From the back office to on-route logistics to the in-vehicle rider experience, transit operations are complex. Transit agencies need tools that are effective, efficient, and user-friendly. They also need a solution that makes implementing new functionality easy—because without that, even the most innovative technology remains an unfulfilled promise.
The right transit solution can make a big difference by delivering the modularity, cloud technology, and ease of implementation that empowers transit agencies to deliver a reliable, convenient, and enjoyable experience for their riders. Let’s explore the ways in which agile implementation enhances the ability to meet unique operational requirements and grow seamlessly as ridership expands.
What to Look for in a Modular Transit Solution
Adaptable, configurable solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing mission-critical software give transit agencies the agility they need to modernize operations in a manageable, timely, and cost-effective way. That seamless integration ensures that information is shared and in sync across systems at all times, and that updates go off without a hitch. A unified, fully integrated system, as opposed to one built on interface-based architectures, confers a number of benefits.
Modular technology integration and modernization – To take advantage of new technologies, transit operators need an agile platform that features industry-standard APIs for in-vehicle equipment and back-office software solutions. They also need a platform that eliminates vendor lock-in and proprietary integrations that limit choice and put them at a disadvantage as technology advances. Specifying ITxPT certified functionality when purchasing new systems or upgrading current ones can widen the aperture on best-fit solutions, reduce integration costs, and increase deployment speed.
Faster time to value – On-premises and cloud-based solutions give transit agencies more technology deployment, usage, and management choices than ever before, shortening time to value for new components, features, and product releases. They also enable employees to view critical operations data from single-pane-of-glass dashboards that are easily accessible from any device, anywhere. The result: maximum visibility and flexibility across the entire operational landscape.
Role-based workflows – Delivering precisely the information that employees need to do their jobs eliminates extraneous data and keeps analysis paralysis at bay. Role-based workflows, screens, and fields help employees focus quickly on the task at hand, personalizing the user experience. Straightforward training for vehicle operators, maintenance specialists, and dispatch center employees makes it easy for them to feel confident learning and operating the technology they rely on every day.
Real-time data – Real-time data, combined with the history of a vehicle’s position and telematic alerts, gives riders and operations teams the most up-to-date arrival predictions possible and improves their ability to make informed decisions fast. This is critical when it comes to on-time performance and the customer experience. Using a platform grounded in real-time information eliminates the need for a third-party vendor for arrival prediction and service disruption features.
How Fresno Area Express Implemented a State-of-the-Art CAD/AVL System
With a 20-year-old CAD/AVL system, Fresno Area Express (FAX) needed to upgrade outdated vehicle hardware and software across its fleet to meet the expectations of its transportation customers. With legacy hardware preventing them from implementing software upgrades, the company turned to Vontas to deliver a system centered on 5G cellular infrastructure. By using cellular data, FAX gained access to real-time information it didn’t have before, giving them:
- Up-to-the-moment information about schedules, delays, detours, and alternative routes for passengers
- Integration with automatic passenger counters (APCs) to make timely decisions about services
- Real-time vehicle information, telematic alerts, and fault data for operations and maintenance teams
FAX also plans to implement onboard Wi-Fi throughout their fleet, which is something their ridership values. You can read more about their project here.
The Vontas OnTransit Advantage
Vontas OnTransit is a configurable solution for intelligent transportation systems (ITS), yard management, and payments that helps transit agencies simplify operations, create efficiencies, improve performance, and positively impact their service delivery to customers through technology innovation. It gives operators an agile, adaptable, and cost-efficient solution that serves as a hub for integrated components that can be implemented seamlessly as needs change and ridership increases. Among the features of the OnTransit modules:
- Vontas OnRoute for bus provides up-to-the-second situational awareness of every vehicle, and tailored service restoration tools such as dynamic re-routing and route creation on the fly.
- Vontas OnTrack for rail creates a continuous, real-time data connection between vehicles, operators, and the back office to prioritize events, manage workflows, and deliver external data where it needs to be to streamline operations.
- Vontas Yard Management for bus and rail pinpoints the position of every bus and/or rail car in the fleet, improving on-time arrivals, enhancing worker safety, and giving dispatch and maintenance teams data in real time for greater productivity and a superior rider experience.
- Vontas OnBoard for open data and standard API approach to product integrations.
Learn more about Vontas OnTransit for agencies and operators.