Transit Resources

In the realm of mass transit technology, it is a rare occurrence to encounter a potential customer who enthusiastically praises their current CAD/AVL (Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location) vendor. To put it simply, transit operators are often dissatisfied with their CAD/AVL vendor. According to our annual surveys of transit agencies, more than two-thirds express their discontent.

In this replay episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono talk with John Maglio, Founder and CEO of ETA, about building transit technology and trust over the long term. John explains how disciplined growth, reliability, and focus shape effective CAD/AVL systems, and why trust is earned through follow-through rather than features. The conversation covers leadership and company culture, what separates vendors from true partners, how agencies can approach RFPs more clearly, and why long-term thinking leads to better outcomes for riders, agencies, and technology providers alike.

Sioux Falls, SD – March 18, 2024 – ETA, a leading CAD/AVL bus technology provider, and Via, the global leader in TransitTech, have partnered to upgrade the Sioux Area Metro (SAM) public transit network in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In a mere four weeks, ETA deployed a state of the art 26 bus fixed route ITS project. More impressively, ETA demonstrated their dedication by completing the bus installation in one week during the December 2023 holiday season. The benefits of the new CAD/AVL System include: Enhanced Reliability: Real-time bus tracking through the CAD/AVL system allows riders to see exactly when the next bus will arrive, improving trip planning and reducing wait times. Improved Operational Efficiency: Dispatchers can optimize routes, manage detours, and respond faster to delays or incidents with real-time data on bus locations. Data-Driven Decision Making: The system gathers valuable data on operational patterns, which can be used to improve service and resource allocation. This collaboration between two leading public transit technology providers is allowing the City of Sioux Falls to achieve its vision of creating a stronger public transportation ecosystem. Since the partnership commenced in early January, the SAM bus network has already seen steady ridership growth, and passengers have enjoyed disruption-free service – a feat in the face of South Dakota’s often challenging winter weather. "ETA is thrilled to partner with Via and the City of Sioux Falls to modernize the SAM system," said Jariel Adler, Director of Business Development and Partnerships of ETA. "Our goal is to provide residents and visitors with a more convenient, reliable, and user-friendly transit experience. Through this partnership, we are leveraging cutting-edge technologies to optimize operations and improve the quality of life for the community." "Via is excited to collaborate with ETA, a team that shares our vision for using intelligent technology to transform public transit networks to create more efficient service and better rider experiences. We're proud of the results we've delivered for the community and we look forward to continued success in 2024," said Emily Shapiro, Via's General Manager for Sioux Falls. Together, ETA, Via, and the City of Sioux Falls are reshaping urban mobility and creating a more connected community. About ETA ETA specializes in CAD/AVL technology to include automatic passenger counting (APC), GTFS and GTFS-RT, traveler information systems, and digital display systems for public transit agencies, universities, and other shuttle bus operations across the United States. For more information, visit etatransit.com, email sales@etatransit.com, or call (800) 382-0917. About Via Founded in 2012, Via pioneered the TransitTech category by using new technologies to develop public mobility systems — optimizing networks of buses, shuttles, wheelchair accessible vehicles, school buses, autonomous vehicles, and electric vehicles around the globe. Building the world’s most efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation network for all riders — including those with limited mobility, those without smartphones, and unbanked populations — Via works with its partners to lower the costs of public transit while providing transportation options that rival the convenience of a personal car while reducing the environmental impact. At the intersection of transportation and technology, Via is a visionary market leader that combines software innovation with sophisticated service design and operational expertise to fundamentally improve the way the world moves, providing technology in 700 communities and more than 35 countries and counting. #ETATransit #MeetSPOT #RideWithVia #TransitTech

