BOARDINGS & ALIGHTINGS BY ROUTE
LOAD TREND
Incomplete ridership data creates real planning and reporting risk
Ridership data affects more than one report. It shapes service changes, funding requests, board conversations, NTD reporting, and how agencies explain demand across their network.
When counts come from manual tallies, sample periods, disconnected systems, or reports that do not reconcile cleanly, staff are left filling gaps by hand and defending assumptions they may not fully trust.
ETA helps agencies move from partial ridership snapshots to clearer passenger count data that can support decisions across planning, reporting, and operations.
Manual counts leave gaps
Survey weeks and clipboards can help estimate demand, but they rarely show the full pattern of how riders use service by route, trip, stop, time of day, and direction.
Reporting takes too much staff time
When ridership data has to be pulled, cleaned, checked, and rebuilt manually, planning teams lose time that could be spent reviewing service and improving outcomes.
Service decisions need stronger evidence
Route changes, grant applications, budget requests, and board presentations are easier to support when ridership data is consistent, explainable, and tied to actual service activity.
From passenger counts to certified reporting data
APC is most valuable when passenger counts can be reviewed, validated, and used with confidence. ETA connects APC hardware, service context, and Tally workflows so agencies can move from raw counts to ridership data that supports planning, service review, and NTD reporting.
Sensors collect boardings and alightings
Compatible APC sensors count passenger activity at vehicle doors, helping agencies capture boardings and alightings with less reliance on manual counts.
Counts are matched to service context
Passenger count data is connected to route, trip, stop, schedule, and time, so staff can understand where ridership is happening and how it relates to actual service.
Tally supports review and validation
Tally helps staff review APC data, resolve issues, and manage the validation work needed for reporting and certification.
Agencies use the data with confidence
Once APC data is validated and certified, agencies can rely on it for NTD workflows, service planning, board reporting, and long-term ridership analysis.
Support for APC certification, not just passenger counting
Tally
Tally helps agencies manage APC review, validation, and reporting workflows. It gives staff a clearer way to review passenger count data, identify issues, support certification, and prepare ridership information for NTD reporting and internal use.
Helps agencies move from raw automated counts to data that can support reporting.
Supports review of ridership data, identification of exceptions, and issue resolution before reports are finalized.
Uses certified APC data to reduce manual count burden and support required reporting workflows.
Applies validated ridership data to route, stop, trip, and time-of-day analysis.
Ridership data that supports more than reporting
APC data helps agencies understand how service is being used. When the data is connected to routes, stops, trips, and schedules, it can support planning, compliance, operations, funding, and rider communication.
Service planning
See ridership patterns by route, direction, trip, time period, and individual stop to adjust service frequency, trace demand changes, and review route productivity.
NTD reporting
Support NTD reporting with certified count data, reducing the manual effort required to compile ridership statistics, sample trips, and verify figures.
Funding and grants
Use clearer passenger activity trends to support federal, state, and local grant applications with certified counts that demonstrate service demand.
Real-time operations
When available, passenger load trends can help operations monitor overcrowding, manage dispatch decisions, and provide riders with vehicle load indicators.
Works with compatible APC hardware and the systems your agency already uses
Agencies do not all start from the same place. Some already have APC hardware installed. Others need help selecting sensors for a new deployment. ETA supports APC implementation by connecting compatible hardware, service data, reporting workflows, and agency systems where practical.
New APC deployments
ETA can help agencies evaluate APC hardware options and connect passenger count data to the broader transit technology environment.
Existing APC hardware
Already have APC equipment installed? ETA can review compatibility and help determine whether existing hardware can be integrated or whether replacement is needed.
Major APC hardware providers
ETA works with major APC hardware providers such as Hella, IRIS, Dilax, Xovis, and other compatible systems, subject to project scope and technical requirements.
Backup counting workflows
Where supported, manual or MDT-based backup counting workflows can help reduce data gaps when automated counts are unavailable or require review.
Confidence comes from data your team can explain
The value of APC is not just collecting passenger counts. The value is giving agency teams data they can review, validate, and use with confidence in planning meetings, NTD workflows, board reports, grant applications, and service decisions.
Use ridership data by route, trip, stop, and time period to better understand where demand is changing and where service may need attention.
Reduce manual report assembly by connecting passenger counts to the service context needed for review and reporting.
Use Tally and ETA support to manage APC review, validation, and documentation needed for reporting use.
Use passenger load information where available to support operations, rider communication, and service monitoring.
Planning staff relied on manual counts and disconnected spreadsheets to explain ridership changes.
Ridership data could be reviewed by route, stop, trip, and time period, giving staff a clearer basis for service planning and reporting.
Ready to trust your ridership data?
Talk with ETA about how your agency collects, validates, certifies, and uses passenger count data for planning, reporting, operations, and rider information.