Case Study: Blacksburg Transit achieves accurate rider counts and operational efficiency with TripSpark's CAD/AVL fixed-route solution

How Data Collection Worked for Blacksburg Transit

Blacksburg Transit, a local government-owned bus system in Blacksburg, VA serving about 2.95 million riders a year (roughly 90% students), struggled to manage high rider density and tight budgets. Without electronic fareboxes or automated rider counts, the agency couldn’t tell which buses were over- or under-capacity, and dispatchers spent excessive time on paperwork instead of managing operations.

TripSpark implemented a CAD/AVL fixed-route solution with automated passenger counting, real-time vehicle tracking, wireless driver-dispatch communication, and digital reporting. With accurate headcounts and instant reports, BT reallocated buses by demand, improved schedule adherence, reduced paperwork, sped customer responses, and better directed limited funds — increasing operational efficiency and rider satisfaction.

Blacksburg Transit