FAQs

We don’t. This means you can have unlimited admin users, drivers and passengers using the software.

One reason we take this stance is that we don’t want to punish charities by paying more for increased volunteers.

You can use Road XS on an unlimited number of devices and use our apps too. We don’t limit you to devices.

Generally no.

We will install your instance of Road XS for free.

There might be times where some custom development work is required before launching, which some might class as a setup fee, but if you take Road XS as it is, there are no setup fees.

Yes. We can agree a fixed fee based on your journey volumes and potential growth or around specific features and custom development (if required). This formulates the license to use the software.

If you start small we simply review your usage and adapt pricing accordingly with you. This means organisations of all sizes can use Road XS.

Yes, we can.

We begin by carefully assessing your specific requirements and price the work accordingly.

For non-profits, we may offer a discount on the development fee if the requested feature could also benefit other organisations. However, this is evaluated on a case-by-case basis for each feature request.

If an organisation prefers not to fund custom development directly, they can still suggest a feature.

While there’s no guarantee every feature will be developed, all suggestions are added to our consideration list.

This approach allows us to continually enhance the software, benefiting all users.

Please note that the development time can vary depending on the complexity of the feature.

Yes we can do. Road XS is so simple to use that most pickup how to use the software very quickly. Because the software is so user friendly we have traditionally included this service via a Zoom call.

We also have a support portal with articles on how to use the software.

No. Road XS is designed to be flexible, so you can choose which features best suit your organisation.

Automated invoicing is entirely optional, and the rest of the platform will continue to operate normally without it.

Road XS apps help you deliver a more connected, convenient and modern transport service by:

• Keeping drivers and passengers informed with real-time journey updates.
• Replacing paper run sheets with secure digital information, reducing the risk of sensitive passenger data being lost, misplaced or viewed by unauthorised people.
• Allowing passengers to book and manage journeys outside normal office hours.
• Giving drivers and passengers easier access to the information they need.
• Supporting a more efficient, user-friendly and compliant way of operating.

Custom apps are branded versions of the Road XS Driver and Passenger Portals, created specifically for your organisation.

Instead of searching for the Road XS app, users can download an app carrying your service name, logo and branding, such as “Travel Derbyshire on Demand”.

This gives drivers and passengers greater confidence that they have downloaded the correct app, while presenting your transport service as professional, modern and easy to use.

Yes. We keep Road XS apps up to date with the latest Apple and Google requirements, helping them remain secure, compatible and compliant.

Updates also introduce ongoing improvements, performance enhancements and new features over time.

Simply select Reports from the main menu, subject to your user permissions. Your reports are generated automatically using the latest real-time data, ready for you to view, filter and export.

Yes. Road XS uses role-based permissions, allowing you to control which areas and information each user can access.

For example, trustees can be given secure access to the reporting area while being prevented from viewing or changing anything elsewhere in the platform.

Many Road XS reports can be tailored before they are generated, giving you several reporting views within a single report.

Simply select the parameters you need, such as service type, date range, drivers, passengers, vehicles, service areas or contracts. This lets you focus on the exact information required without searching through irrelevant data.

The results can also be exported as a CSV file for further analysis in software such as Microsoft Excel.

Every figure in Road XS can be traced back to the journeys recorded in the platform, giving funders clear and transparent evidence of your service’s impact.

For example, you can report on journeys completed within a particular area, total mileage, cancellations, active passengers and other key measures. This makes it easier to demonstrate how funding has been used and the value your service provides.

Road XS reporting has helped transport operators strengthen funding applications, support contract bids and make the case for expanding their services.

Yes. We can work with you to ensure the right workflows are in place and that Road XS captures the information you need.

From there, we can create custom reports and user-friendly dashboards that turn your data into clear, meaningful insights tailored to your organisation.

Yes. Simply choose your invoicing schedule, such as the beginning of each month or another preferred date.

When that date arrives, Road XS automatically generates the relevant invoices overnight, ready for you to review, send or process.

Online payments are recorded with a unique transaction ID and transferred through your connected payment provider to your linked bank account.

For payments received offline, such as BACS, cash or cheque, you can search by invoice number or by passenger, driver or contract name, then mark the invoice as paid.

