Modernizing public transport with real-time bus tracking and enhanced safety

This project won the Grand Prix at the IoT project of the year 2024 contest. Explore the article and learn more about all the winners.

Problem

Delays, detours, lousy driving practices, and safety issues plagued public transport in Lebanon. Commuters were accustomed to long waiting times, lack of comfort, and a pervasive sense of danger.

Seeing the need for improvement, the local company ACTC, specializing in passenger and goods transportation and other logistics services, set out to change the situation.

ACTC wanted to modernize the public transport system in Lebanon and create a safe and enjoyable customer experience. MaliaTec, a renowned Wialon partner, took on the exciting project with ACTC. Read more to learn how the result of their work influenced 78% of current commuters to switch to ACTC buses.

Solution

Maliatec created a complex solution for digitalizing a large fleet of public buses across Lebanon. Generally, the bird’s eye view of this solution is the following:

• Hardware was installed on the buses, which collected information about what happened with the bus and sent it to Wialon.
• In Wialon, the information was configured to be shown and analyzed by ACTC employees, such as dispatchers.
• Information was sent to third-party apps through API.

ACTC buses

Let’s see what each part of the solution was offering.

Software component of the project

The software delivers data for all project participants: ACTC employees, bus drivers, and commuters.

• A Streamax solution is used to manage the buses’ screens and drivers’ tablets, as well as for video replay.
• Wialon is set to control fuel levels, generate route deviation alerts, generate customized driver reports, manage the driver identification keys, and monitor the bus in real time.
• Via API, the data from Wialon is sent to a third-party passenger application, which provides live location, ETA, and next-stop data.
• Wialon fleet management software helps to manage all the preventive maintenance related to the buses.
• Integrating Wialon with the payment gateway allowed passengers to be charged based on the length of the trip.

Hardware component of the project

MaliaTec used a mix of hardware from multiple vendors for this project to satisfy the client’s needs.

The latest AI DVR from Streamax was employed as the project's base. It is connected to passenger counters, AI and ADAS cameras, human-computer interaction screens, passenger information displays, outdoor LED screens, and bus validators with a payment gateway.

The GPS hardware was integrated with Teltonika RFID driver identification sensors, Mechatronics fuel sensors, and buses’ doors. 

MaliaTec provided a centralized control room for real-time bus tracking

Other services offered to the client

The client's training lasted six full days and covered hardware, Wialon, Streamax, the back-end server components, and general questions.

MaliaTec currently has a 7-day/13-hour-per-day technical person on standby to support the operations of ACTC buses.