Make Every Rider Count: Smarter Automated Passenger Counter Solutions with ETA Transit & Xovis

The challenge: Why Automated Passenger Counters Still Fall Short

We hear it all the time from transit leaders: “We have APCs, but we can’t trust the counts.”

If you’re using Xovis Automatic Passenger Counters, the problem probably isn’t the sensor. Xovis hardware is among the most advanced and reliable APC technology in the world. The real issue? Your vendor’s configuration, calibration, and integration practices. Without the right expertise even the best sensors deliver flawed data, hurting NTD compliance, costing you funding, and undermining service planning.

ETA & Xovis: Turning Raw Counts into Reliable Insight

In 2013, ETA Transit Systems became the first U.S. provider to deploy Xovis (formerly HELLA) APCs, beginning with the City of Miami, FL. Since then we’ve built a nationwide reputation for delivering high-accuracy installations configured to the unique requirements of each agency

At the heart of this success is ETA’s Vehicle Logic Unit (VLU) which continuously reads data from the Xovis sensors and transmits it in real time to SPOT, ETA’s CAD/AVL system. This gives agencies full visibility into passenger loads as they happen, enabling immediate adjustments to keep service efficient and reliable.

Beyond real-time monitoring, SPOT’s reporting engine transforms APC data into usable intelligence, delivering tabular, graphical, and analytical ridership reports that support planning, performance measurement, and simplified NTD compliance.

Trusted APC Performance by the Numbers

• ETA introduced the first Xovis APC sensors in the U.S. in 2013 to the transit market
• Typical time savings in reporting and certification: Up to 40%
• Average APC accuracy with ETA configuration: Greater than 98%
• Active deployments: 20+ across the United States
• Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV) 457-compliant 99% accuracy
• NTD compliant 95% accuracy

Proven integration, trusted performance

SPOT is a cloud-based CAD/AVL system that integrates seamlessly with Xovis APCs and other transit technologies to deliver real-time passenger insights. When combined, the result is a comprehensive operational view that enables better decisions, improves compliance, and boosts service efficiency. ETA supports full calibration, installation, and certification processes, and agencies benefit from field-proven experience that ensures fast deployment and minimal downtime.

“The fact that the raw APC counts are already within the 5% NTD accuracy threshold without having to discard trips and re-survey gives us peace of mind.”

— Terry Jordan, Director, Space Coast Area Transit

Whether it’s installing and managing new Xovis sensors or integrating your existing deployment, ETA ensures you receive the kind of reliable, audit-ready data that translates into better planning, stronger compliance, and measurable improvements in service delivery.

Why Agencies Choose ETA for APC Deployments  When paired with Xovis APCs, ETA’s SPOT platform helps agencies achieve:

• Audit-Ready Accuracy: Over 98% precision eliminates costly re-certifications
• Streamlined Compliance: On-demand reports tailored to your parameters save staff time and streamline submissions
• Dynamic Scheduling: Use live boarding data to adjust headways and stop patterns in real time
• Equity Monitoring: Understand ridership across communities to ensure balanced service
• Faster Issue Detection: Spot anomalies in passenger counts or stop-level trends to trigger service adjustment
• NTD Survey Automation: Use tools like ETA’s Tally to replace manual clipboard methods

Moving passenger counting into the future

As transit agencies modernize operations and respond to growing passenger expectations, ETA and Xovis provide a proven path forward. Together, we deliver the tools needed for data-driven decision-making, compliance, and operational efficiency, whether you run 10 vehicles or 200.

With ETA’s deep CAD/AVL expertise and Xovis’s APC technology, agencies gain the confidence to act on accurate ridership data and improve the transit experience for every rider.

Ready to Modernize Your Automated Passenger Counting?

Want to bring more reliable APC data to your agency? Contact ETA Transit Systems today to learn how our partnership with Xovis can help you reduce costs, improve service, and prepare for the next generation of transit technology.