On Tuesday, the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) announced the fleet-wide deployment of the onBoard Mobile Gateway from In Motion Technology, a supplier of mobile networking technologies.

The solution provides wireless communications capabilities to enable in-vehicle credit card payments, Internet access and other advanced services for passengers utilizing UTA’s 530-vehicle bus service.

In Motion’s onBoard Mobile Gateway creates a wired and wireless local area network aboard transit vehicles, enabling multiple devices and systems to have reliable connectivity over a variety of networks. In Motion’s onBoard Mobility Manager will give UTA’s headquarters staff a virtual dashboard of information about networks, devices and vehicles from the field, and a high level of information and control over its wireless communications.

The onBoard Mobile Gateway provides real-time communication enabling authorization of credit cards, ski passes and other electronic fare media used by UTA passengers as they board, providing a convenience for passengers and increasing efficiency for the agency. Passengers will also have access to email and the Internet from their laptops, PDAs or smart phones.

Wide-area and garage area communications are also provided for systems, managing vehicle location, route, schedule and service information. UTA’s IT team will also be able to monitor and troubleshoot its wireless network and devices in real time.