Article

Understanding your data needs

Automatic vehicle location (AVL) and automatic passenger counting (APC) systems are becoming increasingly popular with transit systems.

By Steer

Automatic vehicle location (AVL) and automatic passenger counting (APC) systems are becoming increasingly popular with transit systems, large and small. These data collection systems are hugely beneficial when considering customer service, planning and performance management, but how do you define your needs?

Technology for AVL and APC systems has improved immensely over the last decade — location accuracy is almost pinpoint and passenger count accuracy has improved significantly. It is becoming less important to be concerned about the technology aspects of the equipment, and much more important to understand your data needs, and develop specifications around those needs, rather than just to buy what is on offer. More important than choices in detection technology are the more detailed technical parameters such as polling rates, communications bandwidths, and the back-end software reporting tools and analysis functions.

For this, it is crucial to define what your system needs, who is going to use the data, what are they going to do with it, what data is really needed versus what is desirable, and what are the cost implications of different requirements. In some cases, a slightly different specification may make a little or a lot of difference in the overall cost.

BC Transit in British Columbia, Canada has embarked on a comprehensive process prior to procuring new AVL and APC technology. This has included existing data review, internal surveys and staff workshops to review data requirements and to understand the implications on the technical specifications. At the forefront of this effort, there has been a concern for having the proper tools to use the data generated by these systems.

BC Transit’s situation is complex, with the procurement addressing the needs of a medium-sized system (Victoria Regional) plus a host of smaller systems ranging from very small systems such as Fort. St. John to more regional systems such as Kelowna Transit, combined with different contractors and a range of different data needs and access requirements. For other systems, the question of interoperability with neighboring systems is crucial. Even in the more straightforward setting of a single system, the lessons are the same — thoroughly understand your data needs before embarking on the procurement process.

AVL and APC systems are large investments for many transit systems. Be sure to take the time necessary to define your functional requirements clearly, and to translate those into clear specifications to your vendors.

Understanding your data needs

Written by Dennis Fletcher

Off

Subscribe to our newsletter, The Edit

We are Steer

Yes, you are in the right place. After 40 years, we have changed our name from Steer Davies Gleave to mark our growing international footprint and our expanding portfolio into sectors beyond transport.

Explore our new website to learn more about Steer: who we are, how we work and what our future holds.

Related insights

  • 24 Jun 2025
    Article

    Steer supports launch of anti-harassment protocol for public transport in the state of Mexico

    Silvia Mejia Reza
    Associate & Planning Market Leader for Mexico

    Steer supported a new protocol to tackle sexual harassment on Mexibús, improving safety for users in the State of Mexico.

    Read more

  • 27 Feb 2025
    Article

    Leading on bus regulation reform at the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum

    Steve Hunter
    Associate Director

    This week Steer’s Head of Bus Regulatory Steve Hunter spoke at Westminster Energy, Environment and Transport Forum’s conference.

    Read more

  • 18 Jul 2024
    Article

    The King’s Speech: Our key takeaways on planning, transport and the energy transition

    By Steer

    King Charles sets out the new Labour Government’s legislative agenda which intends to ‘take the brakes off Britain’.

    Read more

  • 12 Jul 2024
    Article

    Shifting focus: Why we need to forecast charging infrastructure for commercial EVs

    When it comes to EVs it’s been private cars that have dominated the headlines so far, but they’re really only half the story.

    Read more

  • 27 Jun 2024
    Article

    Ten Mobility Challenges for Mexico

    Silvia Mejia Reza
    Associate & Planning Market Leader for Mexico

    The results of the presidential elections on 2 June invite us to reflect on the challenges facing our cities in terms of planning and

    Read more

  • 26 Apr 2024
    Article

    How can cycling infrastructure be improved in cities around the world? Our consultants give their thoughts

    By Steer

    Last week it was announced that cycling has overtaken car trips as a favoured mode share in central Paris.

    Read more

  • 03 Jul 2023
    Article

    The Investability of EV Charging Infrastructure

    Profile image
    Matthew Clark
    Associate Director

    Governments around the World have targeted a hefty expansion in the number of publicly available EV charge-points.

    Read more

  • 15 Jun 2023
    Article

    La Rolita: transforming public transportation in Bogota with gender equity

    By Steer

    Carolina Martínez, CEO of La Rolita, gives an insight into this transformative project offering leadership roles to women.

    Read more

  • 31 May 2022
    Article

    Crossrail – it wasn’t quick or easy, but it is wonderful

    Adrian Cole
    Consulting Director
    Victoria Rees
    Associate Director

    As Crossrail completes its first week of passenger service, it's a good opportunity to reflect on the work that led to this milestone.

    Read more

  • 10 Feb 2022
    Article

    Electric and Hydrogen Buses, who will win?

    By Steer

    With the 2030 Climate Target Plan, the European Commission has proposed to raise the EU's ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    Read more

  • 21 Apr 2021
    Article

    Is flexibility the answer?

    Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a sudden stop to our daily routine and reshaped our mobility needs and priorities.

    Read more

  • 06 Apr 2021
    Article

    Public sector support stimulus on mobility policy post-COVID in Italy

    Raffael Massa
    Raffael Massa
    Associate Director & Head of Financial Advisory, Italy

    New rules for public transport have impacted public mobility demand, leading people to reconsider the use of cars.

    Read more