Westmoreland transit readies real-time bus tracking

Westmoreland County Transit Authority bus passengers will be able to track their rides online next year.

Agency officials said training for a real-time tracking program is expected to begin this fall, with an anticipated launch date in January.

Global positioning software is being installed on the authority’s fleet of more than 40 fixed-route buses. It will allow the agency to track bus positions, which will be posted on a website to allow passengers to follow the locations of their rides.

“This has been a long time coming. Someone can potentially look on the phone and see where the buses are. We’re trying to give good customer service,” authority executive director Alan Blahovec said.

Implementation of the Fixed-Route Transportation System is being paid for by PennDOT. The authority’s expenses to operate the system will be limited to costs associated with additional data used by on-board cellular devices to transmit vehicle locations.

Similar tracking systems have been implemented by other transit agencies, including Pittsburgh Regional Transit.

Westmoreland’s authority operates 18 weekday and six Saturday routes, including commuter service into Pittsburgh.

Ridership has slowly rebounded after cratering during the coronavirus pandemic. Officials said the authority’s fixed-route bus service jumped about 10% during the past year.

Meanwhile, plans are continuing to revamp the authority’s services. A state-hired consultant for the past year has been reviewing the authority’s service model and routes with an eye toward redrawing travel and recrafting the bus system. The authority hosted an open house last spring to collect rider opinions for a potential new service.

That process is expected to ramp up in the coming months. Blahovec said consultants are expected to unveil a revised service proposal to the public and the authority board before the end of this year.