The Road XS Vanguard rebuild simplifies how we connect with third-party systems, making accounting integrations easier to develop and maintain.

Direct integrations with platforms such as QuickBooks, Sage and Xero can therefore be added on request, alongside other systems that provide a suitable API.

Where a direct integration is not yet required, invoice data can also be exported from Road XS in CSV format and imported into your accounting software.

You can download the apps via the Google Play Store or Apple Store available on your mobile device.

The Apps work on both Android devices and Apple devices.

The cloud refers to secure servers accessed over the internet rather than equipment installed at your premises.

Traditionally, organisations needed on-site servers and IT teams to manage them. Cloud software removes that burden by handling the infrastructure, maintenance and updates for you.

With Road XS, everything is managed securely online, all you need is an internet connection and a web browser.

Cloud platforms provide strong protection when properly configured and managed. Road XS safeguards data through encryption, hourly backups, continuous monitoring and cloud-based defences against malicious traffic.

Security updates are applied centrally, without relying on engineers to maintain servers at your premises. Road XS is hosted within professionally managed UK data centres with physical security, resilient power and environmental controls.

No system is entirely risk-free, but our modern, leading-edge cloud infrastructure and built-in security controls help keep your data protected, available and recoverable as technology continues to evolve.

Cloud-based software brings your transport operations together within one secure, connected platform.

• Lower costs: Reduce the need for on-site servers, specialist hardware and ongoing IT maintenance.
• Connected services: Keep transport teams, drivers and passengers connected through dedicated portals, with updates shared securely in real time.
• Less paper: Replace printed run sheets and passenger information with controlled digital access, reducing the risk of sensitive data being lost, misplaced or viewed by unauthorised people.
• Support compliance: Manage access through user roles and permissions, helping your organisation meet its GDPR and data-protection responsibilities.
• Greater security: Keep information within a centrally managed platform with automatic updates, backups and modern cloud security controls.
• Easy scalability: Add users, vehicles and services as your organisation grows without installing additional infrastructure.
• Automatic improvements: Receive software updates, security enhancements and new features without manual installation.
• Faster deployment: Get your teams up and running quickly from any supported device with an internet connection.

If your usual internet connection becomes unavailable, you can continue using Road XS from another location or switch to a 4G or 5G mobile connection, including by tethering to a phone.

Because Road XS is cloud-based, your data remains securely available wherever you have a reliable connection. Access can also be restricted to approved locations where additional security controls are required.

Road XS manages the security of the platform, cloud infrastructure and physical data-centre environment. Your organisation remains responsible for using the software securely.

Good security practices include:

• Using strong, unique passwords and never sharing login details.
• Enabling two-factor authentication wherever available.
• Protecting devices with a secure password, PIN or biometric login.
• Locking devices whenever they are left unattended.
• Removing access promptly when someone no longer needs it.

Security works best as a shared responsibility. Road XS provides built-in protection and guidance, while your organisation maintains strong day-to-day security practices.

Road XS Labs is where ideas become practical innovations.

Through research, experimentation and rapid prototyping, we explore new technologies and concepts that could improve the future of transport. We involve our users throughout the process, gathering early feedback to shape promising ideas into solutions that address genuine operational challenges.

Inspired by the principles of Kaizen, our work is driven by continuous improvement. We do not innovate simply for the sake of it. We focus on making transport services smarter, safer and more sustainable, one meaningful improvement at a time.

Road XS Labs has already shaped many of the technologies at the heart of the Road XS platform.

One of its most significant outcomes is our demand-responsive transport technology. Development began in 2018, with the routing algorithms and operational rules continuously refined through real-world testing, user feedback and a focus on passenger convenience. This work led to the launch of the public version in early 2024.

Our research has also influenced intelligent driver and vehicle matching, live GPS tracking, resilient mobile applications that can continue working with limited or no connectivity, and clearer, more intuitive user interfaces.

We study how people respond to digital experiences, using behavioural insights and user feedback to reduce complexity, improve accessibility and make everyday tasks easier to complete.

Looking ahead, we are exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance customer support, assist users more quickly and help transport teams access the information they need with less effort.

