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35% Growth Includes 7 New Municipal and 15 University Systems

Real-time passenger information systems pioneer strengthens its leadership role in the United States and Canada.  Millions of passengers,  thousands of buses, and hundreds of new routes now benefit from NextBus technology.  Total installations approach 65 with more on the way.

Here is the list of 22 new NextBus installations

California-Northern	Unitrans ASUCD/City of Davis
California-Southern	UCLA
District of Columbia	WMATA Washington
Florida	Nova Southeastern University
Maryland	Charm City Circulator
Maryland	Towson University
Maryland	University of Maryland
Maryland	University of Baltimore
Massachusetts	MBTA
New Jersey	New Jersey Transit
New Jersey	Rutgers Univ. Newark College Town Shuttle
North Carolina	East Carolina University
North Carolina	University of North Carolina
Ontario	Niagara Falls Transit
Ontario	Toronto Transit Commission
Pennsylvania	Allegheny College
Pennsylvania	Slippery Rock University
Quebec	Societe de transport de Laval
Texas	University of Houston
Texas	Texas State University

The Happy Bus System Will Now Make Riders Even Happier By Getting Them Where They Want to Go On-Time

Faculty and staff, as well as Slippery Rock University students, are now just one phone call away from tracking the arrival of the next bus. The Student Government Association(SGA) recently installed the GPS-based NextBus passenger information system on the campus buses it operates to help SRU become more environmentally friendly while providing up-to-date bus stop information.

The SGA Shuttle made its debut route around the campus loop in January of 1994. The Shuttle, or the "Happy Bus" as it’s affectionately known to many students, has been a Slippery Rock icon ever since.

The Shuttle takes trips to various regional shopping centers throughout the year.  In August of 2008, a second Shuttle was added and new routes were created to get students where they need to be.

The nine-stop, on-campus 20-minute route runs 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays; the 12-stop, off-campus 30-minute loop runs 7:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. The evening route runs 4:30-9 p.m., and the late-night bus, operated Thursday through Saturday, runs 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

Passengers can now access information about the popular “Happy Bus” schedules either by a dedicated phone line or by selecting “Slippery Rock University” on the NextBus.com website. The system tracks both the on-campus bus and its off-campus cousin that travels to area apartment complexes and stores.

Improving Sustainability with Leading Edge Technology

Tyson Johnston, SGA vice president for public relations, said the idea for the bus schedule computer systems was submitted by SGA to the Green Fund last spring.

“We applied for a Green Fund Grant for $20,000 to help pay for the system, and were selected to receive funding,” Johnston said.

The new systems cost $40,000 with SGA funds covering the remaining half.

“They can hop on a nice warm bus and come to campus,” Johnston said. In addition to saving time, riding the bus will also help faculty and staff save money on gasoline.

Johnston said the system also allows the SGA to count the number of passengers on the buses at any given time as well as track at which stops passengers are getting off.

“Those reports are helpful because it lets us know which stops are being used, which aren’t, and it allows us to make our schedule better,” Johnston said.

One commenter to a NextBus article in the student news site,TheOnlineRocket.com indicated how useful the new system can be:

You can use your Smartphone to get the arrivals information, you can use SMS Texting, you can set alarms that tell you when the bus is coming a set number of minutes before it is predicted to arrive, i.e. send an alert 12 minutes before the bus is predicted in real time to arrive at my stop every weekday morning.

NextBus Info Simplifies System Management

Reporting tools enable efficient operation of the shuttle system. For example, SGA’s Johnston noted that the system also allows the SGA to count the number of passengers on the buses at any given time as well as track at which stops passengers are getting off.

“Those reports are helpful because it lets us know which stops are being used, which aren’t, and it allows us to make our schedule better,” Johnston said.

All in all, the NextBus system will improve transportation life for both riders and managers.

Goal to Make One of Most Efficient Systems in the U.S. Even More Efficient.

Real-time Data Available in Multiple Formats for Passengers

The real-time data is available to passengers in several formats.  Stop predictions and real-time location maps are available on the web – linked from www.unitrans.com or directly at www.nextbus.com.  The real-time information is also available in an automated phone system, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. 

