Swiftly’s Unified Data Platform for Transit Efficiency
Swiftly delivers a comprehensive data platform that provides real-time passenger predictions, fleet monitoring, and alerts to improve transit efficiency.
Understanding Ghost and Zombie Buses
Ghost and zombie buses create confusion and frustration for riders:
- Ghost bus: A bus expected by a rider that never arrives. The app may show it arriving in 5 minutes, but as the countdown ends, the bus disappears, leaving passengers stranded.
- Zombie bus: A bus that appears unexpectedly. The app indicates the next bus in 20 minutes, yet one arrives much sooner, causing uncertainty and planning difficulties.
Impact on Riders and Transit Agencies
These issues break the trust between public transit and its passengers, undermining the promise of reliable real-time information. Riders often share their experiences on social media using #GhostedByTheBus.
"Ghost and zombie buses are nightmares for transit agencies and their riders. Few things are more frustrating than waiting for a bus that never comes or being surprised by one that wasn’t supposed to."
Swiftly’s tools help agencies eliminate such problems, ensuring real-time transit data stays accurate and dependable even in unexpected situations.
Resulting Benefits
- Fewer stranded and confused riders
- Improved trust in transit data
- A more reliable public transit experience
Author's summary: Swiftly enhances public transit reliability by eliminating ghost and zombie buses, boosting rider trust through accurate, real-time data and improved transit monitoring.