Maximizing Efficiency: The Power of Integrating CAD/AVL With Transit Asset Management

Sept. 17, 2024

In today's fast-paced transit environment, effective asset management is critical to maintaining the reliability and safety of public transportation systems. With the complexity of managing a diverse range of assets—from rolling stock to fixed infrastructure—transit agencies need robust tools to streamline operations, reduce costs and ensure timely maintenance.

What role does preventative maintenance play in fleet management?

Preventative maintenance is crucial for keeping transit vehicles in a state of good repair and ensuring the safety and reliability of services. The software allows agencies to set up maintenance cycles, determine inspection frequencies and define minimum servicing requirements. By adhering to a preventative maintenance schedule, agencies can reduce errors, increase operational efficiency and extend the lifespan of their assets. The system also tracks vehicle history, providing insights into costs per mile, miles between failures and overall vehicle health.

How does the myAvail Transit Assets suite leverage data-driven reports and advanced business intelligence to enhance decision-making for transit agencies?  

The myAvail Transit Assets suite offers robust data-driven reporting capabilities through its comprehensive maintenance dashboard. It consolidates data across the entire agency into an intuitive visual platform, enabling transit agencies to make informed decisions with confidence. The dashboard provides critical metrics such as the cost of planned versus unplanned maintenance, road call expenses and upcoming scheduled maintenance. Users can define key performance indicators (KPIs), set specific targets and drill down into detailed analyses to gain a clearer understanding of current performance. This powerful tool also supports self-service reporting, trend exploration and other essential metrics, empowering agencies to optimize operations and enhance overall efficiency.

How does myAvail ETMS streamline work order requests and ensure efficient maintenance management across the organization?

myAvail ETMS simplifies work order management by allowing requests to be initiated from any point within the organization. Whether it’s an operator identifying a failure during a pre-trip inspection or a customer service representative reporting an issue like a leaking sink at a transit center, the system seamlessly routes these requests into the maintenance management system.

Each request is prioritized, assigned and tracked until completion, ensuring timely repairs and reducing downtime. The system's integration with inventory, vehicle maintenance and general ledger modules further enhances efficiency by automatically updating inventory levels, calculating costs and generating necessary transactions. Additionally, work orders are equipped with barcodes for quick scanning, enabling real-time updates and accurate record-keeping. This comprehensive approach ensures that all maintenance activities are efficiently managed and documented, leading to a well-maintained fleet and facilities.

What is the unique advantage for an agency to have the combined functionality of a CAD/AVL and myAvail Transit Assets system?

The integration of a CAD/AVL system with myAvail Transit Assets offers a unique advantage by creating a seamless connection between real-time vehicle operations and asset management. This combined functionality allows agencies to automatically identify and track equipment deployed on buses, ensuring that maintenance needs are promptly addressed based on real-time data.  

For example, when a vehicle experiences an issue, the CAD/AVL system immediately communicates this to the myAvail Transit Assets system, which can then generate a work order, check for active warranties and update the vehicle’s maintenance history—all in one streamlined process. This integration not only enhances operational efficiency, but also ensures that agencies maintain a state of good repair, reduce downtime and optimize the lifespan of their assets. By bringing together operational data and asset management, agencies gain a powerful tool for making informed decisions, improving service reliability and ultimately delivering better transit experiences to their communities. 

About the Author

David Mugica | Director of Business Development

David Mugica is the director of business development at Avail Technologies, Inc.