Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (AMT) in Montreal Improves Bus Operations with Motorola RFID Solution
AMT Teams Up with Motorola, Eminencia and Solotech International to Improve Customer Satisfaction and Expand Use of Public Transit
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. - 13 November 2007 - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that the Montreal Transit Authority (AMT) selected a Motorola RFID solution to track its bus fleet and help increase the use of its transit system. Together with Motorola authorized reseller, Eminencia, AMT has deployed Motorola radio frequency identification (RFID) readers, tags and antennas, as well as wireless LAN (WLAN) access points and client bridges. This unique integration of RFID and WLAN serves to seamlessly deliver AMT's bus riders with real-time arrival and departure information, reducing passenger confusion and making travel more convenient and comfortable even in inclement weather.
AMT has been charged with encouraging the public to use buses rather than private vehicles to promote an environmentally-friendly lifestyle that results in less traffic congestion and vehicle pollution. The organization determined that it needed to better manage its system of buses in order to handle its current roster of 750,000 passengers and to encourage additional riders. As a result, AMT built a solution that provides terminal managers with detailed cumulative reports to improve the management of routes and personnel.
"Even beyond convenience, this RFID-based system is a lifestyle enhancement for our customers as every minute of wait time during our region's harsh winters can be a challenge," said Claude Carette, vice president, Metropolitan Operations, AMT. "By implementing the RFID system, we are able to more accurately inform customers of the specific time and location of buses on large screens so that they can wait in the comfort of the terminal until the bus arrives. Additionally, real-time monitoring allows AMT terminal managers to quickly deploy additional drivers to keep bus routes on schedule, even when weather, road construction or a mechanical breakdown may otherwise create delays."
"Businesses are seeing the value - both from a lifestyle and organizational standpoint - of real-time access to asset location information," said Joe White, vice president of business development, RFID division for Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Solutions. "AMT's deployment is a great example of how public agencies can leverage Motorola's complete portfolio of enterprise mobility solutions to quickly move information from one bus station to a city's entire network of hubs, creating a pleasurable travel experience for passengers."
RFID technology specialists Eminencia worked with Solotech International, a Canadian company with extensive experience in multimedia design and integration, to develop an integrated system of large digital display screens mounted in bus terminals. The screens display information about bus arrival and departure times and the appropriate docks. This data is also presented to terminal managers who monitor and control the bus traffic. To gather the information, AMT uses an ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID-based solution consisting of RFID readers located at entrance and exit points at each depot and RFID tags on buses to detect the bus location throughout the terminal. The Motorola WLAN sends the collected data from the RFID readers to depots' system for analysis to generate information for the display screens.
"Aside from improving on-time performance, the RFID system helped AMT modernize its tracking and communication of bus status across all terminals, enabling management to focus on future improvements and growth plans," said Pierre Malboeuf, president, Eminencia. "We recommended Motorola RFID technology because Motorola's products provide the highest levels of performance and read accuracy - even under severe regional weather conditions that include temperatures reaching minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit."
The system is currently operational at the Cartier and Montmorency bus terminals in Laval, Montreal. Overall, there are Motorola RFID Cargo Tags affixed to 380 buses and each terminal has an RFID network consisting of Motorola XR Series RFID readers, Motorola AN400 Area RFID antennas and a WLAN consisting of Motorola AP-5131 access points and a Motorola CB3000 client bridge.
Representatives of the Montreal Transit Authority, Eminencia and Motorola will be presenting information about this solution at the RFID Journal Live! Canada 2007 event on November 27th in Toronto, Canada.
About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of seamless mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you connect simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $42.8 billion in 2006. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit www.motorola.com.
About Eminencia
Eminencia, based on Montreal, Quebec, focuses on providing advanced technologies and expertise to help businesses optimize financial, material, and human resources. For more than 15 years, Eminencia has worked closely with teams at North American companies of all sizes to design and implement innovative solutions to enhance supply chain efficiency for overall strategic advantage. With a specialty in RFID technology, Eminencia combines best-practice vision with a practical approach based on tangible results for its clients.
About Solotech International
Solotech International is an industry leader in sound, lighting, video and new media. Founded in 1977 and based in Montreal, Quebec, Solotech offers an extensive product line and turnkey solutions for the integration of multimedia presentation systems for the show business industry, recording studios, and businesses with strategic media requirements. Solotech's team of industry professionals, consultants, engineers, and technicians have experience in large studios, on the great stages of the world, and with numerous noteworthy international projects.
Media Contact:
Bill Abelson
Motorola, Inc.
+1 631-738-4751
Bill.Abelson@motorola.com