Turn up the volume on pre-recorded audio. By John Maglio, President ETAs 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 your riders and fails to measure up to the benefits of pre-recorded audio. I do understand the arguments for the use of TTS: Convenient: You can quickly input a message and it’ll be annunciated Real-time announcements: just type and go. Economical: No need to invest in high-capacity hard drives And truth be told, I’d rather have a text-to-speech announcement system as opposed to having nothing at all. It sure beats asking my drivers to take their eyes of the road to make a manual announcement over the loudspeaker. Safety, after all, is job one. But here’s the rub. Text-to-speech systems do nothing to build your agency’s brand or convey to riders the nuance of local life. Poor quality: No synthesized voice ever sounds a clear as genuine human words Added maintenance: It takes a lot of effort to tweak pronunciation engines to correctly enunciate words and phrases It’s part of my job to ride public transit systems, and I sometimes must stifle a laugh when I hear the text-to-speech audio botch the pronunciation of a stop. What is not funny is to see the passengers cringe at the error. It’s not hard to see that it bothers them, or to strain to understand what the message says. That’s a disconnect of brand, value, and sense of community, and ultimately that hurts the relationship between agency and customer. Pre-recorded audio enhances the agency’s relationship with its customers Your riders are just as important to the lifeblood of your operations as your agency is to their ability to get from points A to B. It’s a co-dependent partnership worthy of effort to ensure the highest possible transit experience. Adding value to the transit experience is straightforward and can be as simple as getting the pronunciation of key streets and landmarks correct. It’s a matter of local pride; it shows investment in the community. Pre-recorded audio is a solution to the shortfalls of text-to-speech systems, and it’s one I firmly believe provides transit agencies with greater options to engage customers and deliver a highly localized experience. Pre-recorded audio is more economical than you’ve been led to believe The knock on pre-recorded audio has long centered around two issues: Expensive: Audio generates large file sizes and requires high-capacity hard drives Long turnaround/production time: Audio recordings are manually processed and require coordination between voice talent and production studios The cost issue is never one to be taken lightly, however in the specific case of the file size of custom audio is rooted in decade-old thinking. The truth is that modern high-capacity hard drives are cheap. Pre-recorded is faster to implement that you may think The other argument, the turnaround time remains a valid concern. However, I would offer that it is not as large an obstacle as you may think. Agencies with an established relationship with an audio production facility often turn around high priority recordings by the next business day—sometimes sooner. When you think about it, how often do you really need to generate a real-time on-board message? The truth is that it’s a rare occurrence, often relating to a temporary traffic delay or situational emergency. By the next day, or even an hour later, that situation is no longer an issue. In most cases, your traveler information systems (i.e. bus-tracking websites, mobile apps, station and on-board signage), have already pushed out the notifications to your passengers and solved the immediate need for any TTS solution. Your typical use for text-to-speech is for long-standing purposes. Permanent stops, or repetitive alerts. Any changes to routes or stations is going to come with a significant amount of planning and forethought, so why not make the effort to do it right? I’ve been in the transit space since the early aughts. In all my time delivering transit technology to agencies across the country, I am hard pressed to recall many instances that truly merited real-time text to speech capabilities. With the right partnership between agency, recording studio, and thoughtful selection of local talent, custom audio production can easily be turned same day. Use pre-recorded audio to span geographic and ethnic boundaries Pre-recorded audio provides a chance to truly deliver precisely the tone and personality you seek to strike when communicating with your passengers. Barriers exclusive to TTS engines—gender, dialect, multilingual, emotion—all disappear with custom recorded audio. Recently, we implemented a custom-audio solution for South Florida’s Tri-Rail system which provided not one, but three distinct custom recordings—English, Spanish, and Creole—to better appeal to regular customers and tourists, alike. The customer chose his vocal talents, directed the proper enunciation, and approved the final audio before deployment; a process that proved to be very popular with their riders, visitors to the region, and employees alike. But what about voice talent? What if the person who recorded your initial audio moves or is no longer available? It’s not an unreasonable question, and a persistent challenge to maintaining a consistent audio library. In the nearly 20 years that I’ve advocated custom audio, this issue has cropped up from time to time. Our solution to this issue has been to re-record all audio for our transit customers at no additional charge. It’s not a sales pitch, nor is it a questionable business decision—not if maintaining the dedication to providing the best available product for our clients is the end goal. Lifetime recording is factored into the initial budget, and truthfully, we plan on changing out audio every couple of years as routes are added, dropped, and altered. Still, delivering the highest quality experience for passengers is the driving factor behind the decision, and when quality of engagement and an enhanced ridership experience is the goal, it’s worth it to us to provide this level of service. Isn’t custom audio more expensive? The answer truly depends on how one views the cost of a product or service. There’s the up-front cost of doing something, and then there’s the long-term cost; there’s the cost of having something done right, and the cost of having to repeatedly redo something because the effort to quality was sacrificed in favor of a lower initial investment. What is the cost of having 100 audio files produced correctly over the span of a day or two, versus the cost of having to pay an employee to manually adjust and tweak the pronunciation of 100 text-to-speech files? How much time does that take when you factor in employee costs and lost productivity toward other critical job functions? Consider a more real-world analogy: Have you ever bought the cheaper paper towels because you wanted to cut costs at the grocery store? Have you noticed that those cheaper towels weren’t as absorbent and you used twice as many to clean up that glass of spilled milk—or that because of the cheaper towels it took twice as long to clean up the mess? Is the up-front cheaper cost really a savings if it takes more time to complete, or results in a less efficient solution? Pre-recorded audio delivers on its potential. Pre-recorded audio delivers a better end-product in terms of clarity, quality, and options to transit agencies looking to build long-term brand value and deliver a heightened ridership experience. Many of the factors that initially contributed to the rise of TTS (cost, turnaround) simple aren’t as relevant as they once were. It’s not that text-to-speech is a bad solution, it’s just that it’s not as good a solution as custom audio. When the value impact of its production are factored in, including the boost to rider satisfaction and improved overall experience, doesn’t it make sense to give pre-recorded audio another listen? — For a demonstration of ETA's SPOT® Intelligent Transit System, please click here or call 1-800-382-0917.

