Covid-19: Conduent deploys passenger counting system on Italian buses and trams

Conduent Transportation has announced the implementation of a new system in Bergamo, Italy, to monitor the maximum number of passengers on buses  and trams. The system will enable ATB and TEB to easily comply with government regulations in place to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The regulations, issued by the Italian Ministry of Transport in response to the pandemic, limit the number of bus and tram passengers to 50% of the maximum capacity, as determined by the vehicle’s registration certificate. The automatic passenger counting system allows ATB and TEB to monitor the load, or “load factor”, of each individual vehicle in real time.

“After the impact of the Covid-19 emergency on the area, the Bergamo community wants to return to normalcy. Public transport is an essential part of this restart,” said Gianni Scarfone, general manager of bus operator ATB and CEO of tram operator TEB. “The maximum limit of passengers on board, currently set at 50%, allows citizens to travel in compliance with required health regulations. Conduent’s system is essential in order to allow us to monitor the load factor in real time and communicate appropriately with our customers.”

How the System Works

Conduent Transportation has installed automated, infrared-camera passenger counting devices on all ATB buses and TEB trams operating in Bergamo and the 29 surrounding municipalities, serving a population of approximately 380,000 residents.

The infrared cameras count passengers boarding and disembarking buses and trams and feed this data into new, Conduent-developed software that reports, in real time, on the number of available seats to the driver’s onboard console and on bus external displays.

The number of seats also displays on ATB and TEB operations center terminals, which show the location of each vehicle on each line, and at passenger stops. The data will also be exported to the ATB mobile app, making the information easily available to citizens.

“At Conduent, we recognized the importance and urgency of implementing this important system for the city of Bergamo. ATB and TEB are the first public transport operators in Italy to have a complete solution for the management of passenger counting and related information for citizens,” says Jean-Charles Zaia, general manager of public transit at Conduent Transportation. “Working with ATB and TEB, we have developed a powerful tool that provides passengers with essential information to use the public transport service safely.”

Conduent Transportation is a leading provider of automated and analytics-based transportation solutions for government agencies. These solutions, spanning road usage charging, parking and curbside management, and advanced transit and public safety systems, enable streamlined and personalized services for citizens and travelers who use them. The company has been helping transportation clients for more than 50 years and operates in more than 20 countries.