As responsibility for bus network performance continues to shift from operators to transport authorities across the UK, the pressure to deliver reliable, efficient, and passenger-focused services is growing fast. For authorities exploring or preparing for franchising, the stakes are high.
To make data-led decision-making business as usual in your franchising journey, it’s not enough to have access to network performance data. You need consistent, repeatable processes around the data to ensure that insights don’t just sit in dashboards, but instead are used to implement improvements in your network.
Performance data gives authorities the visibility and evidence needed to set realistic expectations, define achievable KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), and make informed decisions at every stage of franchising, from planning and procurement to in-life management. Without it, issues in the existing network risk being carried over into the franchised model, leading to higher costs, missed targets, and declining patronage.
Let’s look at how to move beyond assumptions and start building a network around data-driven recommendations and scenario planning.
Understanding the difference between need-to-have vs nice-to-have performance data
When analysing bus network performance, it's important to be able to distinguish between need-to-have and nice-to-have data. At a minimum, you'll need Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) data and schedule data to assess the basics, like punctuality, reliability, and service regularity. These data sources allow you to measure when and where buses are running compared to the planned timetable. In cases where AVL isn't available, open data can provide a fallback, but with some limitations in accuracy and granularity.
On the other hand, ticketing data, while not essential, is extremely valuable. It's considered nice-to-have because it adds a deeper layer of insight into passenger behaviour, such as boarding volumes, travel patterns, fare type usage, and time-of-day demand. Without it, you can still monitor service performance, but you miss out on the passenger perspective, which is crucial for efficiently balancing supply and demand.
Combining both types of data gives you a more complete picture, but if you're just getting started or working with limited access, focusing on AVL and schedule data gives you a strong foundation to build on.
Complete a bus network data audit
Before you can start to embed performance data into your day-to-day operations you need to know how to get access to it. This checklist helps transport authorities assess the ownership, availability, format and accuracy of network performance data sources. Work through the checklist to identify what data is accessible, and uncover potential gaps in visibility or quality.
What to watch out for when completing your network data audit
Data ownership
What to check:
- Who owns each dataset?
Common issues:
- Lack of clarity on ownership or access to data.
- Operators with access to data sharing it regularly or fully.
Why it matters:
- Unclear ownership can delay access to data, limit how you use it in planning or performance evaluation, and make it difficult to create a consistent view across the network
Data availability
What to check:
- Do you have all the datasets you need? Flag “yes/no/partial” availability for each data type.
Common issues:
- Entire data types missing (for example, no stop-level event data, no boarding counts).
- No visibility of key metrics like demand, load, or dead mileage.
- Data only available at high level (for example, network-level punctuality, but not per route/stop).
Why it matters:
- Missing datasets mean blind spots in network performance. Without a full picture, you're making planning and resourcing decisions based on guesswork.
Data format
What to check:
- In what format is each dataset available?
Common issues:
- Data provided in non-standard, outdated, limited or inconsistent formats.
- Limited users, for example only those who can query using SQL can access.
- Format not suitable for analysis or integration across systems.
- Lack of timestamping, geographic references, or route IDs.
Why it matters:
- Even if data exists, poor formatting can make it unusable—slowing down analysis or making it impossible to combine datasets for a full picture.
Data accuracy
What to check:
- How reliable is the data you have?
Common issues:
- Incomplete or inaccurate location data.
- Timing anomalies, like early departures or unrealistic run times.
- Gaps in ticketing data, incorrect timestamps, or system errors.
Why it matters:
- Unreliable data leads to misleading insights and impacts the decisions it’s informing. It reduces trust across teams and makes it harder to measure KPIs or collaborate with operators.
Take action to close the data gaps
Once you’ve identified the gaps, it’s time to work through and resolve them by:
- Document the issues in the Actions column of the worksheet/checklist ‘Actions’ column. For each issue, note the gap type, impact, how it can be resolved and who is the most appropriate person to take ownership.
- Assigning ownership for resolving access, format, or quality issues to the most relevant team.
