Why Transit Agencies Are Switching Their Legacy CAD/AVL Providers  

Reliability Over Legacy Vendors 

Transit agencies aren’t just looking for new software—they’re looking for stability, transparency, and a partner that understands the realities of running a public transportation system. Too often, legacy CAD/AVL vendors sell a product and disappear until it’s time for renewal. Agencies are left dealing with downtime, unreliable hardware, and limited visibility into what’s really happening on the street. 

By contrast, ETA Transit offers a different path: 

• Transit-Grade Reliability – Our hardware is built specifically for buses and shuttles, not repurposed consumer tablets that fail under daily stress. 

• Actionable Data – ETA’s reporting tools ensure ridership, on-time performance, and operational insights are accurate and real-time, helping agencies secure federal funding and make smarter service decisions. 

• True Partnership – Agencies like TARTA and Bloomington Transit praise ETA not just for technology, but for listening and collaborating on solutions tailored to their unique needs. 

• Proven Track Record – With more than 100 projects deployed and over a 90% customer renewal rate, with many clients sticking with ETA for over 10 years, agencies know ETA delivers results and stays engaged long after implementation. 

This shift isn’t about chasing the newest brand. It’s about agencies realizing that innovation, service, and accuracy directly impact riders, funding, and day-to-day operations. That’s why more agencies are leaving legacy providers and choosing ETA. 

Bloomington Transit: From Frustration to Partnership 

About Bloomington Transit:
Fleet Size: 48 vehicles (VOMS)
Number of Routes: 14 routes
Number of passengers trips/year: 2+ million passenger trips

For Bloomington Transit, the difference between ETA and larger competitors came down to customer support and problem-solving. 

Key challenges with previous vendors: 

•  Frequent system issues with little follow-up or ownership 

•  Larger vendors failed to provide responsive, consistent support 

•  Agencies often felt like “just another number” 

“We’ve used ETA as an example to other vendors—when something goes wrong, ETA’s response is, ‘Let’s work on a solution.’ With others, it’s often, ‘We don’t do that.’” – John Connell, Bloomington Transit 

Why Bloomington chose ETA Transit: 

•  Support teams who respond quickly and stay with the problem until resolved 

•  Technical assistance even beyond ETA-provided systems (e.g., helping with APCs not supplied by ETA) 

•  A collaborative relationship where feedback is heard and acted upon 

Bloomington Transit demonstrates how ETA’s customer-first approach outperforms larger, less flexible vendors. 

TARTA (Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority): Custom Integration and Operational Security 

About TARTA:
Fleet Size: 90 vehicles (VOMS)
Number of Routes: 28 routes
Number of passengers trips/year: 1.8+ million passenger trips

When TARTA issued an RFP for a new CAD/AVL system, they had specific challenges to solve—including replacing an end-of-life radio system and improving driver-dispatch communication. 

“We needed a closed radio system. Our old setup meant drivers could be overheard across the entire system—even during disputes or emergencies,” said Lucas Boehm, TARTA’s IT Director. 

Why other vendors didn’t work: 

• Larger vendors lacked flexibility and failed to listen to TARTA’s needs. 

• Lucas recalled feeling like “just a number or a paycheck.” 

Why TARTA chose ETA Transit: 

• ETA worked collaboratively to integrate a closed radio system that provided operational security and rider privacy. 

• Custom development allowed for backup systems and redundancy, critical to TARTA’s continuity planning. 

• Feedback loops between TARTA and ETA helped shape product enhancements. 

“With ETA, I feel like a true partner. They don’t just say ‘we can’t do that’—they say ‘let’s figure it out.’” 

Why More Agencies Are Switching  

Agencies aren’t just seeking feature-rich systems—they’re looking for partners who care about the day-to-day experience of operating transit. 

At ETA, that means: 

✅ No more vendor silence when things go wrong 

✅ Hardware and software that are built for transit—not retrofitted consumer tech 

✅ Access to real-time data that’s accurate, transparent, and actionable 

✅ Support teams who stay with you and know your system inside and out 

As John Connell from Bloomington Transit put it: 

“We’ve used ETA as an example to other vendors—when something goes wrong, ETA’s response is, ‘Let’s work on a solution.’ With others, it’s often, ‘We don’t do that.’” 

🚀 Ready to Switch? 

Whether you’ve outgrown your current system—or never fully trusted it to begin with—we’d love to show you what Reliability Meets Innovation looks like. And switching vendors doesn’t have to be daunting if you select the best partner for the job!   

👉 Let’s talk about your transition