Following a recent decision by Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Init has been awarded an additional contract to expand its Vehicle Business System (VBS), including Init hardware and software by an additional 48 light rail vehicles. Kinkisharyo will install Init’s on-board computer (COPILOTpc), mobile data terminals with built-in card readers, global positioning system (GPS) and GPRS data radio communication. Furthermore, Init’s state-of-the-art automatic passenger counting system, MOBILE-APC will be implemented and subsequently provide DART with counting accuracy results of 96 percent or better.

The on-board computers will provide automatic next stop announcements and communicate vehicle location and event messages to the central computer-aided dispatch/automatic vehicle location system (MOBILE-ITCS). This system will interface to a Public Announcement/Visual Message Board (PA/VMB) system and the Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system giving DART passenger’s real-time information at station displays.

The new contract follows the successful agreement between Kinkisharyo and Init (January 2007) for a VBS to be installed on 115 of DART’s light rail vehicles. Kinkisharyo International manufactures the light rail vehicles and will equip them with the Init VBS. The Init technology will provide a complete ITS solution for DART, ensuring greater efficiency in managing their fleet and improved service for their customers. The additional vehicle installations will bring the total fleet counts to 163.

About Kinkisharyo
Kinkisharyo International is a leader in high-speed train design and engineering with a long tradition of rail transit innovation. Its design and manufacturing capabilities continue to grow with the pursuit of superior performance in every aspect of their business. Its projects in U.S. cities alone include Boston, Seattle, Hudson-Bergen, Dallas, Phoenix and San Jose. The sleek, high-floor design, and the recent low-floor design of the DART light rail vehicles are a phenomenal success for the city of Dallas and surrounding areas. Initial delivery of the 115 vehicles has provided safe and efficient transportation for the 60,000 passengers who travel the Red and Blue Lines every day.

About DART
Dallas Area Rapid Transit serves Dallas, Texas, and 12 surrounding cities encompassing a 700-square-mile service area. DART operates approximately 130 bus routes, 45 miles of light rail transit (DART Rail), 75 freeway miles of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, and paratransit service for the mobility impaired. Through 2014, the DART rail system is slated to more than double in size to 93 miles with further extensions in commuter transit to include 110 miles of high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

About Init
The Init group has provided intelligent transportation systems (ITS) for public transit for more than 25 years. Today, more than 300 public transit authorities with more than 400 projects worldwide rely on the innovative and integrated hardware and software technology from Init.

The Init product family consists of the Intermodal Transport Control System - ITCS (CAD/AVL) software and hardware, data and voice radio systems, next stop displays and announcement systems, scheduling software for fixed-route and paratransit service, real-time passenger information at stops or via Internet, traffic signal priority, automatic passenger counting, etc. Init products can be used as a stand-alone system or be integrated with other third party systems.