NAVITIME Launches 'Shuttle Bus Cloud' Pickup Planning Support Function for Kindergartens and Childcare Facilities

NAVITIME Japan Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Keisuke Onishi, headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) will begin providing the 'pickup planning support function' for its kindergarten and childcare facility operations management system, 'Shuttle Bus Cloud by NAVITIME,' starting Monday, June 15, 2026. This new function enables end-to-end automation of shuttle planning, from optimal bus stop selection to timetable and route creation.

This feature supports significant efficiency improvements in shuttle planning by considering children's pickup locations, surrounding data, and traffic regulations. Ultimately, the goal is to create a unified web-based map environment where all four steps of shuttle planning—(1) automatic bus stop placement, (2) automatic bus stop naming, (3) automatic timetable creation, and (4) safe shuttle route generation—can be performed seamlessly.

As the first phase, a function supporting the creation of efficient pickup sequences and timetables—historically complex and burdensome for specific staff during new school year preparations or sudden student additions—is now available.

By setting conditions such as individual ride time limits for each child and 'target arrival times' aligned with the facility's operational schedule, the system automatically calculates optimal pickup sequences and timetables. This enables any staff member to easily create plans, ensuring consistent and safe operations even during personnel transitions.

Going forward, the remaining three functions—bus stop placement, bus stop naming, and route creation considering large vehicles—will be rolled out sequentially, achieving comprehensive support to reduce time and burden in shuttle planning.

▶ Pickup Planning Support Function Introduction Page

Background and Challenges

Kindergarten shuttle planning requires complex and delicate adjustments beyond simple shortest-path calculations. Planners must consider factors such as selecting safe stopping points to avoid accident risks, maintaining minimum distances from regular bus stops and intersections, respecting nearby residents, accommodating children who cannot ride for long durations, and aligning arrival times with staff working hours. Currently, most planning is done manually by staff marking children's homes on paper or web maps, relying heavily on individual experience. This process creates a significant annual burden on educators, starting from initial planning in autumn, finalizing in March, and ongoing adjustments after enrollment.

In response to requests such as 'We want anyone to be able to create safe routes' and 'We want to streamline year-end administrative tasks,' this new function was developed.

Key Features

[Available Today (June 15)]

• Automatic Timetable Creation Based on Ride Limits and Facility Schedules

By setting conditions such as individual ride time limits for each child and 'target arrival times' aligned with the facility's operations, the system automatically calculates optimal pickup sequences and timetables. It supports annual planning adjustments, from initial drafts to final March confirmation and recalculations due to sudden new enrollments.

[Functions to be Rolled Out Sequentially]

• Automatic Bus Stop Placement and Naming with Safety as Priority

Automatically selects and proposes safe stopping locations by considering physical constraints such as avoiding areas within a 30-meter radius of regular bus stops, national highways, and intersections, ensuring sidewalk width, and accounting for slope gradients. Additionally, it automatically suggests clear and understandable bus stop names based on the latest Point of Interest (POI) data.

• Creation of Safe Shuttle Routes Considering Vehicle Size and Traffic Regulations

Generates routes that consider large-vehicle restrictions based on registered bus dimensions (height and width), one-way streets, and school zones (no-entry areas) during school hours. This enables anyone to confidently design shuttle routes that are safe even for large buses.

Furthermore, the company plans to develop additional features to streamline related tasks, such as automatically generating parent-facing maps and timetables based on finalized plans, and automatically creating documents like 'traffic permission applications' to be submitted to police stations.

About 'Shuttle Bus Cloud by NAVITIME'

'Shuttle Bus Cloud by NAVITIME' is a web-based operations management and business support service for operators of kindergartens, childcare facilities, and school buses. It provides a comprehensive solution enabling operators to monitor real-time bus locations and deliver operational information such as 'approaching alerts' and 'estimated arrival times' to administrators and bus users. Leveraging high-precision map data and route-finding technology, it comprehensively supports safety and operational efficiency at shuttle sites, solving challenges faced by shuttle users, managing organizations, and drivers. The service received the 2024 Good Design Award.

▶ Service Introduction Website

Contact Information

▶ Public Transportation Division Inquiry Form

* 'NAVITIME' is a registered trademark of NAVITIME Japan Co., Ltd.

* Other company names and product names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.