The problem
Allocating coaches and drivers on a whiteboard, then ringing each driver every evening with tomorrow's jobs, takes the owner about an hour a night, six nights a week. That's about 26 hours a month (6 x 4.3), and one missed call means a driver turning up for the wrong job.
What the AI does
Coach Manager's product page describes a visual allocation system that uses its intelligent assistance system to suggest vehicles and drivers, with graphical scheduling. Its driver app shows drivers a diary of the bookings they've been allocated. You allocate the week, change it when jobs move, and each driver checks the app instead of waiting for a phone call. The pricing page notes the driver app needs Coach Manager Online, which is included in the subscription.
A worked example
A 7-coach operator in North Yorkshire with 12 drivers, some part-time, doing school contracts in the week and private hire at weekends.
Before
About an hour a night allocating and phoning drivers: about 26 hours a month
After
About 2.5 hours a week allocating and dealing with changes: about 10.75 hours a month
What it's worth
About $400£301€358A$578C$566 a month saved, against $130£98€117A$188C$184 to $152£114€136A$219C$214 for Coach Manager. That's about 15 hours (3.5 hours a week x 4.3) at an assumed $27£20€24A$38C$38 an hour. Express is $129.68£97.50€116.03A$187.20C$183.30 a month excluding VAT; vendor hosting adds $21.61£16.25€19.34A$31.20C$30.55. If you already use it for quotes or invoices, allocation and the driver app come with it.
How to set it up
- Set up each coach (seats, features such as toilets or wheelchair lift) and each driver (license, hours they can work) in Coach Manager.
- Allocate one week's work using the suggestions, checking each against your own knowledge of the drivers and routes.
- Install the driver app on each driver's phone and show them where their diary is.
- For two weeks, send the app and phone the drivers; then stop phoning except for late changes.
- Always ring a driver about any change made on the day; don't rely on them seeing the app.
What goes wrong
- The suggestions don't replace the transport manager's check of drivers' hours, rest and license entitlement for each allocation.
- Drivers need a smartphone and the habit of checking it. Have a fallback for anyone who won't.
- The pricing page doesn't say whether every driver counts as a paid user; ask before you add 12 drivers.
- Late changes are where things go wrong. Make a phone call part of every same-day change.