Barcelona’s metropolitan transportation authority (ATM) has once again turned to technology multinational GMV for its multi-fleet, multi-operator computer-aided dispatch / automatic vehicle location (CAD/AVL) system, to be installed on 916 buses. This new project will enable GMV to upgrade the CAD/AVL system currently being used by the 27 ATM operators, which was also provided by GMV and is now undergoing maintenance. The contract is worth over €7 million and includes the supply, installation, and deployment of the abovementioned system, as well as a four-year warranty.

With the world becoming more and more digital, passengers’ expectations have skyrocketed when it comes to receiving information about public transportation. This has compelled transit operators and authorities to provide accurate, integrated information across multiple channels, including displays at stops or in vehicles as well as journey planners, websites, and mobile apps. 

At the same time, transportation companies are in need of tools to help increase passenger numbers, improve the on-time performance and reliability of services in order to manage the huge number of daily operations and dispatches, and deal with unexpected circumstances such as vehicle breakdowns or unplanned driver absences.

GMV’s information systems fulfill the needs of both users and transit operators and authorities. The company’s systems enable operators to make decisions and monitor their services in real time, in order to improve service performance by correcting possible operational irregularities. To this end, GMV will outfit ATM buses with onboard equipment offering CAD/AVL and passenger information features, as well as modular setups allowing for onboard passenger counting, video recording and IP cameras. The passenger information system onboard the buses will display information to passengers on a TFT panel.

GMV will scale the CAD/AVL equipment it delivers to ATM to the needs of each operator, providing two different types. The advanced equipment option will include an onboard video surveillance system (CCTV) and a passenger counting system. Onboard CCTV improves passenger safety, reduces potential risks, and provides vital information on past accidents to prevent them from happening again. The video signal is sent in real time to the control center and is also stored on the buses. Any emergency detected by the system automatically triggers a call to the relevant emergency response service. Passenger counting is carried out by sensors installed on the bus. The system collects this information and sends it to the operations control center so that the best decisions can be made regarding bus occupancy in real time or route design.

An interface layer has also been added to allow integration with external systems from other transportation authorities, such as Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB), via an information export mechanism based on the SIRI and GTFS standards.