IBM continues to take important strides in giving big data ideals real world applications. Veolia Transdev and IBM are now partnering to develop a mobility solution that helps cities alleviate road congestion, optimize transportation infrastructures, improve travel in metropolitan areas and cutting financial costs. The smarter mobility solution combines Veolia Transdev’s expertise in the public transit industry and IBM’s innovation in big data and advanced analytics.  The initiative provides cities the ability to coordinate and connect services across all of its transportation networks, including subways, trams, buses, vehicular and bicycle traffic and others, which enhances commuter travel experiences.

The solution leverages IBM’s Intelligent Operations Center (IOC), which provides cities a holistic view of urban operations as water, transportation and public safety, through one central point of command, for quicker assessments. Veolia Transdev’s technology can identify traffic road speed and arrival times and coordinate city responses across the transportation network across multiples modes of transportation within a city, such as buses and trams. These combined capabilities also take into account unplanned events, such as rain-storms or traffic accidents, which may cause delays or disruption in service.

The City of Lyon, France, (the second largest metropolitan area in France outside of Paris) will pilot the first application of the mobile solution. The test is also part of Lyon’s Optimod’Lyon project, which will evaluate new services to optimize transport infrastructure. Gerard Collomb, Senator Mayor of Lyon shares his enthusiasm for the initiative: “The smarter mobility solution developed by IBM and Veolia Transdev opens new opportunities to all urban mobility projects. This level of innovation is the reason why we engaged with IBM and Veolia Transdev – together with the other partners of the project – to contribute to the Optimod’Lyon partnership aiming at building sustainable mobility solutions for the future.”

The new solution will also be me more cost effective as cities simplify the management of complicated public transit networks, reducing operations costs and harnessing predictive operations management, which minimizes service interruptions. Travelers will gain access to real-time traffic information, which allows them to prepare for multi-modal transportation experience such as combining bicycle, vehicle or public transit. Using predictive analytics, the service helps travelers avoid traffic jams and offers details about the location and interconnections of the transportation options.

Jerome Gallot, CEO of the Veolia Transdev Group explains that this useful new model can be replicated internationally: “We have a different and innovative vision of how issues with urban flows can be managed: working with IBM, we offer a global, original and relevant new solution that can be replicated and adapted in any city or conurbation. This solution offers cities a less expensive option compared to the investment required with building new infrastructures, and at the same time, improves quality of life for their citizens.”