About the Client
Chalo is a transportation tracking app designed to help commuters track bus locations in real time offering features like route planning, live tracking, and notifications for a seamless travel experience. The app also simplifies ticketing by allowing passengers to purchase digital tickets directly through the platform, enhancing convenience and eliminating the need for physical tickets.
Country
India
Industry
Transportation
Services Used
Business Situation
Chalo operates more than 15,000 public vehicles across 17 cities in India, offering GPS tracking and fare collection services. However, with a variety of third-party vendors involved, Chalo struggled with integrating disparate hardware and software systems. These challenges led to operational inefficiencies, errors, fare evasion, and revenue leakage.
In addition to these challenges, Chalo’s system used a wide range of GPS devices, each transmitting data at different intervals and in varying formats. While some devices provided real-time updates, others sent data in delayed batches. This inconsistency in data flow made it difficult to provide accurate and timely location updates and route information to passengers. The lack of uniformity in GPS tracking also hindered Chalo’s ability to deliver reliable real-time tracking services, which is a critical aspect of the public transportation experience.
Coordinating dispatch activities was another pain point for Chalo. The absence of a centralized system made it difficult for dispatch teams to access real-time trip details, resulting in delays and inefficiencies in vehicle allocation. Furthermore, Chalo’s inability to monitor and adjust schedules in real-time, especially during peak hours, affected vehicle availability and service reliability, contributing to customer dissatisfaction.
To address the operational inefficiencies and technical challenges it was facing, Chalo partnered with Daffodil Software for its unparalleled expertise in developing robust scalable solutions.
Daffodil Software was expected to:
Develop a unified platform to automate ticket reservations, seat allocation, and cashless payments via RFID cards to ensure a seamless user experience across all devices.
Create a backend system to manage critical operational data, including buses, depots, cities, e-ticketing machines, scheduling, and role management that enable seamless coordination between various components of the system.
Design a Daily Operation Activity (DOA) module to streamline depot-specific operations such as waybill creation, device synchronization, and fare collection reporting.
Implement reporting tools to track key performance indicators like vehicle performance, driver behavior, fuel consumption, and route efficiency.
Create a solution to standardize GPS data transmission from various devices, ensuring consistent real-time tracking and accurate route information for passengers.
Develop a centralized dispatch system to provide real-time access to trip details, streamline vehicle allocation, and enable schedule adjustments.
The Solution We Provided
To address Chalo’s operational inefficiencies, Daffodil Software began by evaluating the existing hardware and software solutions to identify shortcomings and areas for improvement. After a thorough analysis, Daffodil recommended replacing the older hardware with new Android-based e-ticketing devices and implementing a unified backend system to synchronize the ITS (Intelligent Transport System) and DOA (Driver and Operator Application). This solution aimed to automate and streamline the fare collection process, reduce errors, and improve operational efficiency.
The development process involved building and integrating a comprehensive solution, including the backend for managing routes, stops, duty allocations, and ticket and revenue collection. These features were integrated with intuitive Android-based e-ticketing devices that provided conductors with an easy-to-use interface for managing ticketing tasks such as logging in, marking duties, issuing tickets, tracking trip stages, and creating new trips.
To improve operational flow, WiFi-enabled e-ticketing devices were introduced, enabling real-time syncing of data with the backend system and eliminating the need for slow and cumbersome serial cable transfers. This improved operational efficiency and streamlined fleet management by providing faster updates. Additionally, the devices were secured with KIOSK mode, restricting access to unauthorized applications or settings, and ensuring the integrity and security of the system.
The development team utilized AWS infrastructure to ensure scalability, reliability, and remote data access, enabling the solution to scale with Chalo’s expanding business. The system was thoroughly tested, especially focusing on GPS synchronization and real-time data transfer.
As the project advanced, regular check-ins and iterative feedback loops were instituted to ensure that the development remained on track and aligned with Chalo’s objectives.
We integrated the Camera Master feature into the operator app to give the camera team immediate access to real-time video feeds of the vehicle, crucial for making quick and informed decisions. This capability empowers operators to monitor live visuals, ensuring they can respond promptly to any issues as they arise. With instant access to these feeds, we’re enhancing situational awareness, security, and operational control.
The GPS Dashboard we integrated, offers passengers real-time access to vehicle locations, enhancing their overall travel experience. Users can view live updates on the position of their buses, helping them track the arrival times and plan their journeys more efficiently. With this feature, passengers can stay informed about any route changes or delays, ensuring they are always in control of their travel plans. The GPS Dashboard provides a seamless way for users to monitor vehicle movements, improving their confidence in the service and enhancing the reliability of their commuting experience.
A real-time alerting system was integrated to notify operators immediately of any critical issues, such as route deviations or delays. This feature enhances incident response times, helping to maintain service continuity.
We designed the section for tracking buses, routes, and vehicles within the Operator Dashboard, providing operators with real-time data on vehicle locations and route status. This feature aids in optimizing vehicle usage, adjusting schedules on the fly, and enhancing service reliability.
We integrated the report feature to provide valuable insights into operational performance. By generating detailed metrics & summaries, we enable teams to assess service quality, pinpoint areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions. This functionality helps to maintain a high standard of service and supports transparent, accountable operations.
To give operators control over each journey, we integrated trip-level data, allowing for detailed oversight on every trip. By accessing stop schedules, timing, and deviations in real time, operators can swiftly adjust plans to keep routes on schedule. This granular data is essential for service reliability and is key to improving passenger satisfaction through timely, well-managed transit.
Real-time data was integrated to ensure that operators always have up-to-date and actionable information. This live feed of data – covering vehicle locations, route changes, and alerts – enables fast, informed decision-making. With this feature, operators can stay agile and proactive, adapting to dynamic conditions and ensuring operational fluidity.
We integrated a dispatching feature to optimize resource allocation in real-time. This allows dispatchers to efficiently assign vehicles based on availability, ensuring no demand goes unmet. The ability to adjust dispatch decisions on the fly enhances operational readiness, enabling continuous service and prompt response to fluctuating demands.
Availability tracking was added to give dispatchers a clear view of vehicle and staff readiness at all times. This feature aids in resource planning, particularly during peak periods, ensuring that the right assets are available when needed. By efficiently managing availability, we’re supporting better workload balance and minimizing the overuse of resources.
The vehicle section within the dispatching dashboard provides dispatchers with access to critical information on fleet status and readiness. This feature supports proactive fleet management that allows dispatchers to optimize assignments and reduce downtime. By providing real-time insights into vehicle status, we’re helping dispatch teams make informed decisions with confidence.
The Impact
The comprehensive solution implemented by Daffodil Software brought transformative results for Chalo’s operational efficiency and service reliability. With a centralized system in place, Chalo experienced a 40% reduction in data management time, allowing teams to allocate resources more effectively and focus on core transit functions. Enhanced security measures led to a 60% decrease in security incidents and a 30% reduction in vulnerabilities, ensuring safer data handling across the platform.
Streamlined access control cut task times by 50%, enabling faster decision-making and improved operational flow, while compliance-related issues saw a 25% decrease, strengthening Chalo’s adherence to regulatory standards. Furthermore, deployment times were drastically reduced, facilitating faster application releases and more efficient development cycles. Simplified SaaS access improved user productivity, cutting administrative workload and further enhancing platform usability.
Together, these optimizations contributed to a significant transformation, allowing Chalo to operate with increased efficiency, reliability, and security. Chalo is now equipped to better serve commuters with real-time tracking, responsive trip management, seamless ticketing, and optimized fleet operations, supporting the company’s continued growth across India’s urban landscapes.
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