Brady PieperPennsylvania is stepping forward in the national transportation revolution, announcing its own first-of-its-kind public transit technology that will enhance bus systems’ transparency and passengers’ access to service.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is finalizing the Fixed Route Intelligent Transportation System (FRITS), a $32.6 million statewide technology and smartphone application that makes bus travel easier, safer and more efficient for all riders. FRITS, now fully implemented across 33 transit agencies, will allow for residents to plan routes more efficiently on reliable timeframes and update transit agencies on bus services.
The FRITS initiative is designed to create an intelligent transit system (ITS) that could inform both public and municipality-based interests. The technology provides real-time updates on bus services and ridership levels to the public and transit agencies, seeking to improve public bus systems at almost all fixed-route transit agencies across the state.
Via an on-bus dashboard, the system tracks key performance indicators (KPI) regarding time, location and ridership and analyzes the data to provide real-time updates on service changes and bus availability in urban and rural communities. The technology also utilizes several running times analysis, vehicle health monitoring and transit asset features that improve agencies’ ability to coordinate service and maintain bus fleets.
Similar initiatives in regions operated by Pittsburgh Regional Transit and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority already have implemented some form of ITS. On a larger scale, PennDOT’s FRITS initiative will provide all Pennsylvanians better access to this public transit technology statewide.
Pennsylvania transit riders will have access to real-time updates and can track buses using the “myStop” app on smartphones. In addition to universal fare collection cards, residents will be able to plan trips seamlessly through an integrated hub for transit services, including routes through different transit agencies.
Complementing FRITS, PennDOT also required all transit agencies participating in the project to certify bus routes with Google Maps to offer passengers another option for trip coordination.
The state’s 33 participating transit agencies will now utilize FRITS’ full KPIs and metrics to monitor bus locations, track vehicle wear and tear, assess driver performance and ensure vehicles stay on schedule. The system also automatically counts passengers as they board and disembark, generating valuable data to ensure agencies’ efficient operations.
Transit agencies will continue to work with the project partner, Avail, and PennDOT to provide additional training, technical expertise, updated strategies and support opportunities as FRITS continues operations.
Now primed, PennDOT’s ambitious FRITS system will build upon and inform dozens of other novel state, city and transportation authority-led efforts to vastly improve transportation systems and customer experiences across the nation.
An artificial intelligence (AI) pilot program in Maryland will retrofit traffic lights with automated technologies to create a network of AI-integrated signalized intersections, seeking to improve transportation systems’ efficiency.
Unlike FRITS, Maryland’s AI-empowered network will track private vehicles, public transportation services, emergency service vehicles and pedestrians in real-time and optimize signal operations to best reduce travel time and congestion.
Another public transit optimization initiative, led by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), will integrate innovative and automated technologies into transit systems to improve resilience, efficiency and reliability.
Outlined in the state’s recently released AI Strategic Plan, TxDOT intends to use AI and AI-enabled analytics to incorporate safety measures, augment real-world situations and inform agencies on transportation metrics over the next three years.
Throughout the nation, states and transportation authorities are developing innovative transportation technologies, including ITS and AI systems, to retroactively address rising rates of traffic congestion and crashes on roadways. Pennsylvania, Maryland and Texas’ novel transportation solutions will kickstart what will continue to be a national revolution in public transit and travel safety technology.
