Efficient Collection of Ridership and On- Time Performance Data - Init

INIT Innovations in Transportation 

Karlsruhe - Chesapeake 

Provider and Systems Integrator of Intelligent 

Transportation Systems (ITS) for Public Transit 

Efficient Collection of Ridership and On- 

Time Performance Data 

Andreas Rakebrandt 

Version 1.0 

Mailing Address 

INIT GmbH 

Käppelestraße 6 

76131 KARLSRUHE 

Postmaster@init-ka.de 

www.init-ka.de 

Ph. +49-721-610-0000 

Fax +49-721-610-0399 

INIT, Inc. 

1400 Crossways Blvd., Suite 110 

CHESAPEAKE, VA, 23320 

USA 

postmaster@initusa.com 

www.initusa.com 

Ph. +1 757-413-9100 

Fax +1 757-413-5019 

Copyright INIT - Modifications according to technical progress reserved. Without our written permission and without source 

specification, these documents may not be copied, multiplied or be made accessible to third persons, in particular competitors.

Automatic Passenger Counting 

Efficient Collection of Ridership and On-Time Performance Data 

Table of Contents 

Table of Contents 

1 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 3 

1.1 Technical Overview ................................................................................................ 3 

1.2 Partnership............................................................................................................... 3 

2 Vehicle System.................................................................................................................... 4 

2.1 Vehicle Counting Components ............................................................................... 5 

2.1.1 Infrared Array Sensor................................................................................ 6 

2.1.2 The Analyzer Unit..................................................................................... 8 

2.2 GPS Receiver .......................................................................................................... 8 

2.3 On-Board Computer COPILOTsmart with Integrated WLAN............................... 8 

2.4 Required Signals...................................................................................................... 8 

2.5 Network Overview .................................................................................................. 8 

2.6 Standard Data Receiving Unit: WLANstation (Garage server) .............................. 9 

2.7 Data Security ........................................................................................................... 9 

3 Central System..................................................................................................................10 

3.1 Reports................................................................................................................... 11



Introduction 

1 Introduction 

Reliable ridership data is not only important for government reporting but also necessary to help 

better plan public transit services. The costs and efforts for manual passenger counting are extremely 

high, the sampling plans are often not representative and the results are inaccurate. Automatic 

Passenger Counting (APC) collects highly accurate ridership data and no manual ride 

checkers are needed. APC is often integrated into an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system, 

however also available as a stand alone system. This stand alone version allows transit agencies 

who don’t have an AVL system to benefit from the advantages APC offers. 

Metro in St. Louis is using APC as a standalone system on 40 buses and 87 LRV’s. In particular, 

APC data was a critical component in the service reduction analysis in 2004 when approximately 

$2 million dollars per year were saved through the service reduction without significantly 

impacting overall ridership. In order to manually collect, analyze and manage the 

route data which Metro receives from the Automatic Passenger Counting System, the agency 

would have to spend a minimum of $700,000 per year. Metro measures on-time at every time 

point for arrival and departure. In addition, the data is stored in a shared network drive so operations 

can review how an operator is performing by printing the history and going over with the 

operator how to improve the schedule adherence. 

1.1 Technical Overview 

Infrared sensors, mounted above each door, combine passive and active technology to achieve 

highest accuracy. The sensors are connected to an on-board computer which retrieves and stores 

the counts together with GPS location. As soon as the vehicle arrives in the garage area the collected 

data is uploaded wireless LAN from the vehicles to a central server. A unique algorithm 

which does not require any manual intervention matches the passenger counts to the schedule. A 

projection feature extrapolates sample data to the full service. It should be specifically noted that 

no driver interaction is required (“black box” solution). The turnkey APC system works from 

end to end fully automated! All data is subsequently available in database for ad-hoc and automatically 

scheduled statistical reports. Results are presented in tables, graphs and in a graphical 

information system (GIS). NTD reporting is integrated. 

1.2 Partnership 

INIT has more than 6500 sensors installed in North America and Canada on buses and Light Rail 

Vehicles. The APC system has been developed in conjunction with INIT´s cooperation partner 

IRIS Infrared & Intelligent Sensors GmbH, Berlin (INIT AG is major shareholder of IRIS 

GmbH). 

Andreas Rakebrandt 05-08-02 

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Vehicle System 

2 Vehicle System 

The standard APC system consists of components to count people and components to store, 

transmit and evaluate the count data as shown in Figure 1. 

Figure 1: Overview Of The Standard APC Components 








The APC System in the vehicle consists of the following modules: 

• On-Board Computer COPILOTsmart including the WLAN unit 

• GPS-Receiver 

• Passenger counting sensors 

• Passenger counting analyzer 

The core unit of the vehicle system is INIT’s on-board computer, COPILOTsmart which stores 

the APC data received from the analyzer unit(s), and transmits the data via Data Transmission 

Unit to the post-processing system for evaluation and analysis. 

2.1 Vehicle Counting Components 

The sensors are installed above the door. The typical counting components for a LRV are shown 

in the picture below. Four analyzers are needed per train, (one analyzer for two doors), 16 sensors 

per train, (2 sensors per door), 1 COPILOTsmart per train. A bus will need at least two sensors, 

one analyzer. 

Figure 2: Basic Components Of The IRMA APC System 

The figure includes the following components: 








• "IRMA" vertical infrared array sensors detect the number and direction of movement of 

boarding and/or de-boarding passengers. The dimensions of the housing are 90x32x34 mm = 

3.54x1.26x1.34” (LxWxH). Two sensors per a wide door (Door width 48”) 

• The sensor consists of active and passive components to eliminate as many errors as possible. 

