Albany, NY/USA

Integrated Fleet Management for New York’s Capital City

The Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA) provides service to more than thirteen million people annually within the Albany, New York Metropolitan Area. The region is well-known as a major technology metropolis and has been named “Tech Valley” due to the many Fortune 500 companies and major Polytechnic institutions located there. Against this technical backdrop, CDTA partnered with INIT to modernize an Intelligent Transportation Management System (ITMS).

Project at a glance

2300

square miles service area

2800

bus stops

13.5

million boardings annually

336

vehicles

8

zero-emission vehicles

110

passenger displays

The task

CDTA faced a complex challenge: creating a fully integrated mobility solution for customers, stakeholders, and employees. They wanted to enhance customer relationships and deliver a high-quality experience through various channels such as a mobile app, website, on-board signage, and real-time IVR (Interactive Voice Response) feed.

At the same time, CDTA aimed to implement forty miles of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, which required advanced vehicle technology.

The solution

To tackle these challenges, CDTA partnered with INIT to implement an Intelligent Transportation Management System (ITMS). The new fleet management system empowered dispatchers to efficiently manage the agency's 336 vehicle fleet, composed of both electric and traditionally fueled vehicles. Dispatchers also benefited from a state-of-the-art video wall offering a comprehensive view of operations and seamless collaboration with emergency and rescue forces while. supervisors received remote dispatching tablets, equipping them to manage field tasks related to service restorations.

Traffic Signal Priority was a top priority and once implemented  helped improve on-time performance of the agency’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines. In addition, state-of-the-art onboard infotainment displays provided a highly desired passenger amenity.

Automated alerts through INIT’s Vehicle Health Monitoring (MOBILEvhm) system continuously monitor the vehicles ‘conditions, even during operation. It also generates status messages and facilitates easy planning of vehicle repairs. This monitoring is particularly important for CDTA‘s electric vehicles, because aside from clearly displaying the vehicle’s charge level in the fleet management interface, MOBILEvhm also supplies specific information (battery temperature, charging current) to support more detailed vehicle analysis.

CDTA passengers enjoyed a range of benefits through the ITMS interface to the agency’s Navigator app, including real-time transit updates, service alerts, and live navigation. These enhancements provide a more convenient and user-friendly experience for riders.

It was important to be able to stay with INIT as our transit technology partner because the company provided the best mix of proven technology tools and services combined with a well-established track record of delivering successful projects.

Thomas Guggisberg

Director of Information Technology
CDTA

The conclusion

CDTA successfully and seamlessly transitioned to the new ITMS system without any disruptions to normal operations during the entire migration process. This smooth transition was a testament to the careful planning and execution by INIT, ensuring a seamless experience for both passengers and the agency itself. The sustained services provided enhanced convenience to passengers. Moreover, this successful implementation allowed CDTA to meet their goals and objectives for implementing the ITMS, further solidifying their commitment to delivering efficient and reliable mobility solutions to their customers.

Benefits

  • State of the art fleet management
  • Enhanced on-time performance
  • Intuitive handling of various service restoration measures
  • Visual indicators for operational KPI assessments
  • Increased quality of reporting and analytics
  • Improved passenger information accuracy

 

Contact

INIT Sales team

INIT Inc

Virginia/USA