Connect Bus has Drivec’s systems for eco-driving and vehicle health installed on over 500 buses across Sweden—and has now also begun installing them on its vehicles in Norway.
– The systems help us achieve significant fuel savings and reduce wear on our buses. That is very welcome in an industry with tight margins, says Mattias Johammar, Fleet Manager at Connect Bus.
Drivec’s collaboration with Connect Bus began in 2020, when around 20 buses in Sjuhärad and Öckerö were equipped with Ecodriving and Drivec Vehicle Health Management (a system for vehicle health). The initiative delivered the desired results, and since then the bus company has installed Drivec’s systems on more than 500 buses, from Kronoberg in the south to Norrbotten in the north.
– We have very positive experiences, but it requires us to work actively with the systems, not least with the drivers. Having a clear and ongoing dialogue with them is essential for success. When it works best, it almost becomes like a competition among the drivers to reduce fuel consumption as much as possible, says Mattias Johammar.
Weekly dialogue
Ecodriving helps Connect Bus’s fleet operate efficiently, while VHM makes it possible to monitor the status of each bus and provides a good overview of wear across all vehicles.
– The systems work together effectively. The vehicle health program allows us, among other things, to address issues on our buses before they occur—for example, predicting brake wear or high engine temperatures, says Mattias Johammar.
Drivec and Connect Bus maintain close communication and are in contact almost every week.
– It can involve anything from driver requests for new features to issues in the systems that aren’t working at the moment. The collaboration runs smoothly; Drivec is always open to making changes, says Mattias Johammar.
Norway next
The next step in the collaboration is to introduce Drivec’s systems on Connect’s buses in Norway, something that has already begun.
– In all new contracts we sign in Norway, Drivec’s systems are now included, says Mattias Johammar.
At Drivec, they are watching developments in Norway with great interest.
– Mattias Johammar has been part of our entire journey in Sweden with Connect Bus, and our strong collaboration with him has now also opened doors for us in Norway, which feels incredibly exciting. The market there could even become larger than in Sweden, says Oskar Svensson, Customer Success Manager at Drivec.
