How Cloud-Based BI Solutions Are Transforming Transit Agencies' Operational Efficiency

From ridership numbers to schedule data to maintenance metrics, transit agencies handle mass amounts of data and diverse metrics daily. Although data management and tracking may prove overwhelming, understanding your metrics unlocks the key to a more efficient, optimized transit system.

Fortunately, transit agencies now have access to cloud-based Business Intelligence (BI) systems to revolutionize data tracking and monitoring.

What Are Cloud-Based BI Systems?

Cloud-based Business Intelligence (BI) systems are powerful tools that allow organizations to collect, process, and analyze data using cloud technology. Unlike traditional on-premise systems, these platforms operate on remote servers, providing real-time access to insights from anywhere with an internet connection.

TransTrack’s ViewPoint BI is designed specifically to provide deeper visibility into transit operations. Unlike generic BI systems, ViewPoint BI represents a transit agency solution tailored to the unique needs of your agency. It allows transit leaders to monitor, track, and analyze critical key performance indicators (KPIs) with minimal technical expertise and understand how well their agency is performing. This cloud-based Business Intelligence system represents a transit agency solution that works with you and your team to meet your goals and simplify your daily operations.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency Through ViewPoint’s KPI Insights

Data tracking that used to take months or days with spreadsheets can be done in a matter of minutes using ViewPoint BI. Here are a few examples of how ViewPoint can help you maximize operational efficiency:

Optimized Schedules and Routes: 

Running Times component compares scheduled routes with actual route data and offers perspective into optimized routes to improve reliability and reduce costs. If a route consistently experiences delays, ViewPoint’s analyses can guide adjustments to schedules.

Fleet Maintenance and Utilization:

ViewPoint tracks maintenance schedules so that vehicles remain in optimal condition, thus reducing the risk of breakdowns and unplanned downtime. Predictive maintenance features identify potential issues before they escalate, allowing for proactive repairs. By understanding maintenance metrics, you can schedule repairs during off-peak hours and minimize disruptions to service.

Ridership and Demand:

ViewPoint draws on CAD/AVL data to understand On-Time Performance (OTP) trends based on time of day, block, route, and stop. With ViewPoint's historical and real-time data, you can analyze demand patterns to optimize route planning and vehicle allocation. For example, ViewPoint’s data-driven adjustments would allow you to budget more vehicles to high-demand routes during peak periods–an adjustment that would likely also improve rider experience. 

Streamlined Compliance with NTD Reporting:

ViewPoint BI automates the National Transit Data (NTD) aggregation process, making it easier for agencies to meet NTD Reporting requirements. The platform provides accurate, up-to-date reports to simplify this complex process and maintain compliance with federal standards. NTD reporting is crucial for transit agencies. It serves as the basis for federal funding allocation and transit planning goals. Without accurate NTD reporting, your transit agency could be at risk for a loss of resources or more serious consequences.

Why Monitoring Data Is Essential to Your Transit Agency

Tracking KPIs allows you to decide on specific goals and whether your transit agency is on track to meet them. KPIs can be assessed daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the particular criteria, as well as tailored to your transit agency.

What KPIs Should Your Transit Agency Track?

On-Time Performance: Measure how well vehicles adhere to their schedules and discover areas where delays frequently occur. Understanding real and scheduled routes allows for targeted adjustments to improve reliability.

Revenue Miles and Hours: Track service output to assess whether routes and schedules meet demand efficiently.

Maintenance Schedules: Monitor vehicle maintenance and ensure vehicles are serviced on time to reduce unplanned downtime and extend fleet life.

Ridership Trends: Analyze passenger data to understand demand patterns and adjust services accordingly. Analysis of ridership trends helps cut down on operational costs and reallocate resources accordingly. 

Workforce Needs: Understand when and where you may need to allocate workers or resources to best utilize your workforce.

Real-World Applications: Guelph Transit’s Success with ViewPoint 

The success of ViewPoint BI is evident in its adoption by Guelph Transit, a small Canadian transit agency. Guelph Transit faced challenges with route schedules and running time optimization. 

Guelph Transit effectively utilized ViewPoint Running Times to overcome significant challenges on their Route 5 service, where the route’s real-time service exceeded its 30-minute planned service time. 

ViewPoint’s Running Times initially enabled Guelph Transit to analyze real-time route data they did not originally have access to and then identify and address the issue of delayed schedules. After the ViewPoint analysis, Guelph Transit decided to implement an express route, as well as alter its running times to tackle the issue.

Due to these changes, Guelph Transit noted a 32.3% increase in ridership. The transit agency was also able to cut down on employee resources thanks to a more streamlined workflow. For Guelph Transit, these changes not only addressed immediate operational challenges but laid the foundation for sustained efficiency and future service improvement.

Meet Your Unique Goals with ViewPoint BI

ViewPoint BI stands out as a powerful cloud-based BI transit agency solution. Its ability to centralize data, provide real-time insights, and offer intuitive tools for KPI analysis makes it an essential platform for improving operational efficiency and strategy. With ViewPoint’s individualized reporting approach, you can better understand critical metrics and make data-driven decisions that impact your transit agency.

Whether you’re addressing inefficiencies in scheduling, ensuring compliance with reporting standards, or improving rider satisfaction, ViewPoint BI simplifies complex data management and turns it into a strategic asset. Learn more about how ViewPoint BI can help your agency define and meet your goals.