How One West Coast Transit Authority Overcame Post-Pandemic Challenges with Advanced Communication Technology
Managing a fleet of over 700 buses across 85 routes and thousands of stops, one public transportation authority’s jurisdiction on the West Coast covers more than 500 square miles. Each bus has a Digi cellular router controlled and overseen by Digi Remote Manager®. This technology enables authority managers to utilize real-time computer-aided dispatch, automated vehicle location, and electronic fare systems.
Like transit authorities worldwide, this organization experienced significant engagement shifts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As stores, workplaces, and cultural venues reopened, ridership has steadily increased. The authority plans to expand by 30%, aiming to enhance accessibility with more frequent bus services, new and extended routes, and a focus on reliable service.
This ambitious plan relies heavily on robust communications infrastructure within its vehicles. This infrastructure is essential for improving schedule adherence, supporting electronic fare collection, tracking and sharing bus locations, and maintaining security video feeds. However, many of the transit authority's components need to be updated, some dating back 10-15 years, necessitating a comprehensive upgrade of its entire bus fleet.
“Our mobile access routers on our vehicles had served us well, but they were well out of date and had a higher failure rate,” said a Senior Vehicle Systems Engineer. “We wanted new functionality for electronic fare collection and passenger counts. We wanted to publish real-time scheduling data with vehicle locations. And we wanted to work with a vendor specializing in transit technology.”
They also mapped out a new project using their proprietary signal system to accelerate routes, optimize bus routing, expand capacity, and improve the rider experience along a crucial 15-mile thoroughfare. Connectivity would be critical to its success.
In addition to increasing efficiency, the signal system also offers environmental benefits. The transportation sector accounts for about 29% of all US greenhouse gas emissions - more than any other sector. The system can reduce those emissions by 14% in a large city, which prevents hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2 emissions. Shaving just one second of delay per vehicle-intersection stoppage nationwide would eliminate more than 1.5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.
“We are excited to play a role in our State’s commitment to carbon reduction with this initiative. With fewer buses idling at traffic signals over a year, we can expect to reduce carbon emissions by many metric tons, resulting in a massive reduction in environmental impact and improved air quality. The smart cities movement is all about this sort of thing.”
Durable, Customizable Solutions with DIGI
The transit authority thoroughly evaluated next-generation mobile access routers in collaboration with a technology integration company. They sought a solution featuring modern capabilities, failover redundancy, and remote manageability. They selected the Digi TX64 transportation router, a high-performance device offering dual redundant communications. Their vendor facilitated the installation of Digi TX64 cellular routers on over 700 transit authority buses, equipping each with dual-mode cellular connections and Wi-Fi capabilities.
Ideal for demanding transportation and mobile environments, this 5G and 4G LTE-Advanced Pro cellular router delivers enterprise-class routing, security, firewall, and integrated VPN. It features a flexible interface design, including an integrated Wi-Fi access point, USB connectivity, serial and 4-port Gigabit Ethernet switch, and various configuration options such as dead reckoning GNSS and Bluetooth®. The dual cellular and Wi-Fi modules enable segmented traffic flow for private and public data, supporting fare collection, CAD/AVL data, camera log backhaul, and passenger Wi-Fi access. Additional features like WAN bonding and mobile VPN enhance connection speed, reliability, and security.
Equally important for the transit authority was the capability to manage its routers with top-tier monitoring and management tools, enabling scalable deployment across the entire bus fleet. Using Digi Remote Manager®, the agency leverages a single, secure platform to access data and manage its TX64 devices remotely. This platform allows for secure control to edit configurations, update firmware, and monitor, schedule, and automate tasks from a desktop or tablet.
“Digi TX64 is the perfect fit for the transit authority,” said the Senior Vehicle Systems Engineer, “due to its durability, performance, and flexibility. We appreciate that we can customize the router through Digi Advanced Linux and custom Python apps, making it easy to integrate with our CAD/AVL and other vehicle systems. Digi Remote Manager was another key factor in our decision, as it enables us to manage device configurations across the transit authority’s fleet from a unified interface.”
“But perhaps the biggest reason of all was that Digi was more prepared to respond to our needs. We wanted a product with a long lifecycle, one that can support the newest and emerging standards so that we can do more sophisticated things with our vehicle technology. We knew we could have a successful long-term relationship with Digi.”
Enhancing Passenger Experiences
The vendor acted as the “General Contractor” for the transit authority's bus fleet router upgrade project, overseeing technical aspects and project management. They sourced the Digi routers and Mobile Mark antennas chosen by the customer for the bus retrofit project. The vendor also coordinated with a leading mobile technology implementation subcontractor to handle the installation of the new router and antenna equipment on the buses during both the pilot and production phases.
“We have recently advanced our fare collection technology and plan to introduce other new amenities to enhance the convenience, reliability, and safety of our rides,” said the Senior Vehicle Systems Engineer. “The Digi TX64 is equipped to support our growing vehicle connectivity needs well into the future.”
“Perhaps our biggest improvement is that we now have greater reliability in our real-time dispatch and rerouting. Digi TX64 tells us where the vehicle is every two seconds. We publish that data using the General Transit Feed Specification — a standard format for transit information — and that populates real-time maps on our website showing the locations of our buses. As you can imagine, that kind of convenience is very popular with our riders.”
The same data is also used for another transit authority project, which employs the same signal priority technology to facilitate the movement of larger buses, capable of carrying 60% more passengers, through the busy thoroughfare corridor at higher speeds. “We’re using our vehicle location data to feed our system, giving our buses higher priority and faster trip times. This enhances the rider experience and increases the value we provide,” said the Senior Vehicle Systems Engineer. “Digi’s router has been instrumental in this process.” In fact, the project's success has earned the transit authority, its partners, and other participating agencies an award from the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
“Digi’s technology has been instrumental to our success, of course,” said the Senior Vehicle Systems Engineer. “But just as important has been the quality of the people who’ve worked with us to ensure we succeed. The sales support and Digi Professional Services team teams were instrumental in providing the back-end support needed for a smooth deployment, and they’ve been super responsive along the way — which has made all the difference.”
About MCA and Our CNS Team
MCA is one of the largest and most trusted integrators in the United States, offering world-class voice, data, and security solutions that enhance the quality, safety, and productivity of customers, operations, and lives. More than 65,000 customers trust MCA to provide carefully researched solutions for a safe, secure, and more efficient workplace.
Our Cellular Networking Solutions (CNS) team (formerly known as USAT) is made up of certified experts in designing and deploying fixed and mobile wireless data connectivity solutions for public and private enterprises nationwide - complete with implementation, training, proof of concept (POC), system auditing, and on-site RF surveying services with optional engineering maintenance contracts.
Our extensive catalog of world-class routers, gateways, and software from Digi International, designed for remote monitoring and management in even the harshest environments, allows us to deliver a full suite of reliable technologies capped with a service-first approach.
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