The USA-based subsidiary of a leading Spanish technology group has provided tracking, dispatching and management for all the vehicles involved in the recently held Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia.
Syncromatics, the transit telematics US division of Madrid-based GMV Group, has played a key role in the team providing safe and reliable transportation for delegates, media and VIP guests at the convention. The DNC committee asked Event Transportation Associates (ETA) to set up a temporary transit system capable of moving people from hotels scattered around the city and New Jersey to various convention sites. As an ETA contractor, Syncromatics provided computer-aided dispatching and automatic vehicle-location software, as well as a real-time passenger-information website so delegates could quickly check the location of their bus and transit time to convention venues.
In just 48 hours, Syncromatics installed GPS tracking devices on the fleet of over 400 buses sourced from more than 20 private and public fleets in the area. It also supplied web-based dispatching technology to power the central bus operations command center and feed data to the City of Philadelphia’s Emergency Operations Center. The software provided route-based assignments for each vehicle, enabling dispatchers to head off service disruptions, take proactive measures to ensure passenger safety, and troubleshoot potential issues. In addition to behind-the-scenes dispatching, Syncromatics hosted a public website to enable convention-goers to track their buses in real-time. Over 10,000 users logged onto the mobile responsive website during the convention.
GMV and its Syncromatics division has been trading in the USA since 2004, and has built up a wide range of technological services and products adapted to suit the market. Syncromatics’ groundbreaking fleet management and passenger information systems have been taken up by more than 40 public transport authorities and operators from diverse US states, running between them a fleet of over 1,400 vehicles. One of its flagship clients is the Los Angeles Department of Transport (LADOT).
“With tens of thousands of delegates, media, staff, and other honored attendees descending on Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention, we were proud to provide leading-edge technology that allowed convention-goers to navigate the city safely, quickly, and easily,” said Syncromatics CEO, Ian Sephton. “This experience at the DNC showed we can deploy our proven public transit technology to help event organizers set up turnkey transportation dispatch and passenger information systems. If we can make it work for the DNC, we can make it work for any event.”
Janie Hollingsworth, CEO of ETA, commented, “The Syncromatics technology was a huge improvement over vehicle tracking systems we’ve used at past conventions. What really set Syncromatics apart was the dedication and focus their staff brought to the dispatch center to help us get the most out of the technology. The security and logistical requirements make the DNC a very complex event, and its experience in public transit was a tremendous asset for the DNC bus operations.”