This system can be accessed through the standard Unitrans telephone information number 752-BUSS or dialed directly at 530-204-5529.  To use the phone system, riders only need to know the 3-digit stop number for the stop they are using.  This stop number is now included next to the Unitrans logo on all bus stop signs and is also available through the NextBus web site. 

NextBus also offers rider alerts, to provide riders an automated message when their bus is a selected number of minutes away.  The web site provides instructions on how to use this feature for SMS text messaging, PDAs, iPhones, or standard email.  Additional features will be added in the future, such as displays at major terminals and stops.

Unitrans Operations Improved with Real-time Passenger Data

More detailed real time information is provided to Unitrans dispatchers to assist in handling disruptions in the schedule and to assess where problems are with buses being overcrowded or running late.  The system also provides archived data that Unitrans can use to evaluate existing services and proposed changes. 

The ultimate goal of the real-time system is to make Unitrans easier to use for both regular and occasional riders and to make the one of the nation’s most efficient transit systems even more productive. 

History of the Unitrans System

Unitrans was founded in 1968 as the University Transport System, when the Associated Students of UC Davis purchased two vintage London double-decker buses to operate on two routes.

In 1972, Unitrans was opened to the general public, with partial funding from the City of Davis. Since that time the ASUCD/City of Davis partnership has continued, and now Unitrans provides public transportation service to the entire city with 50 buses on 14 routes, carrying over 3 million passengers a year.

All Unitrans drivers and supervisors, as well as most support staff, are UC Davis students working part-time. Their drivers undergo extensive training and testing prior to going into service. Unitrans safety record is among the best among public transit systems in the U.S. All of their employees pride themselves on providing safe and friendly service.

Summing Up:

Both riders and transit executives will benefit from NextBus real-time passenger information.  Riders can plan their travel efficiently because they can count on accurate arrival times. Unitrans executives can optimize their operations to be both cost efficient and environmentally friendly by getting maximum use from minimum resources.

The System Run in Partnership with the U. of North Carolina Has Leveraged NextBus Technology Since 2006.

Chapel Hill won top honors in the category for cities with populations of under 100,000 for creating the fare-free transit program.

Sponsored by Waste Management, Inc., and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the City Livability Award Program recognizes mayors for exemplary leadership in developing and implementing programs that improve the quality of life in their cities.

Since Chapel Hill Transit became fare free in 2002, it has become the second-largest transit system in North Carolina. Since that time, ridership has risen from 3 million riders a year to over 7 million riders annually projected for 2009.

This program is unique in that while some university transit systems provide fare free service for university students, faculty and staff, very few communities provide free transit service to all riders. The commitment in this community went beyond the University to all citizens in the community in an effort to encourage greater usage of public transportation and reduction of reliance on the single occupancy automobile.

“The Chapel Hill Public Transit system is the foundation of our sustainable future,” said Mayor Foy. “This bus system makes Chapel Hill continue to be the kind of place people love; for us it is an investment and it has paid off big time.”

The University is a full financial partner in the transit system which operates a total of 31 routes with 83 buses and 11 lift equipped vans.

The Chapel Hill community has long encouraged the use of transit over automobile use in central areas of Chapel Hill, including the University. 

Since 2006, the system has employed NextBus technology to simplify operations and improve service for all riders throughout the community.

Two major University of California Campuses to Implement Leading Edge Transportation Management Solutions

Both UC Davis and UCLA operate extensive shuttle service that total more than 30 buses and 19 routes between them. Transportation executives at each location needed to improve the operation of their shuttles to deliver high quality service while simplifying transit operations.

Separately, but for similar reasons, they chose NextBus because of its competitive pricing, reputation, and solid company foundation.  They wanted a stable, financially secure company that understood the transit industry and how to create solutions that are vital to transit management.  They were convinced that NextBus satisfied those needs.

UC Davis: Unitrans Run by Students to Serve the Entire Davis Community Adds RTPIS

Unitrans was founded in 1968 as the University Transport System, when the Associated Students of UC Davis purchased two vintage London double-decker buses to operate on two routes.

