Benefits and Costs

Preventative Maintenance
Reduced in-service breakdowns and improved fleet capability will ensure that transit systems run more smoothly.

Centralized Data
The Southeast Pennsylvania Regional Transportation Authority (SEPTA) integrated reference manuals, purchasing, inventory control, and work-order functions into its MMS, centralizing information on vehicles at one accessible location.

Trend Analysis
Integrated systems can capture conditions such as temperature, pressures, and fluid levels and can analyze trends to predict the need for parts and service.

Price
Many transit agencies have deployed fuel dispensing management systems, a basic MMS, for as little as $15,000 per garage. A sophisticated MMS would include on-board mechanical monitoring sensors that are linked to the communications system to enable real-time transmittal of data collected to an operations control center. Such a system has cost a multi-modal agency more than $2 million to deploy.

Based on existing systems, the median deployment cost of MMS is in the area of $100,000. On-board sensor equipment and integration varied greatly between $500 and $10,000 per vehicle. Capital cost to connect the MMS to the central control / dispatch center ran between $10,000 and $50,000 per center.

Operations and Maintenance (O&M)

• O&M costs for onboard equipment average 2% of the original capital cost.
• Recurring costs can include telecom service fees.

Training
In order for an MMS to be cost-effective, fleet managers must be trained to use the information the system collects. Training of limited select staff is usually included within the full deployment cost.