Objectives of the service
To upgrade the current DriverNet system into a new DRT (Demand Responsive Transport ) solution that combining AI and satellite navigation to enhance the community use of existing passenger fleets in two settings
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Optimising Patient Transport – Smart batching of patients and smart appointments
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Enhanced community use of fleets to promote health and wellbeing.
Doing so will reduce the amount of time and labour required for scheduling appointments and transport, costs of health-related transport and emissions and access to affordable transport to remain active or attend appointments.
Users and their needs
DriverNet will be targeted at users who suffer from transport poverty in relation to:
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People with disabilities
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Patients & out-patients
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Low-income households
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An ageing society
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Independent living individuals
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Parents & toddlers
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BAME communities
The transport will enable patients to attend activities and events that will help to improve mental health issues, attendance to NHS appointments, access amenities and activities as well as reducing DNA’s.
Service/ system concept
The DriverNet Go system borrows its approach from online marketplaces, that will be used to connect people to popular events and then facilitate group transit to these events in line with ride requests placed through the system. Users will be able to book rides online or over the phone, with all booking channelled through the core DriverNet system which is then used to coordinate drivers and riders on the day of the event.
The concept will take groups of people from their homes or care homes / centres to local activities, appointments, events or amenities.
Space Added Value
DriverNet ‘s core services utilise satellite technology to power its navigation and rerouting systems as well as share real time GPS locations of vehicles between patients, passengers, and NHS sites. DriverNet combines this technology with AI and ML to automate the scheduling of patient’s appointments, route optimisation and driver / passenger coordination reducing overall administrative and transport costs for users.
The above technologies have been completed as part of this project, which has also added huge value to the core DriverNet system with fleet operator customers.
Current Status
The project was officially concluded following successful pilot demonstrations up to March 2022. Major project achievements include:
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Securing two large local authority customers for our DRT system resulting from the developments to the DriverNet system during the course of the project.
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Verifying our NHS patient transport optimisation tool, integrated with the NHS’ Personal Demographics Service (PDS) system.
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Significant business growth as the project developed, enabling the creation of six new FTE posts and generating long-term opportunities with the NHS.
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Demonstrating the potential of group transportation for local Housing Association residents, for example, to special events run by the Greene King to tackle social isolation after lockdown.
The project has also yielded technology that is directly applicable to schools’ transport and which has been launched in this space, where mainstream bus services are provided daily.
Prime Contractor(s)
