Capital Metro’s (CapMetro) trip planner now includes real-time vehicle occupancy information in trip results.
Bus occupancy messages make it easier for riders to select trips that minimize exposure to others and provide the level of comfort they desire. The CapMetro Trip Planner, provided by Hacon, is embedded in the agency’s payment application and is a critical part of the “Plan, Book & Pay” functionality Bytemark provides to transit agencies in nearly every corner of North America.
Bytemark’s incorporation of “Occupancy Status” on the CapMetro application will assist riders by allowing them to choose a different trip if they believe a vehicle is too full for their individual comfort level. By allowing customers to make their own choices, this will help reduce packed buses, as riders will favor vehicles that are not as full. In addition, at-risk riders can plan to use a trip that minimizes their exposure to other riders.
Riders searching for trips or departure information will now see the “Notice: Crowded Vehicle” message when a specific vehicle has a certain number of passengers on board. Providing this information will allow riders to make decisions about what time they wish to travel and what potential routes they might want to take. In this project, Bytemark is also working with Swiftly, the provider of the GTFS-RealTime feeds for CapMetro, to provide this information in a way that is easy for riders to understand.
“We have long admired the work Swiftly is doing to help agencies improve and enhance their real-time passenger information,” said Greg Valyer, vice president of strategic partnerships, Bytemark. “It is gratifying to work with our partners such as Hacon and Swiftly to jointly deliver relevant and impactful solution to passengers.”
CapMetro first partnered with Bytemark in 2012. Since then, Bytemark and CapMetro have collaborated to develop and deliver technology that improves the rider’s experience. With the addition of occupancy status to the app, riders are now empowered to make informed decisions for their journey.
