Deadline: 20-Feb-23
The Region of Durham and Durham Region Transit (DRT) is launching a challenge to innovators and businesses under the theme of Connected and Smart Mobility.
The Specifics
- Innovation is one of the key pillars of The Route Ahead, Service Strategy 2022-2025. They are continuously adapting the service routes and delivery models to meet customers’ evolving needs.
- DRT is looking for a solution that detects and communicates with passengers at transit stops. DRT wants to understand better how many customers are waiting on a route so that they can better plan service. They also want to know how customers use transit stop infrastructure to ensure a positive customer experience while waiting for the bus. Finally, DRT wants the ability to communicate important announcements to passengers and provide a reliable, safe and accessible transit experience. The ideal solution would include being able to:
- Detect the number of passengers waiting at the transit stop while adhering to all privacy considerations
- Quantify total customer wait time and trips abandoned prior to boarding vehicle
- Analyze the use of infrastructure at the transit stop (e.g. benches, shelters, bike racks)
- Provide the opportunity for two-way communication for customer support
- Include audio and visual cues to alert passengers of all abilities to important announcements and approaching vehicles
- In addition to ridership and route data, DRT has infrastructure that could be available to successful challenge participants, as required, to pilot the proposed solution. This infrastructure may include the following:
- Durham Region Transit buses
- Transit stops along Taunton Road, Simcoe Street or Highway 2
- Transit stop infrastructure (e.g. shelters, benches, bike racks)
- Traffic lights
Outcomes
- Durham Region Transit anticipates that a successful challenge applicant will collaborate with municipal staff to test and evaluate a technology for its ability to detect the number of customers at transit stops and provide relevant information to DRT for analysis. The solution should also allow communication with customers at transit stops
- Potential for:
- 6-12 month pilot project utilizing Regional infrastructure
- 6-12 month research and co-development with municipal staff
- Access to technical expertise and resources through Ontario Tech University and Durham College
- Access to business advisory services through Spark Centre
- Transit stops along Taunton Road, Simcoe Street or Highway 2
- Transit stop infrastructure (e.g. shelters, benches, bike racks)
- Traffic lights
Criteria
- Are you an Ontario-based or international startup, small-to-medium sized business with fewer than 500 employees (SME) or entrepreneur with technologies for smart mobility, municipalities, and electric vehicles? Contact Durham RTDS or apply for one of the Challenges to find out more about how you can work with us.
For more information, visit DRT.