Boca Raton, Florida May 1, 2025 – ETAs, a prominent provider of cutting-edge transit technology solutions, is pleased to announce the successful deployment of a CAD/AVL project in collaboration with Greenville Area Transit (GREAT). The project was kicked off in October 2024 and was installed within 4 months.

Bloomington, IN – June 17, 2024 Indiana University (IU) has partnered with ETAs, a leader in innovative transit solutions, to enhance its campus shuttle bus service. This collaboration strengthens IU's commitment to providing a diverse range of sustainable transportation options for students and staff. IU selected ETA after a rigorous evaluation process involving eight vendors. ETA impressed with: Exceptional Customer Satisfaction: ETA boasts a 97% customer renewal rate, reflecting their dedication to long-term client success. Durable Hardware: With 20 years of experience in transit-grade hardware, ETA offers robust technology built to endure daily use. Feature-Rich User Interface: ETA's proposal stood out with the most features presented in a user-friendly format. Previously, IU relied on tablet-based MDTs (Mobile Data Terminals) that experienced reliability issues. This new system, implemented ahead of schedule in May 2024, features a core CAD/AVL (Computer- Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location) platform with significant benefits: Improved Rider Awareness: Automatic onboard announcements keep passengers informed of upcoming stops. Enhanced Ridership Data: Real-time automatic passenger counting provides valuable data for service optimization. Seamless Trip Planning: GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) and GTFS real-time data integration allows riders to plan trips efficiently. Elevated User Experience: A variety of passenger information systems improve the overall transit experience. "We are excited to partner with Indiana University on this project," said ETA project manager Joshua Adler. "By implementing innovative technology, we are confident we can significantly improve service efficiency and the user experience. This collaboration exemplifies how advancements in public transportation technology can benefit everyone."

Tally was inspired by my experience as a transit planner at LeeTran in Fort Myers, Florida. A year in as a transit planner, I was tasked with overseeing the average passenger trip length surveys for the fiscal year 2016-2017. At that time, LeeTran's Automatic Passenger Counters (APCs) were not certified for National Transit Database (NTD) reporting, which forced us to use manual methods for collecting data on boardings and alightings. This labor-intensive process involved generating random trip selections, calculating distances between stops, and manually entering data into spreadsheets for analysis.

In the final episode of their Miami-Dade series, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono talk with Doug Bermudez, Chief of the EASY Card Fare Programs and Customer Experience Division at Miami-Dade County Transportation and Public Works. Doug shares how his path from frontline customer service and marketing led to overseeing the fare programs, contact center, and rider communications that shape how people experience the system. The conversation explores Miami-Dade’s evolution from paper transfers and smart cards to contactless payments, fare capping, third-party apps, and account-based ticketing. Doug also discusses why technology only works when it removes friction for riders, how agencies can use feedback to find gaps, and what it takes to prepare a regional transit system for the World Cup.

Dr. Liliane Finke, CEO of ExecuCoach 360, joins Christian and Levi to explore her 24-year journey in public transit and the lessons that shaped her approach to leadership, professional development, and organizational culture. They discuss how she rose from an entry-level marketing role to leading organizational development, why continuous learning matters at every stage of a career, and what it takes to drive meaningful change in regulated environments. Dr. Finke also reflects on her transition into executive coaching, the mindset shifts that unlock growth, and her guidance for anyone considering their next chapter inside or beyond public transit.

