Our story
Stagecoach, the UK's largest bus and coach operator, has given a commitment to protect the environment by operating in a cleaner, greener environment as a step towards its aim of making buses a better choice. The company is looking at all areas of its activities from investing millions of pounds on biogas buses to bringing a state-of-the-art, on-demand bus service to Tees Valley.
Tees Flex is one of the UK's most environmentally efficient services, run in partnership with Tees Valley Combined Authority and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen. The demand response service was introduced primarily to reconnect members of rural communities who had become isolated as traditional bus services in their areas were cut because they were unsustainable.
The service was launched in early 2020, with specialist software developed to help deliver a reliable and convenient service for residents in more isolated communities across the area. The Tees Flex service uses a fleet of nine Mercedes Sprinter buses kitted out with disabled access and passengers from Darlington, Stockton, Hartlepool and Redcar and Cleveland can pre-book the bus via an app or by phone to request pick-ups and drop-offs across the district, including train and bus stations.
Research by KPMG shows that every £1 spent on local bus services sees an eight-fold return on investment in wider social, economic and environmental benefits – meaning services like Tess Flex provide a big financial reward for local areas that adopt them.
Our advice
This demand response transport solution was the first of its kind for Stagecoach in the UK, but is now being replicated in other parts of the country thanks to the learnings shared by the team in the North East.
Throughout the process local communities were actively engaged to ensure innovations and developments were understood by the end user and that communications reached anyone who could benefit from the service. Their feedback has been, and will continue to be, invaluable.
Our Changeprint
Our Changeprint can be measured by carbon savings, fewer miles driven and connecting people.
Carbon savings. The algorithm delivers the most efficient itinerary possible, consolidating (aggregating) customer demands in real time, whilst also being mindful of customers' requests for routing deviations. This in turn leads to huge, measurable savings in carbon emissions.
Fewer miles driven. The booking software allows close monitoring. With a rising number of people using Tees Flex - 1500 journeys a week - around 100,000 fewer miles per annum are being driven due to the targeted nature of the service.
Connecting people. Local transport that works for as many people as possible is a big part of keeping our towns and villages connected, and a fully accessible travel option provides a lifeline service for those in more rural and isolated areas.
