The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County has taken a significant leap in public transit modernization. In just five months, RTC shifted its OnRoute CAD/AVL system to the Vontas Cloud, completely rethinking how the agency operates behind the scenes. Along with adding General Transit Feed Specification-Real Time (GTFS-RT) capabilities, this move ensures passengers have live updates while the agency streamlines operations and reduces IT complexities.
Shedding Legacy Infrastructure for a Smarter Approach
For decades, RTC relied on an outdated, on-premises server setup to manage its systems—a cumbersome and resource-intensive solution. Transitioning to the cloud meant moving beyond hardware that required constant maintenance and upgrades, straining IT resources.
“The idea of having servers in the back room really doesn’t make sense anymore,” said James Gee, RTC’s Manager of Service Planning and Innovation. “A more seamless backup means better security and it’s essentially a more robust package that we could build and offer ourselves internally.”
Now powered by Microsoft Azure, the Vontas Cloud helps RTC reduce costs while providing the agility to scale resources in real-time. Freed from the burden of maintaining infrastructure, RTC’s IT team can focus on innovation and improving transit services.
Real-Time Updates Keeping Riders Informed
One of the most notable upgrades in this migration is the introduction of GTFS-RT, a real-time data integration that allows passengers to track buses, receive alerts, and stay informed about potential delays or changes. These live updates give riders accurate information, helping them make better travel decisions.
Providing real-time bus location and arrival updates helps RTC build trust with its riders. This transparency ensures a smoother, more predictable experience for passengers. For a transit agency serving more than five million rides annually, GTFS-RT has become a vital tool, helping RTC elevate daily rider satisfaction.
A Cost-Effective and Resilient System
RTC’s transition to the Vontas Cloud focused on enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs, and strengthening resilience. By eliminating on-premises infrastructure, RTC avoided the costs of maintaining physical servers and leveraged a subscription-based pricing model that aligned spending with actual usage.
In addition to cost savings, the cloud solution enhances RTC’s disaster recovery capabilities. Data is securely backed up across multiple geographic locations, ensuring minimal downtime during disruptions. These measures keep services running smoothly while protecting critical information from loss or cyber threats.
“The transition was absolutely seamless with no issues at all,” Gee emphasized. “In essence, that’s less work for our IT staff, less work for operations, and allows us to just have the latest and greatest and deliver the best product to our customers.”
Accessible Systems for Agile Operations
Moving to the cloud also enables RTC’s staff to manage systems from anywhere, whether in the office, on the road, or working remotely. This flexibility ensures that updates, adjustments, and issue resolutions can happen quickly, no matter the circumstances.
Kevin Robillard, Assistant Operations Manager for Keolis Group, described the change as transformative, highlighting the ability to access the system from a laptop, phone, or tablet as a game-changer for operations. He praised its portability, intuitive design, and overall efficiency.
This accessibility has also simplified the integration of new technologies, allowing RTC to adopt future- forward tools and stay ahead of industry trends without the complexity of managing multiple vendors.
Setting a New Standard for Transit Agencies
RTC’s migration to the Vontas Cloud showcases the transformative impact of adopting modern technology in transit operations. By leveraging the cloud, the agency has reduced IT demands, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced the passenger experience. These advancements provide a roadmap for other transit agencies aiming to modernize and streamline their services.
James Gee, RTC’s Manager of Service Planning and Innovation, noted that transitioning to Vontas Cloud has positioned the agency to deliver a higher standard of service while safeguarding critical data and simplifying future upgrades. “Working with Vontas allows us to basically work with one partner and allows us to be more streamlined and provide better and more accurate information to our customers.”
As transit agencies across the nation face increasing demands for efficiency, reliability, and real-time communication, RTC’s success underscores the importance of embracing scalable, cloud-based solutions to meet riders’ evolving needs.