Transit Resources

Driver monitoring technologies exist to identify ineffective behaviors that could impact overall performance, increase rider satisfaction, and contribute to unsafe vehicle operation. Among the more popular solutions on the market include: speed tracking, excessive idle monitoring, schedule performance tracking, and collision avoidance.

As universities gear up for the fall semester, we revisit episode from April featuring Levi McCollum and Christian Londono's conversation with Shelley Strimaitis, Planning and Special Projects Manager at Bloomington Transit. Shelley shares her journey from experiencing Singapore's transit system to leading innovative projects in a vibrant university town. Shelley provides her insights on the transformative power of live vehicle tracking and how Bloomington Transit is using microtransit to fill service gaps while prioritizing fixed-route services. Discover how thoughtful transit planning is reshaping public transportation for university communities.

In this 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.

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 represent two persistent issues for transit agencies across the country. Ridership is down in most major cities[1] and fares are on the rise. Mass transit operators are caught in a difficult position. They know the demographics of their riders skew toward lower income households with 65.7 percent earning under 50,000 per year.[2] Rising costs seem at odds with an industry whose primary users are those of limited financial means. Modern intelligent transit systems (ITS) help optimize operations and efficiency of mass transportation operations. They can streamline routes. Data collected from these systems can help identify obsolete stops, save on fuel expenses, and identify passenger behavior. While these systems can help skinny up the bottom line, they don’t provide a new pathway to increased revenue. For that, you need advertising. On-board advertising The placement of ads on mass transit vehicles isn’t a new concept. We’re all familiar with big printed signs plastered on the sides of the local bus, or larger-than-life posters displayed at stops. Print is very 20th century, and our society is very high-tech—and very connected. That’s where on-board and at-station infotainment systems come into play. Infotainment provides a multimedia platform that delivers information to travelers via existing or new-installs of high-definition digital displays. The implementation of an infotainment system can help agencies leverage captive “eyeballs” in ways that improve the rider experience—and can generate a potentially huge revenue stream. For example, the Metro in Washington, D.C. will earn over $20 million in advertising revenue this year. Its high definition displays outperform its static, printed ads by 400% (Klein, 2017). In the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, Metro Transit operations see 65 percent of its revenue come from just 38 displays at two stations (Klein, 2017). Digital displays mean more inventory The presence of digital displays provides greater inventory than traditional static, printed placards. This means that more ads are be sold on vehicles and transit stations, which translates into a greater opportunity for higher advertising revenue. Leverage existing on-board GPS-features to trigger ads that run at specific locations or times. Clearly an ad that runs at the same time a the bus passes next to a participating store or restaurant represents a significant value to the advertiser. The size of a transit agency is of little concern. Even small, five- to 10-bus operations can benefit from incorporating these systems on their vehicles. A common concern is bandwidth; large transit agencies have larger budgets and devote resources to selling space on their vehicles. Smaller agencies however, have minimal staffing with fewer resources to dedicate to advertising sales. “Partnerships are extremely important, especially for the smaller agencies,” adds Maglio. “Many billboard companies such as Comcast or Lamar are ideal candidates to sell into your available inventory, as will local advertising agencies. Making these places aware of the existence of these systems makes generating revenue easier.” Infotainment systems can inject critical new funding into any transit operation while increasing brand value and improving the overall ridership experience. “It certainly makes for a more enjoyable ride and affords the transit agencies the resources to make significant investments into other areas of their operations,” concludes Maglio. Boca Raton, FL-based ETAs provides complete intelligent transit systems, including infotainment solutions. For sales and information, please call 800-382-0917 or visit etatransit.com [1] (Klein, 2017) [2] (American Public Transportation Association, 2007)

In this episode of Stop Requested, Christian Londono and Levi McCollum explore the global landscape of battery electric bus adoption. From Shenzhen's fully electrified fleet to the ambitious goals in Latin America and Europe, they examine the challenges, successes, and trends shaping zero-emission transit worldwide. Tune in as they discuss the impact of policies like Buy America, the role of global manufacturers, and the environmental implications of electric vehicle batteries. Don't miss this insightful continuation of their series on zero-emission vehicles!