Boca Raton, Florida 2/7/2024 – ETA is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a contract by the Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation (BPTC) for a comprehensive CAD/AVL system replacement project. This significant partnership marks a pivotal moment in the advancement of public transportation technology, bringing forth innovation and improved services for the Bloomington community that utilizes Bloomington Transit. ETA is proud to highlight the following key components of this transformative project: A cutting-Edge CAD/AVL System Bloomington Transit will undergo a major transformation by replacing its outdated CAD/AVL system with ETA cutting-edge, web-accessible platform. This state-of-the-art system promises to revolutionize fleet management and tracking, elevating operational efficiency and passenger satisfaction. Seamless Integration Our advanced CAD/AVL system will seamlessly integrate with Bloomington Transit’s existing onboard equipment, ensuring a smooth transition and minimal disruption to daily operations. This integration will enhance real-time data collection and reporting capabilities. Elevating Passenger Safety Safety is paramount, and the addition of the Covert Emergency Alarm feature underscores our commitment to passenger security, providing an added layer of protection for both riders and operators. Automatic Voice Announcements (AVA) Passengers can anticipate an improved travel experience with Automatic Voice Announcements (AVA), offering clear and timely information about stops and essential updates during their journeys. APC Integration (APC) The integration of existing Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) sensors with the SPOT system will empower BPTC to collect precise ridership data, facilitating route optimization and resource allocation. GTFS-RT Compatibility ETA's CAD/AVL system fully supports the General Transit Feed Specification – Realtime (GTFS-RT), ensuring passengers have access to real-time information on routes, schedules, and service disruptions. Streamlined Access Simplifying the passenger experience, our system will offer a single sign-on solution, streamlining access to digital signage and critical transit information for riders. Passengers will be utilizing the SPOT app to track buses and see bus stops and schedules in real time. Joshua Adler, Project Manager at ETA, shared his insights on the project's success, stating, "Our dedicated team's expertise and commitment to excellence allowed us to complete installation on all 38 buses within an impressive four-week timeframe. This achievement showcases our unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional results to our clients." John Connell, General Manager at BPTC, states, "This contract underscores BPTC's dedication to delivering high-quality, dependable, and secure public transportation services to the Bloomington community. The new CAD/AVL system represents a significant stride in enhancing passenger experiences and operational efficiency and is the first of many technology upgrades as the transit system implements the TransformBT Strategic Plan. We are looking forward to using the data from the ETA to make critical decisions and guide the future of transit in the region." ETA is excited to collaborate with BPTC on this project and looks forward to providing quality customer support to both the public transportation agency and the Bloomington community. For more information about Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation and its services, please visit https://bloomingtontransit.com. About ETAs: ETA is a leading provider of innovative transit solutions, committed to revolutionizing public transportation for agencies and passengers alike. Our state-of-the-art technology is designed to enhance efficiency, safety, and the overall transit experience. ETA specializes in CAD/AVL technology to include: automatic passenger counting (APC), GTFS and GTFS-RT, traveler information systems, and digital display systems for public transit agencies, universities, and other shuttle bus operations across the United States. For more information, visit etatransit.com, email sales@etatransit.com, or call (800) 382-0917. Facebook: @ETATransit Twitter: @ETATransit LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/etatransit #ETATransit #MeetSPOT

Levi and Christian sit down with Jorge Espinoza, Interim Scheduling Manager at Houston METRO and founder of the Cruzero trip-planning app, to talk about the power of information in transit. From building rider tools in Bolivia to optimizing schedules in Houston, Jorge shares how data, design, and empathy create better service for both riders and operators.

In this episode of Stop Requested, hosts Levi McCollum and Christian Londono sit down with Joel Rey, Director of Transit Services and Principal Associate at Benesch, to explore his 36-year journey in transit planning and consulting. Joel shares how a single university course sparked his passion for transit, leading to a career that has shaped mobility across Florida and beyond. From launching new transit systems from the ground up to navigating mergers and fostering a culture of mentorship, Joel offers candid insights into the challenges and triumphs of the industry. The conversation unfolds as Joel reflects on the evolution of transit planning, describing how his early hands-on research experiences grew into leading large-scale projects. He recounts key lessons from implementing transformative transit services such as LakeXpress and the SunRunner BRT, highlighting the importance of balancing community aspirations with financial realities and the critical role of stakeholder education. The discussion then turns to the impact of emerging technologies like microtransit, autonomous vehicles, and AI, and how these innovations are poised to disrupt and enhance the future of public transportation. Joel also shares practical advice for young professionals entering the field, emphasizing the value of soft skills, mentorship, and perseverance, and underscores that meaningful impact in transit often takes time and a willingness to engage with a broad range of projects and people.