VTA 'Wheels on the Bus' SMART Grant - Bike Rack, Wheelchair Occupancy, and CCTV Videos Datasets

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (VTA) Wheels on the Bus—Real-time Data Project (the Project) is pioneering the use of sensor occupancy technology to make transit more accessible for bicyclists and passengers with disabilities. These passenger groups account for almost 10% of passengers who use VTA’s bus service. The Project aims to provide passengers with real-time occupancy data about priority seating areas and bus-mounted bike racks. Access to this data would make trip planning easier and empower bicyclists and passengers who have disabilities by reducing denied boardings caused by a lack of space for bikes or wheelchairs.

The Project is funded by a Stage 1 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant Program. During State 1, the Project Team tested multiple technologies and has successfully begun collecting bike rack and priority seat occupancy data.

Stage 1 of the Project consisted of a pilot program to retrofit a single bus with applicable technologies to collect and transmit bike rack and priority seating occupancy data. This stage spanned over a year and included evaluating multiple technologies, engaging with key stakeholders, piloting hardware and software technologies for both passenger groups, and partnering with internal departments to assess feasibility and next steps.