One of the more popular feature requests we receive for our SPOT™ ITS platform is digital pre-and post-trip inspection, also known as driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIR). It certainly seems that transit operators are eager to transition from manual or paper processes to connected digital logging and report solutions. Historically trip inspection involves four things: A driver A clipboard A pre-printed paper form A pencil or pen It’s a wonderfully simple process: a driver walks around a vehicle, looking for signs of damage, maintenance concerns, or any number of issues mandated by transit management. He documents his findings and turns the form over to a supervisor for followup. There are concerns, of course. A driver, late to start his route, may not give the inspection process the time it requires (pencil-whipping) and will miss some important safety items. An administrative assistant may not notice that she transposed some numbers when she use the inspection report to create a work order for the maintenance team. The documents themselves are easily lost or subject to the perils of office life, like spilled coffee or misfiling. And let’s not get started with how poor handwriting can impact an inspection report. These are among the many issues that digital inspection aims to solve: Eliminate transcription errors Minimize “pencil whipped” inspections Improve the ability of the maintenance teams to manage repairs and engage in proactive maintenance Improve vehicle safety Eliminate the expense of printing/reprinting maintenance forms Automatic notifications to maintence or fleet supervisors of potential issues The move from manual processes to digital inspections isn’t a concern among transit operations. They welcome it and all the benefits it brings to their agency. The software for implementing these inspections exists and is transit-tested. Making the switch to digital Deciding to make the switch is the easy part, now comes the hard part—which DVIR technology to choose? And this can be tricky because due to the current limitations of transit technology, there are some nuanced approaches to solving the trip inspection question. On the surface, it would seem obvious that every inspection solution would involve a portable device that a driver or maintenance team member would use to log the inspection. In truth, when ETA began exploring the creation of a DVIR solution, that’s exactly where we started—with a removable mobile data terminal (MDT). We quickly found out that a removable MDT ran into connectivity issues. No matter how securely that MDT was mounted on the bus or shuttle, the act of removing and reseating the device wore down the pin connector and charging cables over time. In just a matter of months, the removable MDT option became unusable and could no longer be counted on to provide data to the ITS or charge reliably. What about Qi chargers you ask? We explored that as well and found very few transit-tested ruggedized wireless charging options—an example of where the technology hasn’t matured to the point where its ready for prime time mass transportation. We explored a mounted MDT solution as well. This approach solved the communication and power issues, however it introduced other drawbacks to the solution. Inspections took longer, accuracy suffered, it was impossible to take photos of areas of concern, and drivers became more likely to “pencil whip” through the process which negated any benefit as a solution for safety or maintenance issues. We also took a deep dive into Bluetooth™ technology to see if strategically places switches on the vehicle would present drivers with a simpler inspection tool—each button would represent an inspection item. If an item was okay, set the switch to “yes,” if there was an issue, select “no.” It was an interesting approach, but lacked the detail necessary for meaningful followup by maintenance teams. Limitations of accurate Bluetooth™ communication over distance also proved a challenging obstacle to overcome. Our journey forced us to take a step back and consider the factors that would influence the choice of DVIR solutions—not from a place of technology, but of real-world considerations. Understanding what a driver or maintenance team needed was a more important driver of choice than conquering the limitations of technology. We identified the following factors that are critical to address before a trip inspection is implemented: Device security: Do they store the inspection device in the vehicle or secure them elsewhere? Can they afford to replace trip inspection devices if they are damaged or stolen? How long is the replacement cycle for damaged or stolen devices? Data management: How will they manage the data collected? Will this data import require additional software development? What is the criticality of this data to other areas of the operation? Are there costs associated with processing and storing data? How long is data stored/accessible? Driver safety: Is there room on the vehicle to install the device? Would installation block driver access to other vehicle systems? Will installation obscure driver view of the road, doors, exits, etc.? Technology adoption: Is the solution easy to use? Does the solution present a significant learning curve for drivers, dispatchers, and maintenance teams? What will be the level of resistance toward the adoption of this feature? How might the system be exploited or subverted? Have all parties been consulted and included in the decision-making process? Our recommended solution Our path to DVIR discovery let us to a path that we hadn't originally considered—the use of a rugged smartphone to handle inspections. The solution checks all the boxes: Puts an affordable portable device in the hands of drivers to log potential issues Protects data collection integrity by keeping MDTs secure and locked down Requires very little real estate within the driver cockpit to install a charging dock (or can reside in a driver's pocket) Delivers hours of battery life Provides a secure platform from which to operate and allows the same device to be used elsewhere—such as VoIP It’s a simple, yet elegant solution that simplifies trip inspection and improves the safety and reliability of a transit fleet. It’s a solution that we our are proud to introduce to the market. If you’d like to learn more, please visit etatransit.com/pre-trip-inspection or call a member of our sales team at (800) 382-0917. Closing thoughts A pre-trip inspection solution can provide numerous advantages to transit operation and contribute to the overall safety and reliability of the fleet. Sometimes there is a gap between what software can do and the availability of hardware to support it. Nowhere is this more evident than the current state of driver vehicle inspection technology. Still, a transit agency may have to weigh the adoption of a DVIR solution against potential shortcomings that may not lead to a “right-fit” adoption. Our advice is to speak with your ITS provider and solicit outside vendors to take full stock of your available options before making that transition from paper to digital inspection. Once you find that ideal blend of technology and features, you’ll be amazed at how much your fleet will benefit from cost savings, reliability, and performance.

