News and Events

here you can find News and Events for STAR

STAR launches new in-cab safety reporting capability at Coach & Bus Live at the NEC

5th & 6th October 2011

The team from the award winning school transport system will be showcasing STAR, including its new in-cab safety reports, at Coach & Bus Live, on Stand J55 in the Technology Zone, Halls 17 and18 of the NEC, Birmingham, Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th October.

It will be an ideal opportunity to see at first hand how personalised smartcard technology combines with GPS vehicle tracking to enable coach and bus operators to monitor live, real time information about the passengers on board, boost productivity and drive down costs.

Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, the company behind STAR, explains: “We’re looking forward to demonstrating how the STAR system works and how a small, simple to use console in a driver’s cab can bring huge benefits and solutions, such as two-way voice and text communication between the driver and base, live manifests and automatic ticket validation."

We’ll be showing a new addition to the system - an in-cab safety report whereby key safety checks have to be confirmed by the driver at the start of each journey. We believe it’s the first of its kind in the UK.”

For more information go to: www.coachandbuslive.com/

STAR selected by independent schools

June 2011

The innovative school transport system is now being rolled out by a major independent schools group in the UK. STAR improves the safety of students as they journey to school and provides parents and carers with real time, online information on the whereabouts of their child’s bus whilst helping schools to get the most from their transport operations.

Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, said: “We’re delighted to be working with independent schools across the country. There is a real synergy between the enhanced quality of service and pupil safety which STAR can bring to a school’s student transport provision and the ethos that schools have of providing the best care to their students.”

Independent research confirms the value of STAR

March 2011

Cambridge University Business School has conducted a Cost-Benefit analysis of the STAR system and their results reveal a quick financial pay-back from installing the school transport communication system.

The quantitative and qualitative study centred on interviews with Local Authorities and analysed a model of 500 buses, 11,500 home-to-school transport users and a total student population of 60,000. The research concluded that STAR would achieve an estimated annual cost saving of over £1m and a pay-back period of less than a year.

Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, said: "Whilst we have had awards and very positive feedback from clients and bus operators about the safety and financial benefits of STAR it is great to have independent verification of the system’s value and potential from such a well regarded institution as Cambridge University.”

UK STAR wins 1st Runner Up prize in global competition

September 2010

Loughborough-based GEP Tec has won world wide recognition for its STAR system, winning the first of the Runners Up prizes in the international European Satellite Navigation Competition, ‘Galileo Masters’, 2010.

Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, said "It’s fantastic to receive this award and the recognition within Europe and across the world for the STAR system’s innovative functionality and how it improves the safety for school children travelling to and from school.”

STAR wins Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Award

June 2010

GEP Tec’s STAR system has been named the winner of the Award for ‘Innovation and Excellence’ by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) UK in this year’s Cymru-Wales National Transport Awards. STAR was nominated for the prestigious award by client Denbighshire County Council who used the smart card technology as a key part of its Zoom project to tackle anti-social behaviour on school buses in North Wales. Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, said "STAR has beaten stiff competition to achieve this accolade and our team is proud to receive recognition from CILT, the professional body for transport practitioners, for the values driving the STAR operations.”

STAR launched on new, smaller, cheaper size device

June 2009

GEP Tec has launched its latest hardware platform for the innovative schools transportation software solution STAR. The new 4.3” device is significantly smaller than the previous 7.0” unit, driving down cost but maintaining the high speed and easy-to-use graphical interface.

Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, said "GEP Tec continues to develop STAR both in terms of functionality and usability but we are also firmly focussed on driving down the price points of the devices to help drive large-scale adoption by Local Authorities, bus operators and schools.”

STAR smart cards tackle anti-social behaviour on school buses in North Wales

June 2009

The STAR system has been selected to take part a new project, ‘Zoom’, to tackle the growing problem of anti-social behaviour on school buses in North Wales. The Welsh Assembly Government is working with the Welsh Local Government Authority to develop the year-long project. It is being headed up by Denbighshire Council and aims to improve behaviour on school buses, in particular amongst Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils.

Peter Daniels, Transport Manager at Denbighshire Council and head of the Zoom project, explains how STAR will work: “It’s very much like the scheme in London where an Oyster card user boards a bus and taps in and then taps out when he or she gets off. Using GPS tracking parents will know exactly where their pupils are on the bus. It will help support the schools, by ensuring that pupils actually get into school. They know they’ve been on the bus and can track them through the day and back home again.”

STAR launched in London

March 2009

Camden Council has taken the school transport safety and communication system STAR on board its school and SEN buses for the first time, on a trial basis to improve safety, information and service operations. The STAR system software has been ported especially for Camden Council to use with their existing computer hardware.

Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, explains: “We’re delighted to work with Camden Council to help them investigate how using the STAR system can enhance the safety and improve efficiency of their school transport provision. We have customised the STAR programme specifically to match their existing computer hardware so that they can use STAR on their buses.”

STAR represents the UK at the World Mobile Congress, Barcelona

February 2009

GEP Tec’s new STAR system has been selected for its innovation to represent the UK’s wireless sector at Microsoft Corp’s World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Spain, from 16th to 19th February 2009.

Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, said: “We’re very pleased to have STAR’s technology recognised and to be able to showcase its potential and benefits on the world stage.”

Addressing the World Congress, Steve Ballmer, CEO Microsoft said: “No matter what goes on in the economy over the next few years, I guarantee you that technology and innovation are on a forward, upward and exciting curve, of which we are all glad to be a part.”

STAR taken on board by Bedfordshire County Council

September 2008

Bedfordshire County Council is conducting a one-year trial of GEP Tec’s new STAR schools transport communication system across its fleet of buses, as part of its continued drive to improve student safety.

Farhad Fassihi, MD of GEP Tec, said: “This is an important step forward in bringing STAR to the attention of Local Authorities and we’re delighted to have our new system trialled in this way. I was inspired to develop STAR when I was concerned about the safety of my own son when he travelled to and from school by bus. The system will help Bedfordshire County Council improve both the safety and also the efficiency of their school transport service.”