Dublin Bus, the State’s largest public transport provider, joined with Europe’s largest micromobility company, Voi Technology (Voi) to launch an innovative new pilot project. From today Dublin Bus employees will be able to access a special fleet of Voi e-bikes to enable them to travel between the eight depots which house the 1,000 bus fleet of Dublin Bus.
The new initiative, a pilot project to run for 12 months, will give Voi and Dublin Bus real time insights into micromobility in the capital. Part of a wider range of projects that Dublin Bus is pioneering to support sustainable transport, the e-bike usage data will provide invaluable insights to help Dublin Bus support customers in choosing how to journey on their first or last mile. The pilot programme will include 20 Voi bikes and all bikes will be co-branded in the unique Dublin Bus and the distinct Voi colour schemes. The bikes come equipped with all safety mechanisms and will be charged up and maintained at Dublin Bus depots across the city.
With a focus on bringing world class solutions to consumers, Dublin Bus first began exploring the Voi solution 18 months ago. A special project task force led by Robert Lynn of Dublin Bus examined a broad range of options and technologies to use as part of this trial. The options were examined for items like versatility, ease of use, user experience in booking, and supplier expertise. Voi, Europe’s leading micromobility operator was selected after an exhaustive process.
Speaking about the initiative, Ray Coyne, Chief Executive of Dublin Bus said: “New technology is changing the way everything is done and transport services are no different. We’ve always prided ourselves on how we help Dublin thrive and this new technology is part of that and is also enabling new ways of doing things in Dublin Bus.
“We’ve been examining the area of mobility within the transport sector over the last 18 months and exploring markets in the UK and major European cities. During this process we have spoken to many local authorities, local operators, and IT suppliers to gain insight into emerging trends and gain an insight into operational lessons learned as various services are launched in various locations. This has resulted in the company being presented with a number of opportunities in different areas of mobility and we’re delighted today to launch this pilot project.”
Fredrik Hjelm, Co-founder and CEO at Voi said: “We are delighted to partner with such a reputable transport provider and give their employees an opportunity to use our e-bikes to travel around this fabulous city in a sustainable way.
“Integrating public transport with green transport modes such as scooters or e-bikes is fundamental to the decarbonisation of our cities and towns, and we couldn’t be more excited about working with Dublin Bus to bring our vision of creating better cities to live into the Irish capital.”
Technical elements
E-bikes: Starting with a fleet of 20 of our latest e-bikes. All vehicles GPS tracked and capable of speed and zone restrictions (as required)
Using the bikes: Unlimited access exclusively for Dublin Bus Employees. Free unlocking and riding for all employees via the Voi app
Data: Dashboard set up for Dublin Bus management to monitor usage and manage fleet.
Repairs: Inventory of spare parts to be held at Dublin Bus depots – supplied free of charge.
Short-term: Repairs to be conducted by Dublin Bus following training.
Charging batteries: To be conducted locally by Dublin Bus. Charging kits to be supplied by Voi.
Safety: training to be provided for employees to promote safe adoption.
Support: Relationship Manager to be assigned to Dublin Bus to ensure all needs are serviced.
Term: 12-month trial, after which we can review and discuss longer term installations
Locations:
- Broadstone
- Conyngham Road
- Clontarf
- Donnybrook
- Harristown
- Phibsboro
- Ringsend
- Summerhill
- O’Connell Street (Dublin Bus Head Office)