Capital Area Transit System (CATS) of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, has signed a multi-year agreement with Hitachi America to help the agency increase ridership through the improvement of passenger engagement, journey visibility, and asset utilization.

CATS provides fixed-route service on 25 routes throughout the cities of Baton Rouge and Baker, representing a population of 734,000. With a fleet of conventional diesel buses, electric buses, trolleys, and cutaway vans, this new technology will allow CATS to better address issues reported by customers related to on-time arrival, ineffective communication channels, long journey times due to layover and transition problems, as well as concerns regarding comfort, cleanliness, and amenities. To address these challenges, Hitachi America will leverage its data-driven digital solutions by Lumada, in combination with ecosystem partners, to enhance services by designing and delivering a multi-channel messaging and a mobile-wallet technology to CATS’ passengers. Initial exploratory research began in December 2020, and implementation is now underway.

CATS will continue gaining data insights of the holistic passenger journey, leading to operational improvements and improved service offerings for enhanced passenger experience. In 2019, Hitachi and CATS jointly collaborated in pursuing an Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) grant from the Federal Transit Administration to showcase how CATS can incorporate new approaches to improve the rider experience.