The Rural Transport Challenge
Rural communities in the UK face persistent challenges when it comes to transport. With limited public transport infrastructure, long travel distances, and a reliance on private vehicles, residents often struggle to access essential services, from healthcare to cultural and employment opportunities. This is especially true in regions like South Warwickshire, where 43% of the population lives in rural areas – over double the national average of 18%.
Public transport options are often infrequent or entirely absent, and high levels of car ownership – 31% of households in Warwickshire have two cars-create congestion and diminish the viability of bus services. These limitations disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as the elderly, youth, and people with accessibility needs, exacerbating social isolation and contributing to higher carbon emissions.
Travel Assistant: A Smarter Solution
‘You. Smart. Thing.’ has created an AI-driven Travel Marketplace (AITM) to meet these challenges head-on. Through the DfT Rural Transport Accelerator Trial, YST piloted this modular addition to its existing travel demand management and travel assistant platform in South Warwickshire, with the support of key partners including Warwickshire County Council, Uber, Smartzi, the Community Transport Association (CTA), and cultural institutions like the Royal Shakespeare Company.
What sets YST’s white label consumer facing travel assistant apart is its, multimodal journey planning capability. Instead of defaulting to car use, rural travellers are presented with dynamic, tailored travel options that combine Demand Responsive Transit (DRT), taxis, buses, and even volunteer-run car shares. These journeys are surfaced in a simple web interface accessible through booking portals for healthcare appointments and cultural events.
The platform doesn’t just support journey planning – it also captures rich data on travel behaviours, enabling local authorities and transport operators to plan more effectively and sustainably.
Expanding the Rural Transport Toolkit
A key achievement of the trial was the successful integration of new transport services:
- Uber and Smartzi were added to broaden taxi options.
- Liftango’s Indigo PLUS DRT service was integrated, promoting shared, flexible routing in underserved areas.
- Multiple new rural transport modes were introduced, increasing choice and reducing isolation.
Crucially, the travel assistant not only supported residents but also enhanced organisational efficiency. Through aggregated travel data, the platform helped identify underserved areas, provided actionable insights into CO2 emissions, and offered opportunities for carbon reduction strategies.
Real-Life Impact
During the trial, over 10,000 travel plan queries were logged. Users found new transport options they hadn’t previously considered – 22% even changed their travel plans after using the tool.
At Compton Verney, a visitor with additional needs successfully used the DRT service after struggling with regular buses – a testament to the platform’s accessibility benefits.
”“I normally drive to Stratford Hospital, but I found a train station I hadn’t thought about before. I’ll use that next time.”
Focus Group Participant
A Vision for the Future
The success of the AITM trial proves that innovative digital solutions can make rural mobility smarter, greener, and more inclusive. YST is now well-positioned to scale its platform nationally, particularly within other rural NHS trusts and local authorities.
The next steps include:
- Deepening integration with transport providers like Uber and Smartzi.
- Expanding DRT coverage.
- Enhancing user engagement via patient portals and proactive communication (e.g., appointment reminders with journey planning links).
As rural communities across the UK continue to grapple with connectivity challenges, tools like the travel assistant represent a scalable, data-driven response – one that reduces car dependency, supports sustainability, and builds stronger, more connected communities.
Ready to make rural transport smarter?
Book a demo with our team and see how the travel assistant can transform journeys in your area.
