Crowdsourcing and Bus Telematics for Promoting Fuel Efficiency and Eco-Driving Practices on the EDSA Busway

Crowdsourcing through telematics and mobile platforms has been heavily researched for transport applications in the last decade, falling in the realm of intelligent transport systems (ITS). The value of crowdsourced data lies in enabling the participation of the key stakeholders for a human-centric, user-oriented, and reliable information system. On the other hand, there is a need for robust systems for public transport telematics. This study demonstrates the power of crowdsourced open data for promoting fuel efficiency and eco-driving practices on bus operations through the pilot implementation of a real-time smartphone-based bus monitoring system for the EDSA Busway. The platform is integrated with the SafeTravelPH public transport crowdsourcing app. Through collaboration with operators and drivers, the prototype collected real-time data on vehicle operation, passenger boarding and alighting and vehicle occupancy feeds. An innovative approach in capturing vehicle operating parameters, including engine RPM, speed, and fuel levels, is implemented using image processing and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. Various fuel efficiency indices that can provide sound bases for the evaluation of bus driving behavior and fuel-efficient bus operations are presented.