Every development begins with a genuine operational challenge. Through Road XS Labs, we turn research, ideas and emerging technology into practical improvements that make transport services smarter, safer and more resilient.

Sometimes yes, but Road XS Labs is about much more than adding functionality.

It is about looking at the bigger picture: how technology, people, data and transport networks can work together more effectively. We explore how each part of the platform connects, how complexity can be removed and how every interaction can feel more seamless and intuitive.

Ultimately, our research is focused on solving real societal challenges, from improving access to essential services and reducing isolation to making transport more efficient, sustainable and inclusive.

New features are one outcome. Meaningful, lasting improvement is the goal.

Our community plays an essential role in shaping the future of Road XS.

By sharing experiences, ideas and feedback, our users help us understand what works, where challenges remain and which improvements will make the greatest difference. We listen, learn and turn those insights into meaningful changes across the platform.

It is a continuous partnership that ensures Road XS never stands still—evolving alongside the organisations and people who rely on it, both today and in the future.

We keep our users informed through updates inside the Road XS platform, as well as announcements and development news on our website.

For the latest features, improvements and innovations emerging from Road XS Labs, keep an eye on our What’s New page or from within the Road XS software. It is the best place to follow how Road XS continues to evolve.

When a traditional address is missing, unclear or incorrectly mapped, Road XS lets you select the exact what3words location and save it against the address. All future journeys are then calculated using that precise point.

This is especially useful for rural areas, new housing developments and complex locations such as hospitals. Drivers receive accurate pick-up and drop-off points and can navigate directly to them through the Driver Portal, reducing confusion and the need to provide additional directions.

More precise locations also improve journey times and mileage calculations, creating clearer, more reliable data for passengers, funders, commissioners and your wider organisation.

Yes. Road XS brings all your transport services together within one connected platform.

For example, a county-wide operation could manage multiple services while using Service Areas to separate them by location, contract or service type. Teams, drivers, vehicles, passengers and permissions can then be assigned to the relevant area, ensuring users only see the information they need.

You can oversee the entire operation, access detailed real-time reporting and quickly launch, pause or adapt individual services as requirements change.

Road XS makes it simple to connect local organisations directly with your transport services through Service Areas.

For example, a GP surgery can be given secure access so reception staff can book return journeys for patients while arranging appointments. A community group could also be set up to manage transport bookings for its members.

Each organisation can be given access only to the passengers, journeys and information relevant to them, helping you extend your services into the community while keeping everything secure, organised and under control

Integrated Services means managing different types of transport operation from one connected platform.

For example, you could run a demand-responsive transport service alongside a community car scheme, while also managing commercial patient transport, contract transport or delivery services.

Each service can have its own teams, vehicles, drivers, passengers and operating rules, while your organisation retains complete visibility and control. There is no need to switch between separate systems—you simply log in to Road XS and manage everything in one place.

Road XS uses distinct icons and colours to make each transport service easy to identify throughout the platform, including on the journey overview screen.

Users only see the journeys and Service Areas assigned to them. Some may therefore work within a single service, while others can access and manage multiple services from the same account.

When a journey is awaiting a driver, Road XS instantly searches your driver pool and presents the nearest suitable options based on:

• Their availability at the journey time
• Valid and up-to-date driver and vehicle records
• Their preferred journey length
• Passenger and driver restrictions
• A suitable vehicle for the passenger’s mobility needs
• Existing journey commitments and calendar availability
• Whether they have been blocked by a passenger

The technology checks all these requirements in seconds, helping you find the right driver in moments rather than spending hours—or even days—making calls and sending emails.

A driver may not appear because they are already busy, unavailable, have expired records or do not meet the requirements of the passenger or journey.

Road XS provides a simple checklist to help you identify the reason and confirm what needs updating.

The nearest suitable drivers are shown first, with the option to load additional drivers from further away. Estimated mileage and travel time are displayed for each option, helping you choose the most appropriate driver and keep the passenger informed.

Yes. When enabled in your settings, drivers can view and allocate themselves to available journeys through the Driver Portal, based on the distance radius you set from their home location.

For greater control, you can simply leave this option disabled and continue allocating journeys centrally via the admin portal.