• Due to inner and outer curtain, the intelligent sensor is able to distinguish between boarding 

/de-boarding passengers. 

The sensor is self calibrating the active and passive sensing components after the door is 

closed. NO further adjustments are necessary! 

• „IRMA" analyzer unit (connected to the sensors) transforms the infrared information provided 

by the sensors into passenger counts per direction per door and transmits the data to the 

on-board COPILOTsmart. 

• The analyzer is connected to on-board computer COPILOTsmart which, after each stop, interrogates 

the results with regard to counts at each door and distinction between “ons“ and 

“offs“ and stores the data in correlation with GPS and time. The door contact input of the 

analyzers is connected to the train line to receive the door open and close signal. 

• Cables and connectors between sensors, passenger counter and on-board storage device 

2.1.1 Infrared Array Sensor 

The main component of the APC system is the sensor. The sensor consists of three components: 

• Passive component (pyro-electric detector) 

• Active component (light scanner) 

• Combined photo diodes (constant light receiver) 








Figure 3a: Sensor Description 

Passive Component 

Active Component 

The detector contains 6 detector elements, the The detection range of the light scanner is 

detection range of which has been arranged as also arranged as two “parallel” curtains. 

two “parallel” curtains. 


Figure 3b: Arrangement Of Sensor Detection Area 

When a person passes the recording area of the sensor, he/she is “viewed” by both the passive 

component and the active component as well as by the double photo diode. All signals generated 

in the sensor are amplified and digitized by the sensor and then transmitted to the analyzer unit 

via synchronous serial interface. The signals are transformed into counts by the analyzer unit. 







2.1.2 The Analyzer Unit 

From the signals transmitted by the sensor(s), the analyzer determines the number of persons getting 

on and off the vehicle. These counts are interrogated and stored by the on-board computer. 

The data are transmitted from the analyzer to the on-board computer via dedicated data cable. 

2.2 GPS Receiver 

A GPS receiver is providing every 4 seconds the vehicle position. 

2.3 On-Board Computer COPILOTsmart with Integrated WLAN 

The core unit of INIT’s on-board APC equipment is the COPILOTsmart computer and acting as 

the interface to both the vehicle electronics such as Automatic Passenger Counting system and 

the vehicle location component such as GPS. With the integrated WLAN card it is utilized as the 

link between the APC equipment and the post-processing system. 

2.4 Required Signals 

• No Motion Signal (LRV) 

• Odometer (Bus) 

• Door Open Sensor 

• Ignition 

• Battery Power 

2.5 Network Overview 

The Access point is installed at the garage. As soon as the vehicle arrives in the range of the access 

point the data is transmitted to the Wlan Garage server. 

The FTP client on the central server retrieves the data from the garage server and the data is 

matched with the schedule information once a day. The matched APC information is exported 

into MOBILEstatatistics and available for reporting. All reports can be accessed through the Oracle 

data base. 








2.6 Standard Data Receiving Unit: WLANstation (Garage server) 

Additionally to the wireless LAN clients (COPILOTsmart) in the vehicles, some infrastructure is 

needed for the WLAN network on stationary side. To build a wireless network, garage stations 

called access points (AP) are used. Every AP has a maximum communication range of 500 feet. 

Also, one wireless LAN server (PC) is needed on the garage location. The PC is the main communication 

partner of the COPILOTsmart. The access point is connected to the Server (WLANstation) 

through the Ethernet network. The WLANstation server contains two network cards in 

order to separate the APC network from the company network. 

2.7 Data Security 

Overall, wireless connections are always susceptible to allowing open access unless a protection 

structure has been integrated into the system. Every 802.11b compliant client adapter may log 

into a wireless system and transfer data. The best way to counteract the possibility of external 

users is by means of a customary protection based on a Cisco platform. INIT has done extensive 

research and has comprehensive experience in locating the safest and most reliable system available. 







Central System 

3 Central System 

The central system is composed of the following subsystems: 

• Software for Scheduling Data import and Management including conversion of Geocoordinates 

• Data Base software - MOBILEcore 

• Data Validation and Matching software 

• MOBILEstatistics software 

• MOBILEstatistics server 

• MOBILEstatistics client software 

As described previously in the proposal Figure 4: illustrates the data flow in the central system of 

INIT´s APC system. 

Figure 4: Data Flow APC System 








3.1 Reports 

Based on the data in the database, data standard reports and ad hoc reports can be generated. The 

basic MOBILEstatistics client includes the following reports: 

• Passenger Flow per Door 

• Passenger Flow per Stop 

• Passenger Flow per Trip 

• Passenger Flow per Line 

• Passenger Flow per Vehicle 

• Passenger Flow by Time 

• Passenger Flow Overview 

The following screen shots show examples of APC data evaluation and post processing. 

Figure 5: Example for Passenger Flow per Door 








Figure 6: Example for Passenger Flow per Stop 

Figure 7: Ridership per Trip by Train 








Often times Transit Authorities will couple 2 LRV’s together to form a “Train”. As illustrated by 

the “Ridership per Trip by Train” report above; INT is fully capable of providing reports and 

statistics for this type of configuration. 

All recorded data is available in Oracle database and it can be accessed through a third party interface 

module.

Efficient Collection of Ridership and On- Time Performance Data - Init

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