Transit Resources

In this episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono talk with Dottie Watkins, President and CEO of CapMetro in Austin, Texas. Dottie began at CapMetro as a part-time bus operator more than three decades ago and now leads the agency through a period of service expansion and long-term investment. The conversation explores how changing travel patterns are reshaping Austin’s transit network, from more local and crosstown service to new Rapid bus routes. Dottie also discusses Transit Plan 2035, Project Connect, supporting frontline employees, and balancing today’s service with the work of building a stronger regional transit system for the future.

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.

This week, Stop Requested replays our conversation with Megan Perrero, Editor-in-Chief of Mass Transit Magazine. Levi McCollum and Christian Londono revisit a discussion about how transit stories are reported and how coverage shapes agency credibility and rider understanding. Megan reflects on how her experience as a daily Chicago rider informed her journalism, the role of trade publications in the industry, and why transparency and clear communication matter for public buy-in. The episode also covers sector trends, the 40 Under 40 program, and advice for new journalists. If you missed it the first time, this episode offers a useful perspective on the connection between media, messaging, and public transit.

In this special replay episode of Stop Requested, Levi and Christian revisit an essential conversation about Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) technology and its impact on public transit agencies. With the 2025 APC recertification deadline set by the FTA fast approaching, they break down why agencies need to act now and the operational benefits of certification. They also highlight ETA’s innovative tool, Tally, designed to streamline APC data collection, saving agencies time, reducing costs, and ensuring compliance with NTD reporting requirements. If you missed this episode the first time, now’s the perfect time to catch up!

In this special roundtable episode of Stop Requested, ETA CEO John Maglio joins hosts Levi McCollum and Christian Londono, along with Stephen Kuban, CEO of KTS, to compare what they are seeing and hearing about AI across the public transportation industry.

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.

