Bytemark Enables 'Occupancy Info' in Austin

Bytemark announced it has enhanced the CapMetro Trip Planner to include real-time vehicle occupancy information in trip results.

The CapMetro Trip Planner, provided by Hacon, is embedded in the agency’s payment application. It is also a part of the “Plan, Book & Pay” functionality Bytemark provides to transit agencies.

The incorporation of “Occupancy Status” on the CapMetro application will assist riders by allowing them to choose a different trip if they believe a vehicle is too full for their individual comfort level. In addition, at-risk riders can plan to use a trip that minimizes their exposure with other riders. 

Riders searching for trips or departure information will now see the “Notice: Crowded Vehicle” message when a specific vehicle has a certain number of passengers on board. Providing this information will allow riders to make decisions about what time they wish to travel and what potential routes they might want to take.

In this project, Bytemark is also working with Swiftly, the provider of the GTFS-Real-Time feeds for CapMetro, to provide this information in a way that is easy for riders to understand.  

“We have long admired the work Swiftly is doing to help agencies improve and enhance their real-time passenger information,” says Greg Valyer, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Bytemark. “It is gratifying to work with our partners such as Hacon and Swiftly to jointly deliver relevant and impactful solution to passengers.” 

CapMetro first partnered with Bytemark in 2012. Since then, Bytemark and CapMetro have collaborated to develop and deliver technology that improves the rider’s experience.

The benefits of this new functionality include:

• Riders can access real-time information about the occupancy status on the bus
• An easy-to-read message conveying which buses are crowded will ensure transparency
• Allows riders to make informed decisions about trips that meet their desired level of comfort