Bus service contractors are responsible for getting to and from nodes safely and soundly. Besides picking up and dropping off citizens at designated stops along the bus route, bus contractors are also responsible for inspecting their vehicles before each journey to ensure the safety of passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers on the road. For contractors of a large fleet of buses, manually inspecting each bus used to be a time-consuming and labour-intensive affair. With the IIoT installed, Smart Bus System involve monitoring sensors and cameras replacing the work performed by human eyes, allowing critical data to be collected and transmitted to the cloud for remote management.

The Benefits of using IIoT in Smart Bus Systems

The Industrial Internet of Things technology is now becoming more commonplace in public transit too. Smart connected public bus systems will offer many benefits to passengers. This technology will further improve the passenger’s experience on public transit by offering real-time vehicle tracking, notifications in case of an unexpected event, and personalized travel news to passengers. Combined with the data gathered from the devices used by commuters, can offer enhanced services to their citizens, without losing operational efficiency.

Following are a few ways in which IoT in transportation can benefit all the stakeholders involved:

Real-time Tracking

The Internet of Things technology allows districts to easily track the location of their buses. Districts can install GPS systems on their buses that are connected to the internet. The GPS data is transmitted back to a central command centre. Once the GPS data is received by central command, the information can then be relayed to the passenger’s internet-enabled mobile device or to an electronic sign at transit stops. Passengers can then know the exact time the vehicle will arrive at a particular stop.

Optimizing transport routes

Using IoT sensors at bus stops, bus authorities can have a clear assessment of the footfall at these places. They can know how many people need to be picked up from which stop or station. They can use this information to allocate the appropriate number of buses to different routes. They can also use the traffic information gathered through the sensors planted along the roads, at signals, and on-street lights to plan the fastest routes. The shortest route between two points can be constantly relayed to the bus drivers, who can use this information to get their passengers to their destinations in the fastest way possible.

Vehicle remote monitoring and controlling

IoT can be extensively utilized to monitor the condition of the vehicle in real-time. By using appropriate IoT sensors, and IP surveillance systems, operators can see if there’s any part of their vehicle fleets that needs attention or if it needs to be repaired.

How To Deploy IIoT into Smart Bus System

MQTT is a high-usage technology that was initially used to build connections within a satellite-based network. The lightweight protocol allowed for low bandwidth and power consumption.

The resource efficiency of MQTT played a major role in the system, working via the costly satellite link. Later on, MQTT has come into use with more accessible and low-cost communication channels and in various application areas, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet of Things(IIoT). To keep it simple, an IoT system is a network of connected devices communicating with each other. MQTT fits well into this concept. It is a light protocol with a fast response time. It makes the interaction between devices efficient, whatever the number of devices there is.

Fiberroad Enabling IIoT Solution for Smart Bus System

Equipped with advanced Industrial Ethernet Technology, and MQTT Cloud Management Protocol, Smart Buses can be monitored and coordinated meticulously to ensure bus services are performing within standards. In addition, real-time live surveillance and video analytics of bus fleets can be implemented to respond to emergency events and ensure the security and safety of drivers and passengers. Furthermore, smart buses can monitor and collect data such as driving behaviour and passenger flows, giving bus operators insights into their fleet operation and allowing them to make service improvements or timetable rearrangements when necessary.

Unified Management for Various Connection

With Fiberroad, connecting various IIoT terminals is easier than you think. We offer easy-to-use solutions to make sure all kinds of serial devices, IP Cameras, and Wireless routers can be connected to an Ethernet-based network or to the cloud. Moreover, our enhanced security features and mass device management tools make the lives of engineers easy during system operation.

Furthermore, phenomena such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and OT/IT convergence increasingly demand more and more devices to be connected, making connectivity more complex than ever. Fiberroad IIoT solution allows bidirectional communication between Modbus field equipment and an MQTT broker. It provides a Modbus RTU master interface on RS232/RS485/RS422 and Modbus TCP over Ethernet. Variables can be read from Modbus slave devices on change or at fixed time intervals and are sent to the MQTT broker with optional SSL/TLS client certificate authentication. It also can realize bi-directional transparent transmission between RS232/RS485/RS422 and the network.

IIoT Smart Bus Solution Conclusion

The Internet of Things technology will continue to improve the passenger experience for public transportation by offering real-time vehicle tracking, improved responses in the event of an unexpected event, and personalized travel information. As cities become more congested and as more people look for ways to go green, public transit will become a very attractive option for people looking to forgo using their personal vehicles. IoT technology will only improve public transit and as public transit improves, there will be converts left and right. Fiberroad has enabled connectivity in the automation industry with our easy-to-use and reliable solutions. To continue this trend, we are ready to help you enable IIoT connectivity of the future – simply and easily.