PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA and the City of Philadelphia have been comparing notes with a Canadian province on how to make transit systems more sustainable.
On Tuesday, they gathered at the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia for the fourth Smart & Sustainable Mobility Showcase. The meeting wasn’t all about hydrogen-fueled buses and electric vehicles, though they were on display. It was also about data, with 300 energy representatives from SEPTA, the city and 19 companies from the province of Quebec to talk about ways to reduce carbon emissions and boost sustainability.
Frederic Langlois, the transportation and energy attaché from Quebec, said it started four years ago with a few meetings and a collaboration. “We thought maybe we should bring Quebec-based companies and you guys will bring your own organizations together and we’ll share notes,” Langlois said.
SEPTA special projects manager Emily Duncan said it already started paying off. She explained the transit agency now contracts with the Quebec firm Infodev, which uses artificial intelligence to count passengers on buses and trains.
“We understand exactly where people are getting on and how many people are getting off so that we can schedule the best service,” she said.
“That’s a real concrete outcome of this partnership,” added Langlois.