<span data-slate-node="text"><span class="sc-ewnLsh HEmfz" data-slate-leaf="true">In this episode of </span></span><span data-slate-node="text"><span class="sc-ewnLsh HEmfz" data-slate-leaf="true"><em>Stop Requested</em></span></span><span data-slate-node="text" data-slate-fragment="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"><span class="sc-ewnLsh HEmfz" data-slate-leaf="true">, Christian shares insights from the APTA Transform conference in Anaheim, giving Levi a peek into the highlights and energy of the event. From packed expo halls to exclusive sessions on customer experience, Christian recounts key moments, including ETA's sponsorship of a session featuring top transit leaders and a conversation on prioritizing the customer experience at every level. Tune in as they explore the value of networking, the unique perspectives gained on the vendor and agency sides, and the experiences that make conferences essential in the transit industry.</span></span>

David Carr, Director of Zero Emissions Bus Programs at CapMetro, shares how Austin’s transit agency is driving toward a fully zero-emission fleet. Hear about the rollout of battery-electric buses, the groundbreaking solar-powered charging infrastructure, and the real-world challenges of electrifying public transit-from workforce training to integrating new technologies. Get an inside look at one of the nation’s most ambitious sustainable transit transformations and what it means for the future of Austin’s mobility.

In this episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono talk with Mark Hughes, founder and Principal Transit Experience Lead at Transit Experience Group and Chief Design Officer at Mark Hughes Creative. With a background in product design, digital experience, and customer experience, Mark brings a private sector design perspective into the transit industry. The conversation explores how riders experience transit through human interaction, why frontline employees shape trust in the system, and how training can better prepare operators for real world conditions. Mark also discusses wayfinding, communication during disruptions, rider confusion, and why customer experience is not separate from operations.

In this episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono talk with Christina Villarreal, Executive Director of LIT, a national nonprofit focused on workforce development, mentorship and leadership in the transit industry. Christina shares her path from the nonprofit sector into transit and how LIT has evolved to support a broader and more inclusive pipeline of professionals. The conversation explores mentorship, leadership development, and the importance of making training and career opportunities more accessible across the industry. They also discuss common misconceptions about careers in transit, how agencies can better support employee growth, and why building a strong workforce pipeline is critical to the future of public transportation.

Join hosts Levi McCollum and Christian Londono as they sit down with Jeremy Baker, Director of Finance at the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), for an eye-opening conversation about the financial realities facing public transit today. Recorded live from Transport Ticketing North America 2025 in Chicago, Jeremy breaks down the key funding mechanisms that keep transit systems running—from property taxes to sales taxes to farebox recovery. He tackles the common misconception that transit should "pay for itself" like private companies, explains the differences between public agencies and private rail operators like Brightline, and discusses the looming "fiscal cliff" threatening agencies nationwide. With experience at both Palm Tran and SFRTA, Jeremy offers unique insights into the differences between bus and rail operations, the politics of transit funding, and why cutting service creates a dangerous downward spiral. He also previews his upcoming conference presentation on fare collection project challenges and shares advice for transit professionals navigating these turbulent financial times.

In this episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono talk with Coree Cuff Lonergan, CEO and General Manager of Broward County Transit. Coree shares how Broward is building on its bus network through TransitFORWARD 2040 and PREMO, the county’s long-term effort to create a more connected, multimodal transit system. The conversation explores Broward County’s plans for bus rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, high-frequency bus service, and stronger connections between the airport, seaport, convention center, and surrounding communities. Coree also discusses community engagement, listening sessions, program delivery, eliminating transit deserts, and BCT’s role in supporting regional travel during the World Cup.