Smart Public Transport Real-Time Location and Occupancy Monitoring for Buses

Abstract

The current public transportation booking systems exhibit significant limitations in flexibility and real- time information delivery, leading to in efficient seat utilization and suboptimal user experience. Predominantly, these systems only permit passengers to book seats from the initial departure point of a bus to its final destination, disregarding intermediate stops. This constraint not only results in underutilized capacity and increased operational costs but also reduces system productivity. Moreover, existing platforms generally lack real- time occupancy data, preventing passengers from assessing whether a bus is full, overcrowded, or underutilized, thus further impacting travel decisions and satisfaction. This paper proposes a smart public transport solution that integrates real-time location referencing and manual occupancy monitoring for buses through a mobile application and a web-based administrative dash board. Unlike traditional systems, this approach allows passengers to book seats from any intermediate stop, thereby enhancing seat allocation efficiency. Instead of relying on automated sensors, the system adopts a manual headcount strategy by integrating with existing conductor-operated ticketing machines. When a ticket is issued, booking information is synchronized with the application, allowing it to infer passenger load dynamically for each route segment. The mobile application features dual authentication, supporting both passenger access and administrative control, enabling real-time updates of bus status and occupancy. The admin dashboard provides a comprehensive view of fleet activity and operational insights. This integrated system aims to improve operational productivity, enhance commuter experience, and support the development of more responsive and intelligent public transport services.