CALGARY, AB – February 17, 2009 — The Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, otherwise known as LYNX, has equipped their 290 fixed-route buses and 10 supervisor cars with Mentor Streets® Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology from Mentor Engineering in order to maintain their high standards for on-time fleet performance, and meet the growing need for public transportation.
“Now we can advertise that we can track any bus, any time, 365 days a year. That helps us tremendously and makes us more responsive to our riders,” says David Burnett, Deputy Chief of Operations at LYNX, which accommodates in excess of 26 million riders each year.
The Mentor Streets ITS solution allows LYNX to track buses in real-time on color-coded, highly customizable maps. This capability means that when customer service receives ‘Where’s my bus?’ questions from riders they can look at their onscreen map to see the exact location of the bus in question. Instead of sorting through reams of paperwork and radioing drivers to determine their status, answers to customer questions are now instant and accurate.
LYNX’s number one goal in implementing AVL technology was improved on-time performance. With Streets, dispatchers, supervisors and maintenance personnel can be more proactive in addressing operational issues. For example, if a driver is falling behind schedule, dispatch is alerted immediately and can then contact the driver to determine the cause.
In addition to these benefits, David explains that: “This technology helps us deal with the rising price of gas by reducing idle time for drivers. If there is an accident on the expressway, dispatchers can instantly see which buses are going to be affected by viewing the AVL map and can re-route those drivers so they aren’t stuck idling.”
According to Brent Ritchie, Mentor’s Regional Sales Manager: “The LYNX project represents the largest Mentor Streets® AVL installation of its kind. LYNX has been exceptional to work with. Their expectations and understanding of Streets, and Mentor’s integration expertise, has combined to make this a very successful project.”
Prior to this installation, Mentor worked with LYNX’s paratransit operation when they, together with Polk County Transit Services (PCTS), equipped their fleet with a joint ITS solution. The success of this project meant that the decision to use Mentor’s technology in the LYNX fixed-route fleet was a “natural progression,” according to David.
Building on their AVL acquisition, LYNX will soon be equipping their fleet with the Streets CAD module, as well as Mentor Ranger® rugged in-vehicle computers to expand and enhance Streets functionality in the field and office.
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About Mentor Engineering
Currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, Mentor Engineering provides comprehensive ITS solutions for paratransit and fixed-route transit operations. From the dispatch office to the vehicle, Mentor’s flexible solutions improve and expedite fleet management. Mentor is distinguished by technical innovation and services including system integration, training, and on-going support. Visit www.mentoreng.com for more information.
