Project phases
Phase one (2021-2022)
The first phase will be to upgrade the existing Transit Core Management software HASTUS which is used for scheduling, planning and transit operations. This upgrade will help planners optimize schedules by accurately matching the crews to buses.
The upgrade will also enable operators to bid for their work online and assist operations staff to manage changes to the planned service.
Necessary enhancements and customizations will be made to the maintenance management software Trapeze EAM. This will:
- Enable more robust reporting
- Automate the vehicle condition reporting (VCR) process for flagging defects in buses
Phase two (2022-2023)
The second phase will be to upgrade the MDT/VLU on the buses. This upgrade will provide drivers with better displays (touch/colour), which will be more responsive then the current button enabled display.
Better hardware will also enable the rollout of new functionality like map/voice navigation, turn by turn, and detours.
New hardware will also make it feasible to enable vehicle component monitoring which will immensely help the maintenance staff with troubleshooting.
Phase three (2023-2024)
The third phase will be to upgrade the digital video recorder (DVR) surveillance cameras on all 300 buses. These cameras will be integrated into the City’s Central Security System.
To improve storage of video footage from external cameras, the current DVR storage capacity of two terabytes will be upgraded to 4 terabytes will be added to new buses.
An additional module to enable vehicle monitoring will also be activated.
Phase four (2025-2026)
The fourth phase will include buying additional licenses and implementing the vehicle component monitoring (also called vehicle intelligence) software.
This software will help mechanics to perform remote diagnostics, allowing them to be better prepared before a bus arrives in the garage for maintenance.
Further upgrades to core management software core module, garage management and payroll modules will also be performed.
Background information
As per the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) guidelines, ICIP is a federal infrastructure program designed to create long-term economic growth, build inclusive, sustainable and resilient communities and support a low-carbon economy.
Through ICIP, the federal government is providing $11.8 billion in federal infrastructure funding to cost-share projects under four streams, one of which is the Public Transit stream.
The Public Transit stream of ICIP will primarily build new urban transit networks and service extensions that will transform the way that Canadians live, move and work.
The funding will be used for system upgrades in MiWay buses including improvements to the fare box as well as ITS hardware and software upgrades.
Benefits
Upgrades to the fare box will:
- Improve the quality of the existing system, through the refurbishment of 20 year old fare boxes
- Provide increased customer service experience and fare accessibility through continuation of alternate fare options such as cash
- Extend life cycle of existing fare box systems by as much as ten years
- Increase the speed and accuracy of removing and counting cash fares
Upgrades to the ITS hardware and software will:
- Improve the quality and safety of the existing system, through intelligence transportation system improvements (CAD/AVL/MDT) in all transit buses
- Improve vehicle component status/telemetry data collection and upgrade the back-end Scheduling/Planning software
- Improve ITS equipment (cameras, DVR), back-end scheduling and monitoring systems
- Increased driver and passenger safety as new hardware standard features will immensely help drivers remain focused on the road
- Improved back-end software will provide more dispatching options, bus monitoring/asset tracking and over all security of ITS
- Proactive vehicle maintenance with better real time tracking
- Increased safety through video surveillance improvements