The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has been awarded a $450,000 grant by the Federal Transit Administration to create a Ride On Crowd Sourcing System (ROCSS) application that provides real-time bus status and passenger counts for Ride On routes to the public and MCDOT’s central dispatch. The new technology is the first to coordinate with strategically placed buses to assist routes nearing capacity and offer “How Full Is My Bus?” trip planning services.
This cutting-edge project is slated to begin this fall with a pilot of users from the Montgomery County Transit Advisory Group. Rollout to all riders is projected to begin in spring 2022.
The new app will decrease bus wait times by providing additional buses instead of requiring riders to wait for the next scheduled bus. Strategically placed buses will be positioned for a quick response and can be placed on several routes within minutes to provide additional service on a bus route that is nearing capacity. ROCSS will inform the public when a new bus is being dispatched.
For riders who may choose to seek alternative or multiple transit options, ROCSS will provide trip planning that includes other local options such as Metrorail and Metrobus. By using real-time passenger count information that updates every 20 seconds, ROCSS will increase rider confidence and reliability.
The grant is part of the Federal Transit Administration’s support of strategies that improve transit operations and enhance the mobility of transit users affected by the COVID-19 public health crisis.
MCDOT will be the first transit agency in the region to have this information sent to Central Dispatch to deploy strategic buses and the first to use the information to provide alternate trip planning.
Ride On services remain free to all passengers—a temporary change made during the health crisis. All passengers are required to wear a face-covering to board and must continue wearing the covering for the entire time riding on a bus. All buses have a supply of face coverings for those who cannot provide their own. Buses will continue to be cleaned by the County’s Department of General Services twice daily with hospital-grade disinfectant. Bus filter and ventilation systems also are treated each night with a disinfectant.
