Technology providers Hayden AI and LYT announced a partnership designed to holistically enhance public transportation.

Together, Hayden AI, a provider of vision AI and spatial analytics technologies, and LYT, a provider of intelligent connected traffic technology solutions, seek to combine the real-time data and location accuracy applications of Hayden AI’s bus-mounted vision AI platform and LYT’s transit signal priority system to create technology solutions that help transit agencies improve road safety, on-time bus performance, and accessibility. 

“Partnering with LYT gives our transit agency customers the opportunity to use the location data from equipment already installed on their buses to improve on-time arrival and reduce red light wait time, increasing efficiency and helping the agency to further enhance the rider experience,” said Charles Territo, chief growth officer at Hayden AI.

Bringing AI Tech to Public Transit

Hayden AI’s automated bus lane and bus stop enforcement platform is installed on hundreds of transit buses across the country to improve road safety, transit reliability, transportation accessibility for people with disabilities, and sustainability.

LYT.transit, LYT’s transit signal priority solution, uses cloud technology powered by AI and edge processing to successfully time traffic signals so that transit buses regularly receive green lights at intersections while minimally disrupting the normal flow of traffic.

Both companies have a track record of delivering transit reliability and safety improvements in cities across the U.S.

In New York City, where Hayden AI technology is installed on Metropolitan Transportation Authority buses, transit speeds have increased by as much as 36% on certain routes and vehicle collisions have decreased by 20% on average on streets with transit routes using this technology.

Meanwhile in Portland, Ore., TriMet's FX2 Route experienced a 70% reduction in signal delay and a 13.2% savings on fuel costs when using LYT.transit.

“There is so much we can do together to help transit agencies improve service and grow ridership. Increasing transit ridership is key to reducing emissions from the transportation sector, which is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.,” said Territo about supplier partners teaming up to help solve transit issues. “By helping transit agencies deliver on-time service, together we can help reduce emissions, improve road safety, and make cities work better.”

AI’s Growing Role in Public Transit 

From micromobility to complete streets and video surveillance to maintenance technologies, AI has begun to slowly penetrate transit agencies around the nation over the last couple of years.

Territo told METRO they believe AI solutions will continue to make an impact in the transit industry, specifically the solutions created from the Hayden/LYT partnership.

“As companies like Hayden AI continue to refine vision AI, spatial analytics, and deep learning technologies, there will be more solutions available to transit agencies that solve long-standing problems,” Territo said. “A good example of this is how the data generated by Hayden AI’s platform can help transit agencies better understand trends impacting their service — if a large number of bus lane parking violations are occurring in a certain area, and how that impacts on-time arrivals.

“With LYT, AI and machine learning open doors that in the past were just not possible, and we’re just getting started,” Territo added. “The value that AI brings from optimizing traffic flow to reducing emissions and creating more sustainable modes of transportation allows for a better, safer, more efficient option within cities.”