Transit Capacity Management

Case Study: Transit Capacity Management

Amid the escalation and de-escalation of COVID-19 restrictions, public transit agencies are managing highly variable ridership as well as ensuring public trust in their ability to provide healthy, safe transportation. Incomplete data on bus and rail demand and real time utilization make it harder to operate transit systems efficiently and to comply transparently with public health guidelines. For riders, variable transit schedules and conditions make it difficult to avoid overcrowded vehicles. Public transit agencies must be able to respond quickly and safely to unpredictable ridership while continuing to manage the capacity of buses and trains.

Building on the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA’s) existing measures to keep bus and train service timely, efficient, and safe, City Tech Collaborative, together with the Chicago Transit Authority, Genetec, Intel, and Microsoft, developed new tools to provide real-time insights on bus occupancy across multiple vehicles. A pilot implementation on CTA’s 79th street bus line allowed CTA to proactively meet route ridership demand, reduce both passenger crowding and wait times, and provide a safe, socially distanced rider experience. More broadly, this effort demonstrated how existing assets and advanced technologies can improve short-term operations while also building a foundation for continued innovation.