🚍 We all want public transport to be efficient, smart, and user-friendly. But when it comes to implementing IT projects—whether it’s ticketing systems, fleet management, or real-time passenger information systems—things often don’t go as planned. Delays, cost overruns, outdated solutions… Sound familiar?
So, what’s going wrong?
🔍 The Biggest Problems in IT Tenders for Public Transport
1. Outdated or Unrealistic Requirements
📌 Many tenders ask for solutions based on outdated technology. Some are even copied from previous projects without considering advancements. This makes it difficult for modern and innovative companies to compete, leading to overpriced and inefficient systems that are already obsolete by the time they are launched.
2️. The ‘Lowest Price Wins’ Approach
📌 Choosing the cheapest offer might seem like a good deal, but it often results in low-quality, unreliable systems that need fixing (or replacing) much sooner than expected.
3️. Endless Bureaucracy and Delays
📌 By the time an IT system goes live, it’s often years behind schedule, meaning the technology is already outdated. Approval processes take too long, and by the time decisions are made, the needs of the transport network might have changed entirely.
4️. Lack of IT Knowledge in Public Authorities
📌 Many decision-makers lack technical expertise to properly evaluate solutions or create professional technical specifications. As a result, they either choose the wrong provider or get stuck in analysis paralysis, delaying the project even further. Often, tenders are canceled simply because they were not properly prepared.
5️. Systems That Don’t Talk to Each Other
📌 A new ticketing system or real-time passenger information platform sounds great—until you realize it doesn’t work with existing systems. Lack of compatibility creates expensive integration challenges. Without proper system integration, it’s impossible to fully benefit from new technologies.
6️. Limited Competition and Transparency Issues
📌 Many tenders seem tailor-made for specific companies, limiting fair competition. In other cases, smaller but highly innovative providers don’t even get a chance to participate. By the time the tender is announced, it’s often too late for other companies—especially those that are more cost-effective and use the latest technology.
7️. No Long-Term Digital Strategy
📌 Instead of a clear roadmap for public transport digitalization, decisions are often made in isolation. One year, there’s a new app. The next year, a different system for something else. But they don’t connect, leaving both passengers and operators frustrated.
8️. Poor Tender Announcements
📌 In many cases, tenders are announced through a closed network of known IT suppliers, limiting visibility and competition. As a result, transport operators miss out on the best solutions available on the market. A more open and transparent tendering process would attract better offers and more innovative technologies.
9️. Lack of Interest in Optimization Projects
📌 There are very few tenders focused on operational optimization—such as timetable adjustments, route planning, fleet utilization, and cost reduction. Instead, the focus is often on purchasing new buses, even when optimizing existing operations could bring greater efficiency at a lower cost and less buses.
🛠 How Do We Solve This?
I hope these insights help Public Transport Operators and Authorities improve their IT procurement processes.
✔ Smarter tendering – allowing flexibility for innovation, rather than focusing solely on the lowest price.
✔ Open standards – ensuring new systems integrate with existing ones and are based on open protocols.
✔ Better IT education for decision-makers – so they can make informed choices.
✔ A long-term digital strategy – to avoid short-term, disconnected projects.
✔ Truly competitive tenders – attracting the best companies, not just the cheapest or most familiar ones.
✔ Involving experienced consulting companies – so transport operators receive professional support from the initial stage through to final project implementation.
✔ More focus on optimization – using IT solutions to improve efficiency before making costly infrastructure investments.
💡 Have you faced challenges with IT projects in public transport?
What solutions worked for you?
