Intelligent Bus Stop Monitoring System

Public Transport Authority (ZTM) in Rzeszów

ZTM in Rzeszów is the entity responsible for the operation of public transportation. The capital city of the Subcarpathian region has a very well-developed private bus service, used by residents of the city and surrounding communities. However, many private carriers unauthorisedly use bus bays belonging to the Public Transport Authority. ZTM, as infrastructure manager, bears the costs of maintaining the bus stops, and is also obliged to ensure the safety of passengers using them.

Improving the flow of vehicles in bus stop bays

Bus stops can be used by entities other than ZTM only after signing appropriate agreements related to, among other things, payment of fees and other obligations. The use of bus stops without a signed agreement, and thus without paying appropriate fees and without adherence to guidelines such as stopping times, has become an increasing problem in the city. Therefore, ZTM needed a solution to monitor and control the situation at the city's busiest bus bays. Rzeszów's ZTM defined its needs under the project entitled 'Smart Bus Stop Monitoring System (ISMP).

Monitoring and identification of carriers

Following a tender process, Asseco Data Systems was selected as the system contractor. The ISMP, which has been installed at 47 bus stops across Rzeszów, is integrated with the city's electronic passenger information system operating since 2015. Smart video surveillance, via ANPR cameras among others, allows for automatic recognition of license plates, as well as monitoring of stop times, vehicle size and type, and the area occupied by the bus. The data from local servers is then filtered in the central system and generates a ready-made report on vehicles that used bus stops. ZTM, on this basis, can demand payment from carriers that have used the city infrastructure in an unauthorised manner, i.e., stopping the buses and other vehicles that do not have the owner's permission to use this infrastructure (for example, buses of third-party carriers without contracts or other large-size vehicles blocking ZTM buses from serving passengers). The 'Expansion of Bus Stop ITS Infrastructure' project received the 2019 Smart City Award in the 'Smart City Solution' category at the Smart City Forum gala.

• Monitoring and identification of carriers using the city's bus stop infrastructure;
• Effective collection of fees from carriers and monitoring parking time compliance;
• Accurate and reliable evidence to enforce claims;
• Improved flow of vehicles in bus stop bays;
• Reduced time taken to receive passengers and the driver's ticketing process.