By Stephanie Laubenstein and David Warren The power requirements for an electric bus fleet can be astonishing. Averaging 175 miles daily per bus, the energy consumption for a 100-bus fleet at one location would approach 50 MWh. Charging the bus at 150 kWh over a 3-hour period would require a continuous peak power demand of […]
With nearly 1,500 school buses operating in more than 100 school districts throughout Michigan, security and surveillance is a paramount concern for Dean Transportation. Dean Transportation, formerly Special Transportation, was established in the early 1950’s by Eric Christensen. Christensen transported individuals affected by polio to Lansing, MI, area schools throughout the 1950’s and the early 1960’s. […]
By Steve D. Johnson This is the second installment in this ongoing series about zero-emission buses and their relationship with HVAC. The first installment was about the conflict with specifications that still forced HVAC suppliers to build over-sized systems while battery bus builders sought to get the best range. Passenger comfort was part of that […]
BUSRide spoke with several intelligent transportation solutions (ITS) providers and public transit agencies about second-adopters of ITS technology; the challenges and operational benefits associated with ITS deployments; and how agencies can future-proof their technology investments. The panelists for this discussion were: Rick Spangler – Chief Technology Officer – Avail Technologies LaShawn King Gillespie – Director […]
Supporting data-driven smart cities with advanced performance analytics By David Warren and Lindy Norris New Flyer of America Inc. (New Flyer) is constantly building upon its legacy of industry-leading innovation, and a key area of its focus is enabling smart mobility in transit throughout North America. More specifically, an exclusive technology from New Flyer is […]
In our continuing series, we speak about the importance of “Big Data” with Ryan Harshbarger, Fleet-Net and business intelligence specialist at Avail Technologies, an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) solutions provider for transit operators in the United States. What exactly is Big Data? Big Data is a buzzword, and not just in our industry. Traditionally, it […]
Most of the challenges facing fare collection revolve around the ease of use for your riders. Using multiple systems or complicated fare structures makes it difficult for new riders to feel comfortable, because they fear not having the correct ticket or amount of cash on hand. If your riders make a mistake because of an […]
BUSRide spoke with Nick Ross, industry solutions manager for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) at Trapeze Group, about “smart cities,” and the part technology plays in advancing this important concept. How does the technology your company provides assist transit agencies and / or municipalities in operating a “smart city?” Connectivity is the name of the […]
BUSRide spoke with experts in intelligent transportation systems (ITS) about the importance of passenger communications in creating “smart cities” – and how innovations in technology will continue to shift passenger demands. Kirk Shore vice president of product management Clever Devices Nick Ross industry solutions manager intelligent transportation systems (ITS) Trapeze Group Please briefly describe your […]
By Todd Ewing Return on investment, or ROI—three little letters with one very significant meaning. Businesses today, especially those with fleets, are paying more attention to the ROI they get from each purchase, especially if that purchase includes technology that is intended to help their fleet operate more efficiently. Any opportunity for investment can be […]