The bond between agency and ITS vendor should last long after the sale. By Matt Schroeder Director of Marketing, ETAs What makes for a good partnership when it comes to vendor selection? I mean, you’re spending hundreds of thousands—maybe millions—of dollars on a new intelligent transit system. You have sales reps from at least a half dozen vendors whispering in your ear about what you should do, what you shouldn’t do, which competing vendor has a poor reputation for service, which provider has unreliable hardware … in the end, it’s a lot of noise that you have to sift through. What benchmarks and criteria do you set for your selection? Now, before we go too far into the woods on this topic, let’s get a few things out of the way first: Every vendor says they excel at customer service. Every vendor says they have next generation technology. Every vendor says they’ll have your back; that they’re in this for the relationship, not the sale. Every vendor says those things—and so does ETA for that matter. We mean it, and I have no doubt our competition means it as well. But in the end, all those promises, all those claims, merely add up to background noise easily forgotten among pages of technical details and product offerings. In the end, you know what agencies most often cite as the deciding factor? Price. And that’s a shame, because there are some truly substantive differences between transit technology providers; differences which can make for a ho-hum addition to your operations, and life-changing, supercharged ‘holy crap can life get any better than this’ miracles. We know this, because it’s our job to research our competition and know their systems and capabilities, just as well as they do. If you’re selecting on price, it’s because you haven’t really done your homework—or your prospective vendors haven’t done an adequate job differentiating their solution from the competition. Either way, both outcomes do a disservice to you and your aspirations for this new technology you’re pursuing. In the spirit of both irony and complete candor, there’s a reason why vendors hype customer service, technology, and relationships as the key differentiators. They’re the areas where you’re going to feel the impact of your ITS purchase the most. So how do you select the right vendor?  Step 1: Define your expectation for an ideal vendor partnership Before you really dive into the technical requirements, sit down with your key stakeholders and map out the qualities you want in a potential vendor. No, we’re not talking about the features of the system, but in the staff, culture, and approach to the personal side of business. You define the criteria for how you judge the people you’ll be working with, because in most cases, you’ll be stuck with them for the next 3-5 years. Do they listen to you when you speak, or are they simply waiting to make the next pitch? Do they follow up your messages and questions in a timely fashion, or do you have to chase them down for answers? Do they possess an eye for detail, or do they need reminding of key situational needs? Do you feel a personal rapport with them and look forward to conversations, or do you cringe whenever answering a call or sitting through another webinar? Whatever criteria you’re looking for in a partnership, start with the personal side. If you’re not comfortable in the short run, it’s not going to get any better one, two, or three years down the road. Step 2: Does their reputation live up with their references? References are a tricky thing. When I hire new staff, I seldom ask for references because I know they individuals they provide are certain to give glowing reviews. It’s not rocket science, so don’t take a glowing recommendation from a vendor-provided resource at face value. Instead, see if you can get a full list of their customers—especially those clients who either have long-term relationships with the vendor (customers longer than 5 years), or those who no longer use the vendor. You’ll get the straight scoop from those references. Step 3: Collaboration or dictation? How much effort does a potential vendor put into truly understanding your agency’s situation. Do they ask exploratory questions designed to uncover truth, or leading questions designed to steer you down a specific path? Is the exchange of ideas two-sided? Does the vendor tell you what you need, or do they listen before offering up suggestion and recommendations to better identify all possible solutions? Collaboration is a good method to understand the nature of a future working relationship. Ideally any interaction should be positive, open, and honest; you should walk away feeling energized and optimistic about the future of the procurement. Step 4: Warning signs. There’s a reason why in step 1 we recommended setting expectations. A vendor that fails to meet your non-technology criteria isn’t likely to be a long-term ally when it comes to diving deep into technical application. Look closely at the issues that just don’t align with your expectations for a vendor relationship.When you get into the technology, be sure to ask real questions; hard questions; situational questions. If you’ve done your research, push for answers to any concerns about their reputation and the reliability of their product. See if they give you the straight scoop, or if they try an evade providing a clean reply. Step 6: System offerings. Examine their solution carefully and make sure that the features and capabilities serve to directly address the challenges your agency is looking to solve? Is their system too high-powered? Under-powered? Do you find yourself reassessing and compromising beyond your comfort level? What level of control does their solution provide—can you self-manage most aspects of system performance, or do you have to rely on them for changes you’d rather handle yourself? Short of having unrealistic expectations (e.g. cost vs. features), be sure to take note of how far you’re moving off your desired solution while researching systems. Don’t place all your hopes on personality or bottom-line cost; ultimately, it’s your job and reputation on the line, so make a sound investment based on real issues and solutions. Make the wise call and hold out for the items that really matter. Step 5: Intangibles. These are hard to detail because they vary from client to client. It’s a good thing you set your expectations early on because the intangibles a vendor provides, whether it be personality or responsiveness or product knowledge, will become more apparent as your exploration into your ITS solution advances.Many people like to state that it was logic, reasoning, and research that resulted in a decision, but that’s never 100 percent true. Emotion, or a gut instinct, is often the deciding factor. On paper two technology solutions may line up favorably, but in the end, it will be the intangibles that help you feel confident in your selection. Final thoughts Relationships are the key to any successful endeavor. You must trust the people you work with, and you need feel respected, valued, and part of the solution. Selecting a low-price vendor because of the cost is a terrible way to decide, and more times than not, it’s a choice that leads to greater stress and disappointment. Not necessarily because the technology was inferior, but because the alignment of personality, service, and technology didn’t perfectly align. Make choices based on all available information and with an eye toward the future, because it’s that long-term relationship based on trust and mutual respect that will ultimately deliver results.

Boca Raton, FL. March 28, 2024. Richland County Transit (RCT), operator of the Mansfield, Ohio public bus system, has awarded a contract to ETAs, a leading provider of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) solutions. The contract includes a comprehensive Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automated Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) system

In this episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono talk with Eric Goldwyn, professor at NYU and director of the Transportation and Land Use program at NYU Marron. Eric shares what the Transit Costs Project has learned by comparing nearly a thousand transit infrastructure projects around the world.

