TransCore and UTA reduce missed transfers with system

TransCore's intelligent transportation systems (ITS) unit has teamed with the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) to design and develop the first automated connection protection system that reduces the number of passengers who miss their transfer from the city's light rail system to the city bus. The system is now installed at all 20 TRAX stations, the city's light rail system, and is used on select routes. Initial results show that on average eight buses are held each day, with a minor deferment in departure. Using GPS and radio technology, rail arrival and departure information is automatically relayed to the connection protection system. The system correlates the expected time of train arrivals with connection departures. Then the system determines when to hold a bus and how long a bus can wait. An automated message is sent to the bus driver instructing him to wait until a specific time for the arriving train. Information is relayed between trains, buses and the transit authority through mobile data terminals, which are mounted on both trains and buses. The terminals on trains contain a GPS receiver that provides location information via a 900 MHz radio.