Swiftly's Unified Data Platform
Swiftly delivers a unified data platform that offers real-time passenger predictions, fleet monitoring, and alerts designed to improve transit efficiency.
Issues with Ghost and Zombie Buses
Ghost and zombie buses—buses that either never arrive or appear unexpectedly—cause frustration and uncertainty among riders.
These occurrences create major challenges for transit agencies by undermining the reliability of real-time transit information.
Definitions of Ghost and Zombie Buses
- Ghost bus: A bus expected by a rider that does not show up. For example, an app may indicate a bus arriving in 5 minutes, but the bus disappears when the countdown reaches zero, leaving passengers stranded.
- Zombie bus: A bus that arrives unexpectedly sooner than indicated. For instance, the app may show the next bus in 20 minutes, but one arrives in 5 minutes, disrupting rider planning.
Impact on Rider Trust
Ghost and zombie buses break the promise public transit makes to riders: “You’ll know when your bus is coming.”
When this promise is broken, riders notice immediately. Searching #GhostedByTheBus on X (formerly Twitter) or Google reveals many stories of these unreliable experiences.
Swiftly's Solution
Swiftly builds tools that help transit agencies eliminate ghost and zombie buses, ensuring real-time transit data remains accurate and dependable even when operations deviate from the plan.
The result is fewer stranded and confused riders and a more trustworthy transit experience.
Author’s summary: Swiftly improves public transit reliability by addressing ghost and zombie buses, thus enhancing rider trust through accurate real-time data.