We’re bringing back one of our most insightful episodes of Stop Requested! Hosts Levi McCollum and Christian Londono sit down with their very first guest, Yash Nagal, Director of Transit Planning at Palm Tran. In this conversation, we explore the nationwide rise in transit ridership, dive into innovative approaches like Palm Tran’s Buslink program, and discuss how service frequency and system integration can reshape public transportation. Yash offers expert insights on aligning services with community needs, the impact of land use, and the power of storytelling in advocating for better transit.

Greenville Area Transit (GREAT) has partnered with ETA to bring modern tracking, automated passenger counts, and ADA-compliant announcements to its citywide bus system, providing accurate data for federal reporting and a smoother ride for passengers.

Introduction All-in-one tablets are unreliable and unsuitable for public transit applications. Instead, transit agencies must consider investing in transit-grade computers to record and display mission-critical information. Functioning onboard digital devices are essential to: improve operating efficiencies. automate NTD data collection. and enhance the rider experience. Though consumer-grade tablets and all-in-one Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) with built-in touchscreen displays have become popular choices for transit agencies, these devices are not durable enough for harsh transit environments. In fact, 8 out of 10 transit agencies interviewed in 2023 have cited unreliable hardware as their primary challenge. Malfunctioning hardware is unacceptable for modern transit systems. In this blog, we will explore the reasons why tablets do not work for transit applications and discuss the advantages of using transit-grade computers with separate touchscreen MDTs. Consumer-grade tablets and all-in-one computers are designed for everyday use, but they fall short in the demanding conditions of transit environments. There are a few key reasons for this: Unreliable: Consumer-grade devices are not built to withstand the continuous vibrations, extreme temperatures, and harsh conditions common in public transportation systems. Over time, these factors lead to system failures and downtime. Consequently, agencies grow extremely frustrated with missed onboard announcements, loss of APC data, inaccurate NTD reporting data, and irritated riders due to incorrect bus arrival predictions. Unprotected: Transit agencies need to ensure the security of their systems and data. All-in-one solutions that combine processing and the touchscreen display are installed in exposed locations since the bus operator needs to interact with the system. This placement is more susceptible to theft and tampering, causing decreased system reliability and increased service disruptions. Upkeep: When these all-in-one devices fail during revenue service, it is inconvenient, time-consuming, and costly for transit agencies to manage. In this era of staffing shortages, transit agencies cannot afford to spend their time troubleshooting malfunctioning equipment as essential as MDTs. The Benefits of transit-grade computers with separate touch screen devices To address these challenges, transit agencies should consider using transit-grade computers with separate MDTs that do not have any processing responsibilities or complex operating systems. This design offers several advantages: Durability: Transit-grade computers are specifically designed to withstand the harsh conditions of transit environments. They are built with dependable connectors and housed in protective enclosures, ensuring reliability and longevity. Simple, functionally limited MDTs provide the bus operator with an intuitive driver interface and touch screen to interact with the system but do not impact bus operation or data collection. Security: By separating the touch screen display from the computer, a “dumb” terminal eliminates the risk of system failure or theft affecting the entire system. If the touch screen is damaged or stolen, the system can continue to operate without disruption. Simplified Maintenance: With a “dumb” terminal, updates and maintenance are managed centrally, reducing the burden on transit agencies and ensuring consistent performance across all devices. Cost-effectiveness: While the initial investment in transit-grade computers and touch screen MDTs may be higher than consumer-grade devices, the long-term benefits of reduced maintenance, increased reliability, and improved security make them a more cost-effective solution. Conclusion As transit agencies continue to embrace technology to enhance their operations, it is crucial to select devices that can withstand the harsh environments they will encounter. Consumer-grade tablets and all-in-one computers may seem like an appealing choice, but they are ultimately unsuitable for the demands of public transportation systems. Eventually, the bargain all-in-one solution will cost the transit agency unexpected time and money. By investing in transit-grade computers and touch screen MDTs, transit agencies can ensure the reliability, security, and longevity of their systems, ultimately providing a better experience for both operators and passengers.