Houston METRO uses data to make public transit smarter

The challenge

A search for better predictions

Houston METRO, the fourth most populous metropolitan area’s public transportation authority in the United States, wanted to improve the user experience by developing an application so riders could see bus route predictions. However, the bus arrival time predictions were worse than they had expected, and Houston METRO decided to hold a competition to find a team that could provide them with the most accurate prediction. This is the point where Solvd came in.

The approach

Predictions and transparency in transportation

Houston METRO started with Solvd’s TransitIQ white-label app, which provided predictions based on big data and ML. This helped them realize that Houston METRO could benefit from an extra layer on top of the predictions – an analytical platform that allowed evaluating the projections and seeing the data that led the system to make that prediction. Having a transparent system made the predictions even better over time because people using it could track the quality of the predictions and give critical feedback.

Houston METRO added the Business Intelligence unit to the platform to look at the bus system performance from different points of view. The final solution had an automated anomaly detection and notification system that could show bus batching, vehicle history, run times, and service status. Ultimately, the business intelligence data gave control over thousands of moving parts and more opportunities for increasing the accuracy of the predictive analytics.

The outcome

Meaningful changes in city life

Using the new platform, Houston METRO was able to see the full scale of how being data-driven affected their operations and how having the right data was the key to success. Recognizing the platform’s effect on predictions led Houston METRO to update its internal policies and subsequently increase the accuracy of predictions and rider satisfaction.

Leveraging the TransitIQ platform and Big Data and prediction models, Houston METRO built a customer-facing app that offers riders the most efficient route and time predictions based on real-time traffic data and their location. This gave Houston METRO the tools to manage its fleet and schedules in a new, more efficient way, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most advanced and award-winning public transportation systems in the US.