Biz Briefs: TRC’s Pingo Analytics, Stertil-Koni, and More

The Routing Company, Stertil-Koni, Houston Metro, and Central Ohio Transit Authority recently announced news from their respective companies.

The Routing Company Announces Pingo Analytics

The Routing Company (TRC), announced Pingo Analytics – its next-generation customer transit analytics and reporting tool, powered by Metabase. 

Metabase is an open-source business intelligence tool that provides powerful data visualization, exploration, reporting, and analysis. These reports are customizable to meet National Transit Database (NTD) reporting requirements.

Pingo Analytics offers: 

• Customer dashboards and analytics are now fully embedded in the Pingo Dashboard operations management tool, rather than requiring separate access;
• Customers can request and create fully custom reports, including customizable charts and the capability to build custom reports;
• Customers can view all metrics in one place, and can download and customize data when choosing to send reports to users;
• Data can be viewed for multiple fleets simultaneously – including rider, driver, and vehicle activity; and
• Analytics have been overhauled, embedded, and are more comprehensive than ever.

Stertil-Koni Delivers 20,000th Mobile Column Lift

Stertil-Koni announced that its U.S. production facility -- Stertil ALM, located in Streator, Illinois – has recently produced its 20,000th Mobile Column Lift.

These lifts, with capacities ranging from 14,000 lbs. to 40,000 lbs. per column, utilize advanced hydraulic technology and are available in wireless, cabled, and EARTHLIFT models.  

They feature rapid lifting and lowering every time, are made from maximum strength high tensile DOMEX steel, are equipped with a full-color touch-screen control console along with a super safe mechanical locking system, and have as standard overload protection and automatic synchronization systems.

Houston Metro Invests in Passenger Experience

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) has signed a new contract with GMV to expand its digital signage project in Houston, Texas.

Valued at more than $26 million, the contract calls for GMV to implement a cloud-hosted content management system and provide installation, maintenance, and support for the growing digital signage network over a seven-year period. With up to 3,000 digital signs planned for transit centers, rail platforms, and bus stops, it is one of the largest investments in real-time signage by a US transit agency.

Since 2019 Metro has deployed more than 200 new real-time digital signs at key transit centers and platforms on the METRORapid Silver Line. 

The system ensures that passengers can find live bus departure times, transit service alerts, and public service announcements.

GMV’s software manages the real-time flow of data to the signs, enabling Metro staff to post messages to them individually or in groups, publish multimedia content, and monitor digital signs remotely from the office.

The project expansion will include signage at transit centers, current and planned light rail platforms, park-and-ride facilities, and forthcoming BOOST bus lines.

COTA Awards New Flyer Order for 26 Zero-Emission Buses

NFI Group Inc. (NFI) announced that its subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc. (New Flyer) received a new order from Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) for 26 zero-emission, battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG 40-foot transit buses. 

The vehicles, purchased off the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services contract, have been added to the company's backlog in the second quarter of 2023.

The order for additional zero-emission buses follows COTA's previous purchase of 14 battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG transit buses, announced in January 2023. 

These new zero-emission buses will help COTA meet the growing mobility demand in the Central Ohio region and deliver on the agency's sustainability commitments.

"This latest purchase of New Flyer battery-electric buses furthers our commitment to building a zero-emissions public transit fleet for the central Ohio region," said chief engineering and mechanical officer Andy Biesterveld. "With New Flyer CNG buses and now electric vehicles, we are on track to become a diesel-free fleet by 2025 and a zero-emission fixed-route fleet by 2035.”