In 1972, Unitrans was opened to the general public, with partial funding from the City of Davis. Since that time the ASUCD/City of Davis partnership has continued, and now Unitrans provides public transportation service to the entire city with 50 buses on 14 routes, carrying over 3 million passengers a year.

To make their system operate even efficiently, Unitrans  has contracted with NextBus to provide 50 tracker suites with MDT, automatic passenger counting on 43 vehicles, and the telephone information system. 

UCLA Also Chooses NextBus to Improve Service and Optimize Operations

The magnificent UCLA campus sits on 419 acres at the base of the Santa Monica mountains, five miles from the Pacific Ocean.  Almost 40, 000 undergraduate and graduate student attend the university. 

To provide sustainable transportation solutions for all those students and the rest of the university community, UCLA operates a campus shuttle system. The shuttle incorporates the use of buses and vans that are clean, wheelchair accessible and well-equipped with air-conditioning and comfortable seating.  The shuttle service runs 14 buses on 5 different routes.

To help keep the shuttle running at peak efficiency, NextBus is providing 14 tracker suites with Mobile Data Terminals, 2 portable tracker suites with MDT, automatic passenger counting on 14 vehicles, and a telephone information system.  These tools will deliver real-time bus information wherever riders need it from dorm rooms to iPhones.

Summing Up:

Both riders and transit executives will benefit from NextBus real-time passenger information.  Riders can plan their travel efficiently because they can count on accurate arrival times. Transit executives can optimize their operations to be both cost efficient and environmentally friendly by getting maximum use from minimum resources.

 

The venerable Daily Targum reported on the expected disruptions that campus road construction will cause to student and community riders of the university bus system. 

Director of Transportation Services Jack Molenaar and Manager of Transportation Planning Jennifer Stuart Lane hosted a transportation forum March 25, 2009 to present the department’s proposed changes to bus routes and parking permit rates for the upcoming year.

The Rutgers community has already benefitted significantly from the NextBus system. Since its 2005 launch at Rutgers, NextBus has helped reduce student complaints by 35%. This, of course, is a relief in itself; however, fielding fewer complaint calls also leads to increased efficiency, productivity, and job satisfaction among transit employees at both the administrative and operational levels. And with 65,000 riders each day, increasing student satisfaction with transit services was no easy task without NextBus technology.  

The NextBus real-time passenger system will mitigate the disruptive effect of these changes by keeping riders current on arrivals for every changed stop or altered route.

NextBus Can Isolate Instances of Bad Driver Behavior

The forum also gave an opportunity for students to express particular concerns about driver behavior. Molenaar indicated that NextBus reporting tools could identify instances of bad driver behavior from recorded videos.  This enables transportation officials to take corrective action promptly.

The Daily Targum reported just how transit managers can benefit from NextBus technology:

Students raised concerns about bus drivers not stopping at stops or not stopping when they flag down the BrunsQuick Shuttle. Molenaar and Lane said students should contact the department when this happens.
“We can actually go into NextBus and track that. If you give us the time and just get the bus number we can then see yes, they did not stop for you and bring it up and show them the video and show the bus going by,” Lane said.
Molenaar said with the NextBus technology, they can go back and rewind every route and see exactly what a driver did or didn’t do and can view video at their stops, which have cameras.
“We do have drivers that aren’t good sometimes, and when they get a number of complaints we then ask that driver to be removed from service,” Molenaar said.

 

Margot R., a UC Berkeley undergrad, relies on NextBus arrival predictions to plan her travel and ensure her security.

A typical public transit day for Margot may start early in the morning and end with a trip home from the library in the wee hours. She lives far enough from campus that taking the AC Transit bus is an appealing alternative to walking–because she can count on reliable NextBus predictions.

Margot knows that uncertain traffic conditions often make for uncertain bus arrival times.  But, as she goes through her morning routine, she checks the real-time NextBus predictions as they are regularly updated on her laptop.  That way, she can get to the bus stop a few minutes before the bus arrives and get to her early-morning classes on time.

She notes that the bus arrival predictions are highly accurate, usually within one or two minutes of actual arrival time.  That NextBus accuracy has turned her into a regular AC Transit rider.

