Australian transport software specialist, Bridj, has been appointed as the Official Fleet Operations and Asset Management Technology Provider for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports across 14 competition venues from 28 July until 8 August 2022. As the biggest sporting event ever to be held in the West Midlands, it is expected to attract more than one million spectators to the city and have a global TV audience of 1.5 billion.
During Games time, a fleet of more than 500 vehicles will be transporting members of the Games Family – including accredited officials, sponsors and operations staff – between accommodation, training and competition venues. Bridj will be providing a booking and fleet management platform that enables the Birmingham 2022 Fleet Operations team to plan and manage fleet services, along with apps for both drivers and passengers.
The platform includes route optimisation, scheduling and vehicle tracking, which will automate many processes, saving time and improving efficiency.
More than 2,000 passengers will be able to walk-up and find a ride at designated load zones or pre-book travel to and from venues across the Games footprint using the Bridj Passenger Application, which also provides journey tracking and customer support.
Drivers will be supported by the Bridj Driver App, providing optimised turn-by-turn navigation to passenger pick-ups and drop-offs, which will also adapt to temporary passenger loading zones and road closures during Games time.
Under a multi-Games agreement, the Commonwealth Games Federation Partnership (CGFP) has the option to extend its partnership with Bridj across future Games until at least 2030, including Victoria 2026. This long-term partnership enables Bridj to support CGFP in the transition of data insights and knowledge from one Games to the next. Data and knowledge will also be made available to the wider events industry, supporting other shared transport initiatives with local authorities in the Birmingham area.
John Langford-Ely, Founder and CEO of Bridj, said:
“The transport plan for the Games has a focus on efficiency and sustainability, and that’s exactly what we want to bring to Birmingham. Our aim is to simplify the complex task of delivering transport for the event organisers, operational personnel and volunteers, helping to bring faster, more environmentally friendly and convenient transport services.
“But this partnership is about more than just the West Midlands. It’s about building a broad legacy of more sustainable and efficient passenger transport that can be replicated globally. We want to help the world to move better.”
Pennie Brinsden, Head of Games Systems for Birmingham 2022, said:
“We are proud to welcome Bridj to our sponsor family, as the Official Fleet Operations and Asset Management Technology Provider for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Operator Portal, provided by Bridj during Games time, encompasses the flexibility, scalability and enhanced user experience needed in the modern world of customer services.
“The platform enables Birmingham 2022 to deliver yet another first in Commonwealth Games history – offering Games Family members a transport booking app for the very first time. This partnership will be another contributing factor towards a fantastic Games experience, for everyone in Birmingham and venues across the West Midlands.”
Darren Hall, Chief Operating Officer of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said:
“We are delighted to partner with Bridj as they become the Official Fleet Operations and Asset Management Technology Provider for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“The CGF were looking for an innovative, best in class transport solution from a provider who was aligned with our values and shared vision – for Birmingham 2022 and future editions of the Games. Our partnership with Bridj provides a collaborative and sustainable approach to ensuring participants at all future Games can travel as stress-free and efficiently as possible.”