Transport for London (TfL) has chosen O2 and software developer Cognito to replace its current mobile workforce management solution, in a project that will see it adopt a brand new back-end system.
Cognito will design and integrate the new solution, which will support 500 users in bus operations and enforcement tasks. The project will also involve an upgrade of mobile handheld systems for ticket inspectors.
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The project is already under way and delivering benefits, said TfL.
"The benefits have been immediately visible," said Nick Owen, head of bus enforcement at TfL.
"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."
The solution, said TfL, is also providing better visibility of "assets and safety risks" across the bus network, which speeds up identification of hazards in the road as well as meaning quicker repairs and maintenance.
TfL has worked with Cognito for "over 15 years" and said when the workforce management system needed replacing against "tight timescales", it was confident in the company's ability to work with O2 on the communications infrastructure "not just to deliver on time, but also to provide a solution which better supported our field and office workers", said Owen.
TfL said it is now investigation a potential rollout of the solution on London Underground.
