September 2007

Common Technology Combinations

Photo of a disabled woman exiting a specially equipped van.

Daily Operations
Combined with Computer-Aided Dispatch and Scheduling (CADS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), AVL allows vehicles to be rerouted in real time to accommodate schedule changes and to optimize the number of trips provided. Agencies often realize reductions in nonrevenue miles, passenger wait times, and fleet size. With the addition of Mobile Data Terminals (MDT), drivers can be provided with maps and directions for each segment of their route.

More Technology Facts

Safety and Security
Many AVL systems incorporate silent alarms, which allow drivers to covertly alert transit management and police in emergency situations. The vehicle location is displayed on a GIS map to facilitate incident response.

Fare Payment and Cost Allocation
One barrier to coordinated human services transit is the challenge of allocating costs appropriately among agencies. Smart Card Identification (ID) or fare cards integrated with AVL systems allow agencies to be billed on the basis of the number of trips and the distance of each. Data provided by such a system can increase access to travel patterns for systems planning and can streamline reporting.