Yes. Drivers can use the simple, interactive calendar in the Driver Portal to set exactly when they are available for journeys—whether for a full day or in 15-minute time slots.

Their availability is automatically considered when allocating journeys, saving your team from contacting drivers who are unable to help.

About half to a quarter of a second for the algorithm to execute. It really is quick, and it will look at all of the drivers in the system, no matter how many you have.

what3Words has divided the world into three-metre squares and assigned each one a unique combination of three words.

Traditionally, precise locations were identified using latitude and longitude. With what3words, a location can instead be shared using a simple three-word address. For example, ///fond.sting.grin identifies Chipping Campden Market Hall.

Three-word addresses are easy to communicate by phone, message or radio, making them particularly useful for hard-to-find places, rural locations and emergencies. In some situations, that precision can even help save lives.

Road XS displays precise what3words locations for passenger addresses, drivers, vehicles and saved locations. You can also view the three-word address of a vehicle’s last known position, helping your team and drivers identify exact locations quickly.

Service Areas let you organise your transport operations into separate locations, contracts or services, with dedicated teams, drivers, passengers and vehicles assigned to each one. This gives every team access to the information they need while allowing you to oversee everything from one connected platform.

They make it easy to scale across large geographic regions, such as multiple districts within a county, or manage services remotely anywhere in the country, for example, or services with dedicated teams, drivers, passengers, and vehicles assigned to each operating from London while delivering transport services in Cornwall or Scotland.

No, it’s a key part of Road XS, especially regarding the safety of passengers.

Yes. When a driver enables location sharing in the Driver Portal, their latest reported position appears on the journey overview alongside its what3words address.

This gives your team greater visibility during journeys and, in an emergency, can help identify the driver’s last known location quickly and accurately.

The Driver Portal is the independent space where your drivers log in to view their journeys, set their availability, pick up nearby journeys and more — kept separate from the admin area and accessible from any device.

Yes, a Driver Portal app for Android and Apple devices, with custom-branded apps also available. On the standard app, drivers first enter the ID for the service they drive for, then their username and password.

Yes. Using a simple, interactive calendar, drivers set when they’re available — a full day or in 15-minute slots — and it’s automatically taken into account when journeys are allocated.

Yes, when enabled. Drivers can view and pick up pending journeys within a radius you set from their home location. Prefer to keep control central? Leave it disabled and allocate from the admin portal.

No. This is an optional Road XS feature, and you remain in control of who can access it. Driver access can be enabled or removed at any time by granting or revoking their login.

Yes. If a journey runs over the estimated mileage, perhaps a road closure or required detour, drivers can claim the difference once the trip is complete.

Yes. Allocations, records and communications all happen inside Road XS rather than over email, paper or personal messaging apps, so every action is recorded and evidenced. Driver and passenger data stays within the platform — encrypted, access-controlled and GDPR-aligned — and you decide exactly who can see and do what.

An app, short for application, is software that you download to a mobile device through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Once installed, it provides quick access to services wherever you have a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection.

With Road XS, drivers can view journey details, navigate to destinations, share their location and keep transport teams informed while on the road.

Passengers can book and manage journeys at any time, including when booking offices are closed, and receive real-time updates about their transport.

Apps also support push notifications, allowing important announcements and journey updates to be delivered directly to users’ devices.

NEPT supports patients who don’t have an urgent or life-threatening condition but still need help travelling to medical appointments — because of mobility issues, a medical condition, or no access to suitable transport. Unlike emergency ambulances, it’s pre-booked and often coordinated through hospitals or clinics for regular appointments like dialysis or physiotherapy.

Vehicles are typically adapted for wheelchairs or stretchers, and journeys may be staffed by trained personnel. In the UK it’s provided by the NHS and private operators alike, and is critical to continuity of care.

This depends upon how you setup your school transport services.

Schools, council transport coordinators, parents and your own admin team can all raise bookings, through the passenger portal, the web portal, or by phone into your office. Every request lands in the same place, return trips can be set up in one step, and the DRT engine fits each journey into the most efficient route automatically. Eligibility, fares and any support requirements are captured against the student record so the right vehicle and the right support are always assigned. Everything can also be controlled through settings so you remain in complete control.

