Public transportation agencies across North America are sitting on unprecedented funding. Voters approved more than $11 billion in new transit investment in the most recent election cycle alone. Federal dollars continue flowing. The money is there.
But here's what keeps general managers up at night: funding doesn't guarantee results. For small and mid-sized agencies operating with lean teams and aging infrastructure, the gap between securing a grant and actually modernizing operations can feel insurmountable.
The challenge isn't just technical. It's operational. Unlike large metro systems with dedicated IT departments, most agencies are managing procurement, deployment, integration, and long-term support with the same small team running daily service. In that environment, buying technology is the easy part. Making it work long-term is where things usually fall apart.
The Consortium Advantage
Pennsylvania just demonstrated a better approach. Through PennDOT's statewide Fixed Route Intelligent Transportation System initiative, 33 agencies across 41 counties implemented a unified platform that gives passengers real-time bus tracking while providing agencies with automated passenger counting, fleet monitoring, and standardized reporting.
PA FRITS wasn't just about deploying software at scale. It was about creating a shared framework that works for agencies of all sizes; from rural systems running a handful of routes to regional authorities managing complex networks. Passengers can now plan trips across agency boundaries using the same app and all agencies get operational analytics without building custom systems from scratch.
This matters because, according to the National Center for Applied Transit Technology, many smaller agencies are "data rich but information poor"—drowning in data they can't act on. The difference between useful technology and shelfware often comes down to implementation quality and ongoing support.
3 Actions that Actually Make Technology Stick
Successful modernization at small and mid-sized agencies depends on three things that have nothing to do with features:
- Interoperability from day one. Systems that don't talk to each other create more work, not less. Agencies need platforms designed to integrate with existing infrastructure and connect across agency boundaries when needed.
- Standardization that doesn't sacrifice flexibility. A statewide deployment model means agencies share a common platform while maintaining the ability to adapt to local needs—reducing procurement complexity while preserving operational independence.
- Long-term support that matches agency capacity. The real test of any technology investment happens in year three, not month three. Agencies need partners who understand that a one-person IT department can't troubleshoot enterprise software the same way a 15-person team can.
Rethinking the RFP
As more agencies look to modernize with available funding, the procurement question shifts. It's not "What features does this system have?" but rather "Has this vendor successfully deployed at scale with agencies like ours?"
Statewide consortium experience matters because it proves a vendor can handle the complexity of multi-agency coordination, varying operational environments, and long-term support across diverse systems. It demonstrates they understand that small agencies need enterprise capabilities without enterprise overhead.
The agencies that will get the most from today's historic investment won't necessarily be the ones who buy the most technology. They'll be the ones who choose partners with a track record of making modernization sustainable—not just sellable.
Because in the end, the future of transit depends on how thoughtfully we implement technology.