Why Universities Are Upgrading from legacy solutions to ETA Transit’s CAD/AVL System 

Modern Campus Transit Need Innovative Transit Solutions

Universities face unique pressures: student and faculty ridership satisfaction, limited budgets, and the need for accurate data to secure funding. Outdated systems, consumer-grade tablets, and unreliable reporting only make things worse. 

That’s why Indiana University and University of Delaware made the switch to ETA Transit’s CAD/AVL platform, SPOT. 

Indiana University: Moving Beyond Unreliable Data and Devices 

Snapshot on Indiana University: 
Fleet Size: 28 vehicles 
Number of Routes: 6 routes 
Number of passengers/year: >1 million passenger trips 

At Indiana University, transit technology was failing the operations team with incorrect data. Server crashes, inaccurate ridership numbers, and unreliable hardware created distrust in the system. 

“Our system used to go down two or three times a year—sometimes for days,” said Justin VanLeeuwen, noting that even basic reporting was delayed or inaccurate. 

Key problems with past vendors: 

• Frequent server reboots and hardware malfunctions. 

• Tablet and computer failures created frustration for drivers and staff. 

• Ridership data from was inflated, delayed, or contradictory. 

• Admins lacked access to real-time reporting. 

Why IU chose ETA Transit: 

• “The most stress-free implementation we’ve ever done.” 

• Real-time data access and greater transparency in ridership metrics. 

• ETA’s reporting tools replaced guesswork with confidence. 

• Improved stability: when Verizon’s network went down, ETA’s user-facing system still worked. 

• “We never had this level of information before… and when things go wrong, ETA is on it.” – Justin VanLeeuwen  

University of Delaware (UDEL): A Forced Downgrade Prompted the Switch  

Snapshot on the University of Delaware: 
Fleet Size: 17 vehicles 
Number of Routes: 6 routes 
Number of passenger trips/year: >1 million passenger trips 

UDEL’s transition began with a platform they liked, but the vendor was discontinuing it.  They found the system to be intuitive, reliable, and gave them control over their routing, but when the platform was sunset after an acquisition they were transitioned to a system with fewer features, less control, and frequent outages. 

Key problems with UDEL faced: 

• UDEL lost the ability to make their own route changes. 

• System downtime became a regular disruption. 

• The tablet-based hardware and Pepwave routers proved unreliable. 

• Support was inconsistent, with high account rep turnover and poor communication. 

“We weren’t given a good reason why we had to move to a less capable system,” shared one UDEL stakeholder, commenting on how the new parent company was forcing them to adopt another system. 

Why UDEL chose ETA Transit:

• ETA’s transit-grade vehicle logic unit (VLU) eliminates reliance on consumer tablets, offering a rugged, purpose-built platform. 

• High marks from agency references, especially around responsive support and communication. 

• A sense of partnership and transparency missing from their previous vendor relationship. 

Why Universities Trust ETA

Campus transit faces pressures different from municipal or regional systems. Student ridership expectations are high, budgets are often limited, and service disruptions quickly erode trust. University leaders need a CAD/AVL system that’s easy to implement, affordable to maintain, and powerful enough to deliver accurate reporting and rider communication. 

ETA Transit checks all those boxes. Here’s why: 

• Fast Deployments – Universities can’t afford drawn-out rollouts. ETA implementations average just 8 weeks, minimizing disruption to campus operations. 

• Accurate Ridership Data – With reliable NTD reporting and APC integrations, administrators can prove ridership levels and secure funding without relying on guesswork. 

• Student Experience First – ETA’s SPOT™ passenger app and infotainment tools improve communication, making transit more reliable and rider-friendly for students. 

• Affordable + Scalable – ETA provides robust, transit-grade technology at a price point that fits campus budgets without cutting corners. 

• Trusted Partner – As Indiana University noted, ETA doesn’t just install and disappear. They stay engaged, resolve issues quickly, and adapt solutions for campus needs. 

For universities, ETA offers more than software, it offers peace of mind. That’s why schools like University of Delaware and Indiana University have chosen ETA as the backbone of their campus mobility. 

✅ Faster implementations (weeks, not months) 
✅ Accurate ridership and reporting for funding 
✅ Rugged hardware that avoids consumer device failures 

🚀 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.  

👉 Let’s talk about your transition »