The vast amount of on-board electronics being incorporated into transit buses needs to be integrated in a way that takes full advantage of the technology. Advanced electronic systems have the ability to work together to perform a variety of functions to enhance bus maintenance, monitor equipment performance, diagnose problems, and provide important data to reduce operating costs. However, before such advantages can be realized, the industry needs to understand how such systems function; determine the benefits such systems can offer; establish a standardized approach to system integration, data collection, and dissemination; and identify implementation requirements and costs.

The objectives of this research were to (1) provide a basic level of understanding concerning advanced electronics and its application to transit buses, (2) describe how the application of electronics to individual components has improved their functionality, (3) describe how individual components can be integrated into larger systems to provide potentially greater benefits, (4) describe the experiences of a representative sampling of transit agencies that have integrated, or are planning to integrate, electronic technologies, and (5) offer a set of guidelines to assist transit managers and maintenance personnel in deciding if a given technology is appropriate for their operations; plan procurement strategies for vehicles or components using advanced electronics; prepare maintenance and training programs; take fuller advantage of the technology's capabilities; and manage the data generated from the equipment.

Status: The final report has been published as TCRP Report 43, "Understanding and Applying Advanced On-Board Bus Electronics," and is also available in portable document format (PDF). Double-click on the files below to access the report. (A free copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader is available at https://www.adobe.com.) PLEASE NOTE: Because of the very large size of these files, it may take a long time--possibly more than 1 hour collectively--to download. We regret the inconvenience.