GPS location of Aggie Shuttle buses goes online

Lisa Rose Woodworth

February 11, 2008 | USU Aggie Shuttle recently implemented a GPS tracking system that enables students to view the location of buses online without having to wait outside in the cold.

Each bus on the campuses five routes carries a GPS phone that updates every 15 seconds. Arrows then designate the location and direction of the bus on customized maps with routes and colored icons.

Former Aggie Shuttle driver and USU engineering graduate Justin Rees developed "Aggie Shuttle Real-Time." Rees is the president of Ride Systems in Logan that provides tracking solutions for fleets and are currently powering USU’s new GPS system.

"It is pretty neat that we are able to do this here at USU," said Alden Erickson, Aggie Shuttle supervisor. "We are the first in the nation."

Erickson explained that USU is the first university to implement a real-time GPS tracking system for their shuttle system, although other commercial fleet operations have implemented similar tracking systems. He said the hand-held GPS phones that USU is using to track were an affordable alternative to systems hard-wired in the buses that can cost more than their entire budget.

These hand-held devices, which provide the tracking, are also used by drivers to take passenger counts at each bus stop. Erickson said this provides data that helps Parking and Transportation to determine which routes are being used how they can better serve the students.

MS
MS