SMART BUSES
headaches and improve the overall quality
of life. But creating a smart city is a complex
and expensive undertaking. Th e key
is to break the project down into phases,
starting with mass transit systems.
Mass transit operators are no stranger
to launching public relations and marketing
campaigns leading up to Election Day
that ask for “yes” votes for referendums
that call for allocating tax dollars to fund
transit system improvement projects.
When it comes to garnering public support
for creating a connected bus system,
the time frame will be much longer than
the typical election season. New technologies
will be added on an incremental basis,
so it will be easier to maintain public support
with a “rolling thunder” marketing
eff ort over a series of individual standalone
campaigns.
Convincing municipal offi cials who
hold the city’s purse strings to support
connected bus systems may prove to be
easier than garnering widespread public
support. Th ey want to turn their smart
city visions into reality, and as a recent
report from Juniper Research, “Worldwide
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Smart Cities: Energy, Transport &
Lighting 2016-2021” shows, focusing on
making mass transit smarter is critical.
“Congestion and mobility are almost
universal issues for cities to address,” noted
the report’s author Steff en Sorrell. “Facilitating
the movement of citizens within
urban agglomerations via transport networks
is fundamental to a city’s economic
growth. When addressed eff ectively, the
impacts are substantial: higher economic
productivity, potential for new revenue
streams and services as well as a measurable
benefi t in reduced healthcare costs.”
A Vision for Connected Buses
To get an idea of why experts consider
smart mass transit systems so important
to the long-term viability of a smart city,
picture this scenario: An entire fl eet of
connected buses that not only off ers riders
free Wi-Fi access, but also provides
them with real-time alerts on arrival
and departure times via text message or
a smartphone app. Th anks to partnerships
with the business community, riders can
also receive location-aware off ers from
restaurants and stores that will be within
walking distance of their bus stops.
Meanwhile, GPS devices on board each
bus connect with sensors in traffi c lights
to trigger green lights as buses approach,
while engine performance monitoring
systems provide maintenance staff with
up-to-date status reports and alerts.
“Congestion and
mobility are almost universal
issues for cities to address,”
-STEFFEN SORRELL
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