Blog

Transit Discussion in real-time.

Staff Engagement: Turn staff doubters into doers

Posted on January 10, 2020
By Matt Schroeder
Staff Engagement: Turn staff doubters into doers

Staff engagement is a critical, yet often overlooked component to new system adoption. As advanced and capable as the current generation of intelligent transit technology is, its performance will always be hampered by incorrect or inconsistent use. For all the time and resources spent in securing these solutions, it’s important to also invest in those people charged with using the system most frequently. A staff that sees technology as a benefit to their responsibilities, and not an obstacle, will outperform those who cannot make the association between technology and performance.

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Vendor selection: Find that forever friend.

Posted on December 13, 2019
By Matt Schroeder
Vendor selection: Find that forever friend.
The bond between agency and ITS vendor should last long after the sale. By Matt Schroeder Director of Marketing, ETA Transit Systems What makes for a good partnership when it comes to vendor selection? I mean, you’re spending hundreds of thousands—maybe millions—of dollars on a new intelligent transit system. You have sales reps from at…
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3 key preparations to consider before autonomous transit arrives.

Posted on November 19, 2019
By Matt Schroeder
3 key preparations to consider before autonomous transit arrives.

Autonomous vehicles are more of a novelty at this point, available in a few select areas. However, 52 percent anticipate that within 3-5 years, they’ll be in the market. That’s not a long time to develop, test, and procure solutions to satisfy the ancillary considerations related to self-driving vehicles.

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Turn your bus into a cashmobile.

Posted on October 14, 2019
By Matt Schroeder
Turn your bus into a cashmobile.

Digital advertising on vehicles is coming. It’s already been adopted heavily in Europe, and the United States is gradually warming to the idea. there is a strong case to be made that the technology can add a new, profitable revenue stream to any advertising agency, and that there is a public demand for such a system. Digital advertising (also known as infotainment) leverage onboard displays (typically LCD) or public address systems to provide riders with route updates, news, weather, sports, local events, and local advertising. Unlike the traditional printed advertising, digital advertising doesn’t have an inventory problem. A transit agency can sell multiple ads on to any screen. Digital advertising is being looked at as a way for agencies to enhance their offerings, improve reputation, build brand value, and of course, create a new revenue channel they can use to help cover operating costs and invest more proactively in their service.

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Part II: Marketing transit on the cheap.

Posted on April 11, 2018
By Matt Schroeder
Part II: Marketing transit on the cheap.
We're continuing our look at what local public transit agencies can do to market the technological investments they've made in their operations. If you haven't done so yet, take a few minutes to Read part 1: Changing the perception about public transit to get some background information about the challenges public transit operations face when…
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Part 1: Marketing transit on the cheap.

Posted on April 4, 2018
By Matt Schroeder
Part 1: Marketing transit on the cheap.
Is it a fair assumption to say that public transit has a perception problem? When we poll riders and non-riders alike, adjectives like dirty, slow, uncomfortable, inefficient, and unsafe appear with regularity. A look into pop-culture reflects the industry much the same way; dirty taxis, buses that belch smoke, trains that are loud and crusted…
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Bridge the revenue gap with on-board infotainment systems

Posted on September 30, 2017
By Matt Schroeder
Bridge the revenue gap with on-board infotainment systems
Public transit is ready for some screen time. Advancements in mobile data delivery has opened a substantial opportunity for transit agencies to improve the overall transit experience, attract riders, and create a new revenue stream to help supplement operations, improve service to core constituents, and support area business. It’s no secret that revenue and funding…
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3 tips to build a right-sized transit tech spec.

Posted on August 30, 2017
By Matt Schroeder
3 tips to build a right-sized transit tech spec.

See if this sounds like you…

You work at a transit agency, and you wear a lot of hats. And not only are you overworked, but your staff is too. Most days, success is defined by just keeping your buses moving smoothly. You desperately need an upgrade to your Intelligent Transit System (or perhaps you just NEED an ITS), and after years of lobbying and cajoling your agency’s administrators you finally have both the approval and funding needed to begin the procurement process.

But there’s a catch (there’s always a catch) … YOU must be the one to write the RFP.

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Forget text-to-speech for your on-board announcements, pre-recorded audio is better.

Posted on July 26, 2017
By Matt Schroeder
Forget text-to-speech for your on-board announcements, pre-recorded audio is better.
Turn up the volume on pre-recorded audio. By John Maglio, President ETA Transit Systems Full disclosure: I’ve always disliked text-to-speech (TTS). It’s a wholly impersonal means of conveying critical information to passengers. From the sanitary, robotic pronunciation to the complete lack of support for local multi-lingual dialects. TTS is a poor way to connect with…
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Has your transit agency embraced digital communications?

Posted on June 13, 2017
By lltetamain
Has your transit agency embraced digital communications?
You know that shiny new Intelligent Transit System (ITS) your agency just invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to deploy? Well, odds are, you’ve only scratched the surface of one the most powerful and impactful features—its digital communication capabilities. We're talking automatic voice announcements, automatic stop announcements, and passenger information display system—the whole shebang. Digital…
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