Transit agencies are rapidly adopting intelligent transit technologies to provide safe, efficient, and reliable transportation services to their passengers. One such technology, turn-by-turn navigation, is revolutionizing the industry with visual and audio instructions for vehicle operators that enhance road safety, minimize transit route deviation, and improve the overall transit rider experience. In this blog post, we will explore the various benefits turn-by-turn navigation offers drivers and transit agencies alike.
Enhance Road Safety
A paramount concern for transit agencies is the safety of their drivers and passengers. When operating a transit vehicle, operators must balance road safety, headway spacing, and passenger comfort, which can significantly increase their workload and stress levels. However, by equipping them with turn-by-turn navigation, operators are empowered with guided directions that help them navigate their routes with ease and precision. The visual and audio instructions provided by turn-by-turn navigation work alongside the mobile data terminal (MDT) to minimize the chances of operator error, reduce the risk of accidents, and ensure a safe and timely journey for everyone on board.
Reduce Driver Distraction
Driver distraction is a serious issue that can compromise road safety for those on board and everyone around them. Traditional navigation methods, such as paper maps or manually inputting addresses into a GPS device, can be time-consuming and require drivers to divert their attention from the road. Turn-by-turn navigation eliminates these distractions by providing operators with voice-guided instructions and visual cues on a mounted device—oftentimes customizable to suit the driver’s preference—that lets them easily see upcoming directions without having to look at another device. With their attention focused on the road and the turn-by-turn instructions, drivers can maintain their concentration, resulting in safer driving practices and fewer accidents.
Improve On-Time Performance
Maintaining on-time performance is essential for transit agencies. Deviating from the scheduled route can lead to delays and dissatisfaction among passengers. Turn-by-turn navigation plays a crucial role in ensuring that operators stay on track and follow designated routes. It automates navigation for fixed route and paratransit operators, taking into account factors such as regular, scheduled service, updates to the paratransit manifest, active detours, deadhead routes, or navigating back onto the route in an off-route scenario. It also provides transit automatic vehicle location. By reducing transit route deviation, turn-by-turn navigation helps transit agencies reduce costly routing errors, improve their on-time performance and meet passenger expectations.
Communicate With Drivers Seamlessly
Manual communication between dispatch and operators can be time-consuming and prone to mistakes. With turn-by-turn navigation, many of these costly and inefficient communications can be eliminated. By providing operators with precise instructions and route information, turn-by-turn navigation enables them to continue their routes without unnecessary interruptions. This leads to faster arrival times, improved reliability, and a better overall passenger experience. Additionally, the reduction in manual communication streamlines operational efficiencies and helps transit agencies reduce operating costs.
The Vontas Turn-by-Turn Solution
Turn-by-turn navigation is an invaluable tool for transit agencies seeking to enhance road safety, minimize transit route deviation and improve on-time performance. Up-to-the-minute, highly accurate visual and audio instructions enable drivers to focus on the road ahead and provide fast, reliable service to their passengers. It gives them one less thing to worry about.
Vontas Turn-by-Turn Navigation provides vehicle operators with visual and audio instructions when driving, helping reduce travel times and ensuring better arrival times or quick returns to route. It automatically recalculates upon route deviation and is capable of route options such as faster time or shorter distance that ensure passengers get where they’re going on time. Split screen turning instructions and zoom in/zoom out functionality enable vehicle operators to easily see upcoming directions without having to look at another device—and safety features such as the ability to inhibit the visual display while the vehicle is moving help meet hands-free/device-free legislation requirements.
“The newer drivers and trainers were very excited to have the map and the audible TBT option available. And the various views available are great for allowing each driver to customize to their preference.”
Julie Schultz, Senior ITS Specialist, GCRTA
Vontas Turn-by-Turn Navigation connects and integrates seamlessly with existing in-vehicle devices and systems—regardless of manufacturer—for an agile, scalable solution. Vontas’ native cloud-based applications give transit agencies the flexibility they need to respond quickly and more effectively to changes, protect service levels, and implement their vision for what transit should be for their community. Dynamic re-routing, route creation on the fly, real-time communications, and enhanced predictions enable transit agencies to improve efficiency and performance of their operations.
Learn more about Vontas’ configurable intelligent transportation solutions (ITS) technology.