An Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is coming to Hernando County, but it may take a while to get here. Purchasing and Contracts Manager Tony Garzione asked the BOCC to approve the ranking of proposals submitted by RouteMatch Software and ETA Transit Systems, and then to negotiate a contract with the highest ranked firm, which was RouteMatch. RouteMatch, a company from Atlanta, Georgia, currently provides services to 16 Florida counties as well as other locations across the United States. In our region, RouteMatch has provided hardware and software to Citrus and Pasco Counties.
According to Assistant County Administrator Ron Pianta, the multi-year project will roll out as grant money becomes available. While there have been improvements in the county’s bus system over the past years, including expansion into Pasco County, the goal is to provide increased efficiency and service using technology to reduce redundancy and improve data collection. Hardware improvements would include GPS locators, which would be paired with an application for smartphones which would tell riders where the bus was and how soon it would arrive at their stop.
This would have positive impacts not only on the current transit system, but also with the ADA RideShare program, which currently schedules everything manually. Software upgrades will allow more efficient scheduling and loading times for passengers, saving time and fuel. It would also make it easier to report compliance to the federal government and maintain the grants for the program. The BOCC unanimously approved the selection of RouteMatch.
Additionally, American Construction Services, Inc. was awarded a contract for bus stop improvements for accessibility reasons. This is also a multi-year project, with more than 100 locations to be upgraded. Nineteen locations are scheduled for the first year.