By Ivaylo Georgiev, CEO VIASAT TECHNOLOGY
Growing traffic intensity in cities coupled with tight municipality budgets is causing economic inefficiencies and decreasing social satisfaction. Without smart and efficient transportation systems which decrease congestion, emissions, and urban traffic and improve quality of life, public transport cannot progress and win the competition with private cars. Viasat Technology offers a portfolio of ITS systems for public transport including solutions within operations control, passenger information, fare collection, passenger counting, and traffic signal priority systems. With every implementation, Viasat Technology’s state-of-the art public transport solutions have brought immediate, measurable, and proven results for municipalities, public transport operators, and passengers, including:
• Substantial cost reduction for municipalities and bus operators and proven optimization across all processes within the public transportation eco-system due to the use of tools for automatic rule-based schedule generation and optimization, automatic vehicle and driver roster generation with real-time “what-if” analysis, real-time monitoring and precise control over the planed timetable of the public transport scheme.
• Increased attractiveness of public transportation for the citizens, due to high quality visual and audio passenger information in vehicles and at bus stops, and web-based application with real time bus arrival information and trip planning functionality.
• Integration with city traffic management systems giving priority signals for public transport at intersections.
• Improving the image of municipality through reduction of congestions, emissions and increase in the quality and reliability of public transport.
Viasat Technology’s proven experience and innovative business model makes it possible to implement its top-of-the-line smart public transport solutions at very cost-effective terms, which has led to multiple successful implementations in a number of European cities within the last 5 years, enabling authorities and operators to reduce costs, maintain a high level of service and optimise passenger flow, and making public transport easier, better, and safer for urban travelers.