Real-time shuttle/bus tracking and passenger notifications

Purpose

1. Automate real-time tracking of shuttles or buses in corporate park & ride environments to enhance public transport integration.

2. Send automated notifications to passengers regarding vehicle location, ETA updates, delays, and route changes.

3. Automates data synchronization between tracking systems, user applications, and communication channels to ensure immediate, actionable notifications and transparent mobility.

4. Supports automated operations management, improves passenger experience, and enables data-driven optimization in park & ride facilities.

Trigger Conditions

1. Bus/shuttle leaves the depot, triggers location tracking.

2. Bus/shuttle approaches a predefined geofence (e.g., stop), triggers arrival ETA automation.

3. Schedule deviation or delay detected, triggers automated alert.

4. Passenger boards/check-in event (via ticket app or NFC tag), triggers individualized notifications.

5. Manual or automated schedule change update entered into system.

Platform Variants

1. Twilio SMS

- Feature/Setting: Automate SMS via 'Send Message' API; configure webhook for event-triggered passenger notifications.
- Sample Configuration: Use 'POST /2010-04-01/Accounts/{AccountSid}/Messages.json', set triggers on location events.

2. SendGrid

- Feature/Setting: Automate transactional and batch email notifications with 'Mail Send' API; enable dynamic templates for shuttle updates.
- Sample Configuration: POST to 'v3/mail/send' with event-driven dynamic content.

3. Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)

- Feature/Setting: Automate mobile push notifications via FCM API, using device tokens tied to shuttle routes.
- Sample Configuration: Send POST to 'https://fcm.googleapis.com/fcm/send' on arrival trigger.

4. Google Maps Platform

- Feature/Setting: Automate route tracking and geofence alerts using 'Directions' and 'Geofencing' APIs.
- Sample Configuration: Poll 'Directions API'; trigger webhook on geofence cross event.

5. Slack

- Feature/Setting: Automate internal staff alerts via 'chat.postMessage' API when buses are delayed/maintenance flagged.
- Sample Configuration: Slack incoming webhook, message triggered by automated exception.

6. Microsoft Teams

- Feature/Setting: Automate notification delivery to teams via 'Send message in chat' Graph API; set up connectors for route change announcements.
- Sample Configuration: Use '/chats/{chat-id}/messages' API on route status event.

7. AWS SNS

- Feature/Setting: Automate multi-channel notifications by publishing to topics; email/SMS endpoints for passengers.
- Sample Configuration: Publish message to SNS topic on tracking data change.

8. Azure Event Grid

- Feature/Setting: Automate event distribution to downstream systems for workflow automation and reporting.
- Sample Configuration: Create custom topic, push bus event data.

9. Zapier

- Feature/Setting: Automate workflow chains between tracking system and comms channels (e.g., SMS, Slack, Email).
- Sample Configuration: GPS event triggers an automated SMS action.

10. Pusher

- Feature/Setting: Automate real-time in-app update push using Channels API.
- Sample Configuration: Pusher message on vehicle location update in mobile app.

11. OneSignal

- Feature/Setting: Automate segmented push notifications; schedule or trigger via REST API for ETAs/delays.
- Sample Configuration: API call to '/notifications' with person/route segment.

12. Telegram Bot API

- Feature/Setting: Automate push messages to subscribed users via bot.
- Sample Configuration: POST to '/bot{token}/sendMessage' with live update.

13. WhatsApp Business API

- Feature/Setting: Automate message templates for ETA, status, and emergencies.
- Sample Configuration: Send POST to '/v1/messages' on operational status change.

14. Apple Push Notification Service (APNS)

- Feature/Setting: Automate push to iOS apps using APNS tokens; trigger on shuttle location update.
- Sample Configuration: Send JSON payload to APNS endpoint.

15. Google Calendar API

- Feature/Setting: Automate creating or updating events based on shuttle schedule; notify users of schedule shifts.
- Sample Configuration: Use 'events.insert' and automated reminder configurations.

16. Microsoft Outlook Graph API

- Feature/Setting: Automate calendar event invites/updates to passengers' work calendars.
- Sample Configuration: Call '/me/events' with new arrival times.

17. Salesforce Marketing Cloud

- Feature/Setting: Automate triggered journey messages (SMS or email) based on public transport data inputs.
- Sample Configuration: Entry event triggers using 'Interaction Studio'.

18. Airship

- Feature/Setting: Automate orchestration and targeting of push, SMS, email around shuttle ETA via Journeys API.
- Sample Configuration: Orchestrated automation on status update.

19. IFTTT

- Feature/Setting: Automate cross-platform actions on location/geofence/delay events (e.g., call webhook, trigger smart signage).
- Sample Configuration: Location trigger automates notification applet.

20. Facebook Messenger Platform

- Feature/Setting: Automate personalized messages via Messenger API; use webhooks for status update push.
- Sample Configuration: Send message using '/me/messages' endpoint on shuttle event.

Benefits

1. Automates real-time passenger communications, improving satisfaction and reducing uncertainty.

2. Automatedly aligns transport data with passenger calendars and preferred channels.

3. Automator-driven reduction in manual staff tasks and communication costs.

4. Automating incident and delay alerts enhances safety, trust, and operational transparency.

5. Automation allows scalable, timely, and consistent notifications, adapting to demand and peak hours.

6. Enables automatable data analytics on transport patterns for continuous park & ride service improvement.