The significance of passenger information in the daily operations of transport operators can be attributed to one simple reason: the paramount importance of customer satisfaction and the overall passenger experience.

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The emergence of a new traveler profile

The profile of travelers is undergoing a significant transformation, characterized by an increasing level of connectivity, higher expectations, and a desire for prompt responses to their inquiries. This profound shift reflects the evolving needs and preferences of modern travelers who are accustomed to being connected at all times and have developed a preference for efficient and timely information retrieval.

Increasingly connected and demanding travelers

The Internet has played a pivotal role in democratizing access to information, while smartphones have revolutionized the way people engage with technology. This digital revolution has led to the emergence of new behaviors and expectations among travelers.

In today's era, travelers desire comprehensive control over their journeys, starting from the initial planning stage to the final destination. They seek the convenience of managing their entire travel experience directly from their smartphones. This includes selecting the most suitable modes of transportation, purchasing tickets in advance, and accessing real-time information about vehicle arrival times. The ability to accomplish these tasks seamlessly through mobile devices has become an essential aspect of the modern traveler's expectations.

Passengers and intermodality

Passenger intermodality refers to the combined use of different modes of transportation for a single trip. Indeed, to get from point A to point B, they often use several means of transportation, the sequence between each being the key to success.

Intermodality aims to offer travelers a more flexible and sustainable transportation solution, while reducing dependence on a single mode of transportation. It's a phenomenon that drives all transportation operators to strive for ever greater excellence, and to take a keen interest in passenger satisfaction.

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Passenger satisfaction first and foremost

Faced with the emergence of these new profiles, relevant, reactive and comprehensive passenger information is more than essential, especially when traffic is disrupted.

Real-time information is a major challenge today, and must be disseminated and accessible on all the media used by passengers:

• On smartphones
• On board vehicles
• In stations and at stops

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Comparing theoretical and real-time information

There are two sides to passenger information: theoretical information and real-time information.

Theoretical information

Theoretical information in the context of transportation is typically derived from forecasted or estimated data. These data provide travelers with accessible and consistent information that remains relatively stable over time.

To facilitate the sharing and distribution of transport data, the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) has emerged as the most widely utilized standard file format. GTFS defines a structured framework for organizing data related to routes, stops, timetables, and lines.

By adopting the GTFS format, transport operators can effectively share their information with data re-users and seamlessly distribute it to their passengers. This standardized approach enhances data accessibility, promotes transparency, and enables smoother information exchange within the transportation ecosystem.

Real-time information

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<p class="paragraph-73">Real-time information is continuous information on the current state of transport. It is data that provides information on travel conditions, such as vehicle positions, expected waiting times for the next vehicles at a particular stop, possible delays and trip cancellations.</p>
<p class="paragraph-73 margin-top">The best-known standardized format is GTFS-RT (or GTFS Realtime). This is an extension of the standard GTFS format, and shows the observed deviation from the planned schedule.</p>
<p class="paragraph-73 margin-top">The aim of realtime is to enable travelers to plan and adjust their journeys, by providing them with reliable, up-to-date information on traffic conditions.</p>
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How to provide real-time information to passengers?

The role of CAD/AVL

In order to provide their passengers with real-time information, transport operators need to equip their vehicles with a modern, on-board information and operating assistance system (CAD/AVL). CAD/AVL is the only system capable of generating this real-time information.

CAD/AVL is an on-board system that uses real-time data to optimize operations and provide reliable, constantly updated passenger information. It collects and analyzes vehicle data, such as GPS position at time T, or actual transit times.

CADs/AVLs are therefore truly at the service of passenger information.

Passenger information and GTFS-RT

As a CAD/AVL solution, Pysae has various connectors for displaying real-time data, including GTFS-RT.

Thanks to Pysae and its GTFS-RT flow, your passengers can consult in real time via their favorite mobile application:

• Stop waiting times updated in real time
• Vehicle geolocation updated in real time
• Their notifications and be alerted in the event of an unusual situation

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<p class="paragraph-73">Pysae, a leading provider of SaaS solutions for managing operations in the public transport sector, offers continuous support to its customers. We provide them with dependable and precise data on their operations, enhanced GPS navigation for bus drivers, and real-time information to enhance passenger experience.</p>
<a href="https://web.pysae.com/en/schedule-a-demo?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=Blog" class="button_success_p_plain w-button" style="margin-top: 15px">Book a demo</a>
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