In England, local authorities have a statutory duty to provide free home-to-school transport for eligible children of compulsory school age. Eligibility generally covers children who live beyond the statutory walking distance from their nearest suitable school — two miles for children under eight, and three miles for those aged eight and over — and children who cannot reasonably be expected to walk because of special educational needs, a disability, a mobility issue, or because the available route is unsafe. Around three quarters of council home-to-school transport spending now goes on children and young people with SEND. Road XS records eligibility and any support requirements against each student so the right vehicle and the right support are always assigned.

School transport software helps schools, councils and operators plan, run and oversee the journeys that get students to and from school and school-related activities. For students who live beyond walking distance or who need additional support, a safe, reliable service matters every single day. Road XS lets you, your schools and even parents book journeys, then automates the planning and routing — grouping students together and optimising every route — to get each student from home to school safely and efficiently with built-in DRT technology.

However you need it to. Charge per passenger, per seat, or book the whole vehicle out to a client. Road XS calculates fares and fees instantly, manages your fleet so the right vehicle is assigned to the right journey, and turns completed trips into invoices without re-keying a thing.

This really depends how you setup your services. Clients, coordinators and your own admin team can all raise bookings through the web portal or by phone to your office. Every request lands in the same place, and the routing engine fits each journey into the most efficient route automatically. Sometimes you won’t have every passenger’s name in advance — Road XS still accounts for them, so you can charge per passenger or book the bus out as a whole.

Day trips and outings, social club and society transport, community excursions, shopping runs and regular scheduled services. You can book the whole vehicle out to a single client or account for individual passengers on the trip, and Road XS handles the fares, the driver allocation and the routing either way.

Group travel covers organised journeys made together: day trips, outings, social club and society transport, community excursions and regular scheduled group services. Whether you book a vehicle out as a whole or charge per passenger on the trip, Road XS combines vehicle bookings, driver allocation, fares and routing so every journey runs smoothly — with smart route technology and live tracking built in.

Patients, hospital and clinic coordinators, and your own admin team can all raise bookings, through the passenger app, the web portal, or by phone into your office.

Every request lands in the same place, return trips can be set up in one step, and the DRT engine fits each journey into the most efficient route automatically.

Eligibility, fares and any care requirements are captured against the patient record so the right vehicle and the right support are always assigned.

Everything can also be controlled through settings so you remain in the complete control.

A community car scheme is a flexible, door-to-door transport service for people who cannot drive or find public transport difficult to access. Volunteer drivers usually use their own vehicles to help passengers attend medical appointments, social activities and other essential journeys.

Managing bookings, drivers, vehicles, fares, compliance and reporting can be complex. Road XS brings everything together in one secure platform, helping community car schemes stay organised and deliver a reliable service.

Patient transport is non-emergency travel to and from healthcare — outpatient clinics, hospital discharge, and treatments such as dialysis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. For people who can’t drive or find public transport difficult, community and commercial operators provide a safe, supported door-to-door service. Road XS lets you, your patients and even hospitals book journeys, then automates the planning and routing to get each patient from A to B safely and efficiently with built-in DRT technology.

Manually calculating journey times, distances, pickup windows and vehicle availability can take several minutes (sometimes 10 or more) for every booking, particularly when multiple passengers and destinations are involved.

Road XS completes these calculations automatically, helping operators assess bookings and plan journeys in moments. This can save hours of administrative work each day, reduce calculation errors and make it easier to respond quickly when bookings or routes change.

Dial-a-Ride services are typically available to people who find it difficult to use conventional public transport, including older people, disabled passengers and those with limited mobility. Eligibility and registration requirements vary between operators and local areas.

Dial-a-Ride is a form of demand-responsive transport, usually providing pre-booked, door-to-door journeys for people who may struggle to use conventional public transport.

DRT, or Demand Responsive Transport, is a broader term for flexible services that operate according to passenger demand. Journeys, routes and pickup times can be adjusted dynamically, often using technology to group bookings and allocate vehicles efficiently.

Flexibility

DRT routes vehicles based on passenger requests rather than a fixed line — to specific addresses or to designated pick-up and drop-off points within an area.