- Prioritising fixes based on impact. Focus first on data that supports franchising planning, performance KPIs, and resource modelling.
It may not be possible for you to resolve the gaps and in some cases you may need to make the most of the data you have access to right now, while still acknowledging the gaps. If you’re working with a performance optimisation platform provider they’ll be able to help you to use the data you have access to to gain insights on how your bus network is currently performing.
Embedding performance data into your processes
Decide who’s responsible for data oversight
First up you need to clearly define and assign responsibility for reviewing and validating performance data. Whether this sits with a network performance lead, data analyst, or contract manager, having this sit in a specific team helps to ensure accountability and avoids important insights being overlooked.
- Questions to ask to assign responsibility:
- Who checks the data?
- What checks are performed (for example, completeness, anomalies, accuracy)?
- How often is this review happening (daily, weekly, monthly)?
Create routines for monitoring and sharing insights
Build a habit of using data to drive continuous performance improvement.
- Set up regular internal performance reviews (for example, monthly or quarterly) to track KPIs, highlight trends, and assess progress against goals.
- Develop a process for tracking performance wins, so improvements, like increased punctuality or reduced EWT, are captured and celebrated.
- Share these wins with all stakeholders to build momentum and show the impact of data-driven decisions.
Formalise issue identification and escalation
Ensure there is a process for identifying emerging problems and taking action before they escalate.
- Use data to flag underperformance early, whether that’s declining punctuality, increased crowding, or unexpected demand spikes.
- Define who is responsible for investigating the issue and how decisions on interventions are made.
- Where possible, log interventions and outcomes to support future learnings.
Use data as the basis for operator collaboration
Make performance data the basis of a structured, transparent relationship with operators.
- Schedule regular data review meetings (for example, weekly or. monthly) with operators to discuss trends, flag concerns, and explore improvements collaboratively.
- Ensure both sides are working from the same data and definitions to avoid disputes.
- Use insights to jointly problem-solve, for example validating operator requests for schedule changes or resource adjustments.
By building strong processes around your data you embed a culture of proactive, evidence-based decision-making, transforming performance data from a static asset to a strategic tool for delivering better services.
Securing stakeholder buy-in to data-led franchising
Adopting a data-led approach to franchising, is a strategic shift that needs to be supported by leadership, teams, and operators. The earlier you can build support for this approach the better, ensuring smoother implementation, better collaboration, and stronger long-term outcomes. You can have access to all the data you need but without buy-in from the stakeholders that matter most your efforts could fall short. Here’s three steps to getting the internal and external backing you need.
Step 1. Build internal alignment
Show internal teams how data helps them do their jobs better and faster. Whether it’s planning, procurement, or performance monitoring, share early wins, involve them in KPI setting, and ensure the relevant teams can confidently use and understand the available data.
Step 2. Gain buy-in from senior leadership
Position data as a strategic enabler. Emphasise how it reduces risk, improves transparency, and supports confident decision-making in a politically visible service environment.
Step 3. Engage operators and delivery partners
Treat data as a shared asset, not just a monitoring tool. In order to achieve this you’ll need to implement a data sharing agreement with each operator or delivery partners. These agreements ensure you can access the information you need, like timetables, bus locations, passenger numbers, and ticketing data. It’s also important to be clear about who owns the data, how often it’s shared, and in what formats. Sharing performance data in this way helps to build trust, supports collaborative problem-solving, and drives fair, transparent evaluations that benefit both authorities and operators.
Setting your franchised network up for success
Embedding performance data from the beginning of your franchising journey isn’t just a technical exercise, it’s a strategic investment in accountability, efficiency, and better outcomes - for operators, drivers and passengers. By identifying your data gaps, formalising the right processes, and building a culture of evidence-based decision-making, you’re setting your network up for long-term success.
Whether you're just beginning to explore franchising or deep in planning and procurement, using data not just as a diagnostic tool but as a catalyst for collaboration and continuous improvement is what will make the difference. The earlier you act, the more resilient, responsive, and passenger-focused your network will be.