Because she often studies late at the library, personal safety is also an important issue for Margot.  Again, because she knows that she won’t have to wait for an unpredictable amount of time in the dark at one or two in the morning, she can confidently plan her travel back from the library to her apartment on the bus.

The combination of AC Transit and NextBus gets Margot where she needs to go everyday both safely and on time.

26,000 Students Will Soon Know Exactly When the NextBus is Going to Arrive

Located on a beautiful 300-acre campus in Fort Lauderdale, NSU has more than 26,000 students and is the largest independent institution of higher education in Florida. Nova Southeastern University is the largest independent institution of higher education in the Southeast, and it is the 6th largest independent institution nationally.

FREE Shuttle Service Serves Entire University Community

All NSU students, faculty, staff, and visitors can ride the shuttle at no charge. Their Shuttle Buses are air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible.

The service is free of charge, but riders making any connections to Broward County Transit (BCT) routes are expected to pay the appropriate fee.

20 buses on five routes will be equipped with tracker suites, mobile data terminals,and automatic passenger counters.In addition,they will be including the telephone information systemthat delivers NextBus information by voice.

The service operates on a 10 minute headway. Addition of NextBus technology will let riders know in case traffic conditions cause  the NSU shuttle bus service to arrive slightly early or late.  This means that riders can plan their travel efficiently even if buses are off schedule.

You can learn more about the NSU shuttle by clicking here. 

The transit industry is experiencing an unprecedented combination of factors that seriously affect transit service provision.  Rising fuel costs have driven many commuters to use public transit as their primary method of transportation to and from work.   To make matters worse, motor fuel tax revenues are down as Americans traveled 3.3% fewer miles during the second quarter of 2008.  The bottom line is that transit agencies are attempting to do much more with much less. That’s where ITS solutions from NextBus come in.

Read more

What We’ve Learned Recently from Our Research about Your Top Challenges

In August 2008, NextBus conducted research among transit executives to determine their most important challenges. 

The five following issues were rated extremely important by more than 75% of respondents.  That is, they ranked these issues 8, 9 or 10 on a scale of 10 in terms of importance to them. 

The NextBus suite of products can go a long way toward tackling these issues and delivering affordable solutions.

Five Major Transit Management Issues Made Manageable with NextBus Solutions 

1. How to run an efficient, on-time system.  A myriad of problems confront transit executives as they work to achieve on-time results both consistently and cost effectively.  AVL & APC technologies from NextBus empower executives by showing them what is working well and what is working poorly for every vehicle and every route.  In addition, easy to generate reports point the way to facilitating changes that can dramatically improve on-time performance for every single route.
2. How to provide a highly predictable route system.  It is impossible to run an efficient transit system without a high degree of predictability.  Moreover, it is extremely difficult to provide that predictability without AVL & APC systems that provide continuous updates–and takes into consideration random factors such as vehicle breakdowns, traffic jams, and unexpected Emergencies.  NextBus was designed from the ground up to provide accurate arrival times across a variety of routes.  Of course, this high degree of predictability benefits both transit executives and their riders.
3. How to gather highly accurate ridership and other operations performance data.  Optimal transit efficiency depends not only on getting buses and trains to each stop in time, but also on the balancing of passenger loads to prevent both overcrowding and empty vehicles.  You can leverage our passenger counting capabilities so that you can even out bus loading at the appropriate time of day on the appropriate route.
4. How to cope with significantly increased cost of fuel.  Real-time passenger information enables you to minimize the use of expensive fuel without compromising perceived service levels.  You can make a broad range of operational changes from major to minor, all of which improve efficiencies. Thus, you can serve more passengers and more routes without needing to add more buses. Because your riders receive real-time arrival information, they can make their travel plans efficiently even when buses run slightly less often.
5. How to increase ridership.  Many more passengers would take advantage of public transit if they believed it to be both efficient and reliable.  Real-time passenger information available anytime and anywhere delivers on both counts.  Because they know exactly when the NextBus will arrive-and can even receive reminder alerts in advance of that arrival–they can make riding public transit more attractive than driving private automobiles.

The bottom-line: By deploying NextBus systems, you can both simplify and improve your transit operations.  Complex decisions become much easier.

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