on this issue,” said Jonathan Chevallier, Strategic Development Director at Cognito.

Cognito’s replacement of TfL’s back-end system was completed in collaboration with O2, ITAL and Crown and has resulted in TfL exploring roll out of the solution for the London Underground as a future project.