Transit agencies and operators worldwide are now eligible for a three-month, no-cost license to digital planning, scheduling, and rostering products from the AI transit planning platform Optibus, which powers mass transit in 450 cities worldwide.

Part of the company’s “Build Back Better” recovery program, the license helps agencies and operators recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and adjust to changes in ridership rates.

At the current pace of vaccination, the U.S. could safely reopen in four months, the European Union and UK in two months, and Canada in one month. An easing of COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, bars, and borders is already visible in these areas, while often maintaining masks and social distancing to ensure a safe exit.

The return to pre-pandemic life has had a varied effect on public transportation. According to the Citymapper Mobility Index, ridership remains down over 60% in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, and Amsterdam. Other cities have recovered quicker, with Singapore, Paris, and Birmingham already operating at over 80% of regular ridership rates. Now is a critical moment in which transit agencies are challenged to adapt their services to reflect changing demands and regain trust in the health and safety of mass transit.

To help the industry build back better, Optibus is offering a three-month, no-cost license to its digital planning, scheduling, and rostering products. The "Build Back Better" special license for rapid scenario building allows transit agencies to adjust routes and frequencies to meet changing demand, traffic patterns, and constraints; create new routes or route variations that enable riders to travel for work, school, and leisure as countries reopen; reduce operating costs and optimize budgets with the impacted farebox recovery ratio; and build back better with electric vehicle planning and scheduling tools that enable more efficient, mixed fleets and the deployment of zero emissions vehicles.

“Just as we offered a no-cost license for COVID-19 contingency plans in 2020, we are now offering a no-cost, limited license to help agencies build back better and prepare for post-COVID travel needs as we head out of the pandemic,” said Optibus CEO and co-founder Amos Haggiag.

To get a no-cost Build Back Better license, click here by July 30.