Keolis Event Management App Finalist for MITX Technology Innovation Award

The Event Management app created by Keolis and its technology developer partner Bowst earned recognition as a finalist in the 2018 Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX) Awards. Along with three other finalists, the Keolis Event Management app was selected in the Best Employee Efficiency Technology category.

“Our team is excited to receive this recognition as a finalist for this prestigious award, especially considering this app was used extensively this past winter,” said Ric Salvatici, vice president of digital solutions for Keolis. “Over the winter, it was used during extended periods of extreme cold, back-to-back snow storms, major tidal surges and widespread electrical outages throughout the commuter rail network. It helped our team members communicate throughout these challenging situations.”

According to the organization’s website, the MITX Awards show is the largest and most prestigious competition in the country for technology and digital innovation. The Best Employee Efficiency Technology category recognizes innovative technologies that are fundamentally improving how organizations and their employees perform tasks. The other finalists in this category include the Boston Red Sox, Business Online and MTC labs.

“Keolis has been a great partner to work with,” said Adam Vicinus, founder, Bowst. “Our process and collaboration has allowed us to evolve the application and support their needs better both visually and functionally.”

Developed in 2016 by Keolis, the MBTA’s commuter rail operating partner, and Bowst, a Portsmouth-based software company, the internal application helps manage trains, equipment, personnel and field resources when complex situations occur. Over the last two years, the app has evolved into a visually-intuitive and highly-functional tool that allows for precise management in complex situations. It efficiently retrieves and displays information from field personnel and managers in real time, reducing errors and enabling teams to deploy resources more quickly.

These improvements translate to a more resilient commuter rail operation and better overall service for passengers during severe weather or major events in the greater Boston area. For example, during this past winter hundreds of trees fell onto commuter rail tracks during storms. These incidents require close coordination to ensure efficient deployment of tree-clearing crews and reduce the service impact to passengers either onboard a train or planning to depart at a scheduled time. The app was used effectively to manage these situations and others, helping to ensure clear communication between field teams, customer service and train dispatchers.

The Keolis Event Management app is one example of the technology and innovation Keolis and the MBTA are delivering to further improve and modernize commuter rail. The installation of biometric time clocks is more effectively managing schedules and shifts in the mechanical and engineering departments, and automatic passenger counters continue to be deployed onto trains to provide greater detail on ridership levels. Keolis is also piloting the deployment of hand-held digital devices that conductors use onboard to accept credit card payments and provide station-to-station ridership data.

The 2018 MITX Award winners will be announced on May 24.