BEST PRACTICES
N TODAY’S WORLD OF GO, GO, GO
and hustle and bustle, riders need real
time information more than ever.
With that being said, there are more
outlets than ever to provide real-time
information to riders. CamTran has taken
a very direct approach to this issue
by utilizing multiple platforms, including
LED signage at our transit center,
CamText, social media, our website and
Where’s My Bus real-time locator in an
eff ort to give our customers the most
up-to-date information.
CamTran identifi ed a need to make
our customers aware of detours and related
travel information that may aff ect
their commute. In the day and age we
live in, almost everyone has some type of
smart device, whether it’s a smart phone,
tablet, laptop or desktop. With that in
mind, CamTran made a concerted eff ort
to work diligently to identify how customers
are getting their information and
focus their eff orts on using the necessary
tools to provide customers with relevant
real-time information.
CamTran identifi ed Facebook and
Twitter to be useful tools in getting
real-time information to the customer
but the overall need for information was
greater than using just social media. A
more broad approach was taken using
not only social media, but CamText,
LED signage at our transit center, our
website and Where’s My Bus real-time
locator, as well as the myStop app.
Th e LED signage at our transit
center allows our dispatchers to post
scrolling messages alerting customers
of detours and/or delays. Our CamText
service is a text messaging service available
for customers who register on our
website to receive text message alerts
with real-time information about route
detours and/or delays. Our website
has proved to be a very valuable tool
as we can post real-time information
on our homepage as we maintain our
site in-house. Also, the Where’s My
Bus real-time locator is available on
our site and shows customers exactly
where their bus is in real time. Th rough
a recent upgrade to our Avail system,
we now have a new tool at our disposal
which is the myStop app. MyStop
allows customers to subscribe to text/
email messages and alerts so they know
where their bus is and when it will arrive.
40 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | JUNE 2017
Also, customers can customize
their alerts to see only their preferred
routes and categories that they ride.
We feel that the steps we have taken
and the tools that we are using give
our customers the best opportunity to
receive the most up-to-date real-time
information so they can plan accordingly.
As we look to the future, technology
and our customers will be factored
into decisions that are made relative to
pushing real-time information out in
a clear, concise and expedient matter
as to not confuse the customer or provide
misinformation. We have a major
responsibility as our customers transportation
provider to ensure that they
have the necessary real-time information
throughout the day as they plan to
go to the doctor’s, shopping or simply
a day out with friends.
HE ATLANTA STREETCAR IS A
critical fi rst step in an exciting new
age for transportation in downtown
Atlanta and across the city. Smart
growth requires visionary ideas and
bold initiatives. Th e Atlanta Streetcar
is both, and it represents the promise
of great new things for this great city.
Th e 2.7-mile east-west route off ers
connections to the Metropolitan Atlanta
Regional Transportation Authority
and last-mile connectivity to the Atlanta
BeltLine.
All of us at the Atlanta Streetcar are
committed to providing timely and
convenient service to its riders through
a new mobile ticketing app that displays
clear and accurate real-time data about
our public transit system.
With a few simple taps, riders can
select their route, direction and stop location
to see GPS-based arrival times instantly.
Soon, passengers will also be able
to track our streetcars on a real-time map.
Th e new app, which launched December
19, 2016, uses digital identities
technology to track real-time arrival
information that is easy to understand.
Th e Atlanta Streetcar app is the fi rst to
launch with this new technology already
built-in. Th e Atlanta Streetcar
is also the fi rst transit system in the
metropolitan Atlanta area to off er an
offi cial mobile app.
Th e Atlanta Streetcar partnered
with moovel N.A., Tozny and the
National Institutes of Standards and
Technology (NIST) to create a simple
and easy-to-use mobile ticketing app.
Our goal is to make it easier for
residents and visitors to use public
transportation within the city of Atlanta.
We are excited to provide this
new technology to our riders.
Real-Time Information
Real-time benefi ts from real-time information.
Marwan
Al-Mukhtar
Executive
Director
The Atlanta
Streetcar
I Josh Yoder Director of
Marketing and
T
Planning
CamTran
Johnstown, Penn.
Atlanta, Ga.
Live updates help
riders make decisions.