Futurefleet to provide bus times via SMS and web departure boards
Since 1971, the Toledo Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) has provided reliable and timely bus services to the Toledo metropolitan area. Today, TARTA operates 250 buses across 34 bus routes, serving nine communities while carrying almost 5 million passengers each year.
TARTA recently selected Avego to provide its popular TARTA Tracker services, which deliver schedule information to riders via SMS and web departure boards.
The TARTA Tracker By Text service sends riders estimated bus stop times for a selected stop directly to their mobile device. Riders simply text TARTA [stop ID] to 41411. For example, to find out what TARTA routes are scheduled to depart from Westfield Franklin Park, riders simply text tarta 11 to 41411. Stop IDs are conveniently posted at bus stops, and a full list of stop IDs is available to riders on the TARTA website.
The TARTA Tracker Viewer is an online departure board that shows riders the next buses departing from any stop they select.
Avego originally provided the SMS and web departure board services as part of a three-month Futurefleet pilot in 2010. TARTA quickly saw a high adoption rate of the new services, with several hundred riders regularly using the SMS service within the first month.
Stephen Atkinson, TARTA Marketing Director, said, “Futurefleet’s SMS and web departure boards services are a convenient, easy way for our riders to get schedule information. We’re committed to provide these valuable services to our customers on an ongoing basis.”
Contact Paul Steinberg in Avego’s Silicon Valley office to find out more about implementing Futurefleet in your transport fleet.