Lecip Awarded Project for MLIT's 'COMmmmONS' Regional Transport DX Initiative

Lecip Corporation, a consolidated subsidiary of Lecip Holdings Corporation, has been selected for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's (MLIT) 'COMmmmONS' regional transport digital transformation (DX) project. The contract covers a pilot study on the 'automation of vehicle scheduling using AI technology to promote regional transport DX.'

This initiative aims to support the creation of practical and optimal bus operation plans using proprietary algorithms.

■ Background and Current Challenges

Bus operators nationwide are currently facing a severe management environment due to critical labor shortages. Creating necessary operational schedules—including bus timetables, duty assignments (shigyo), and individual shifts—requires strict adherence to laws such as the Labor Standards Act and the Industrial Safety and Health Act, demanding significant time and labor. Additionally, these tasks have become 'person-dependent,' relying on the experience and intuition of specific staff, making standardization and knowledge transfer difficult.

■ Details of the Pilot Study

The study involves developing and verifying a system that automatically calculates optimal operation plans by analyzing complex business constraints and applying proprietary mathematical algorithms. It lowers the barrier to entry by enabling standard API integration with existing systems. Furthermore, it implements a 'residual shift optimization function,' which allows for the coexistence of manual scheduling by experts and AI-generated automatic assignments.

■ Objectives

We aim to achieve the following:
- Reducing the burden on scheduling personnel: Cutting down man-hours for duty assignment and shift creation through proprietary algorithms.
- Smoother operation management: Reducing the workload for operation managers in shift management.
- Improving driver working conditions: Providing fair shifts that comply with rest intervals and holiday regulations.

By providing versatile, standardized solutions, we aim to enhance the safety and reliability of public transport infrastructure and contribute to the realization of sustainable regional public transport.