Booking & Scheduling

Passengers book in advance by phone, app or website. Software dynamically schedules and routes vehicles, optimising for travel time, capacity and demand patterns.

Adaptive Service

The number of vehicles, routes and schedules adjust to meet changing needs — ideal for off-peak hours, special events, or less densely populated areas.

Technology-Driven

Advanced technology powers booking, dispatch and routing, with real-time vehicle tracking and arrival updates for efficient fleet management.

Cost-Effective

In low-demand areas DRT can be far more cost-effective than fixed bus services, optimising vehicle use and cutting empty or near-empty runs.

Inclusivity

DRT improves mobility for underserved groups — older people, disabled passengers, and those in transit deserts — with accessible, convenient options.

Demand Responsive Transport (DRT), also known as Demand Responsive Transit or Demand-Responsive Service, is a flexible mode of public transport that adapts to its users’ travel demands, unlike traditional services that run on fixed routes and timetables.

This approach is designed to deliver more efficient and tailored transportation solutions, especially where conventional public transport isn’t viable — in low-demand, rural and suburban areas where coverage is limited.

Community car scheme drivers are typically required to complete a series of checks before transporting passengers. These may include a valid driving licence, appropriate insurance, MOT and vehicle checks, references and a DBS check where required.

The exact checks will depend on the operator, the type of service being provided and the passengers being supported.

Yes, in most cases, volunteer drivers use their own vehicles to transport passengers. However, some drivers may also be licensed or suitably qualified to drive a minibus, which may be used depending on the type of service being provided. Traditionally, community car schemes are primarily based around volunteers using their own cars.

Systems are monitored around the clock, with alerting in place so issues are caught and acted on quickly.

Our EULA is available within the Road XS software and here.

Our privacy policy is available here.

Our information security management aligns with ISO 27001 controls. Our data centres are powered by Google Cloud, which is fully ISO 27001.

Road XS supports the evidence and controls expected of providers working with NHS and patient-transport data.

Road XS is designed around UK GDPR principles, with the controls and records you need to meet your own data-protection obligations.

Our secure facility operates to recognised data-centre assurance standards.

Facilities are access-controlled and monitored 24/7, with environmental protection including fire suppression, climate control and power redundancy (UPS and generators).

Your data is hosted in secure, professionally managed UK data centres.  Other locations are available on request if you operate abroad or have to meet different data privacy and security requirements to the UK data protection laws.

Stored data is encrypted at rest using industry-standard AES‑256 encryption. Any database runs on the exact same instance as the Road XS software. We deliberately configure the environment this way to ensure the absolute lowest possible latency and the fastest possible connection speeds between Road XS and the database.

Our network maintains 99.9% availability, keeping Road XS there when your services need it.

You can view our status page here at:
https://status.roadxs.com

Users can sign in through your organisation’s existing identity provider, so platform access follows your own joiner and leaver process automatically. This can be added based on the information provided from your organisation’s IT department.

Core infrastructure is built with redundancy, so the service continues running if a single component fails.

A firewall sits in front of the application, inspecting requests and screening out common web-based attacks.

Traffic is filtered at the network edge by Cloudflare, mitigating DDoS attacks and blocking malicious requests before they ever reach the application.

Live location and what3words data are processed to support journeys in progress and are not retained beyond operational need. This includes storing locations for a history of estimated route vs route taken, including live pickup and drop-off times, which may assist in efficiency reviews.

Your data is backed up every hour, so a recent, restorable copy is always available should it ever be needed.

All traffic between your team and Road XS is served exclusively over HTTPS/TLS, TLS 1.2, and TLS v1.3 respectivelty. Data can’t be read in transit.

Password standards are enforced and inactive sessions expire automatically, reducing the risk of unattended or unauthorised access.

Key actions across the platform are logged and time-stamped, so you can evidence who did what, and when, for safeguarding and compliance reviews.

Every user sees only what their role permits — drivers, coordinators, finance and administrators each get a scoped view of the data relevant to them.

An additional verification step at login protects accounts even if a password is ever compromised. We currently support Google Authenticator but others can be built upon requirement.