IBM signs contracts with three commuter agencies

IBM said the Long Island Rail Road will deploy IBM Maximo software to manage and maintain approximately 1,180 rail cars, locomotives and their associated components to improve operations and passenger safety. As part of a project, expected to be completed in 2012, IBM will assist the LIRR in expanding its asset management system to include facilities, bridges, tunnels and linear assets such as rail.

In addition, IBM said the San Francisco Bay Area
Rapid Transit will use IBM software to manage the purchasing, inventory and
maintenance systems that support trains, stations, equipment and operations.
The use of this software is expected to contribute to more efficient
operations, improved service and enhanced passenger safety. As part of a
multi-year modernization project that includes updating and integrating
existing equipment as well as adding new rail cars to the fleet, BART will use
the software to know the condition and location of all of its assets and
efficiently manage the parts and people required to fix problems – often before
problems arise.

BART will use IBM Maximo software to conduct
analysis and schedule maintenance before a part or system fails. The software
will also help BART make sure they have the right parts available before they
are needed, and eliminate parts that are no longer used. The intelligent asset
management software will allow BART to continuously evaluate and implement
improvements while better planning jobs for a more efficient workforce. This
will help BART manage tightened budgets with fewer resources, maintain its high
standards for service and reliability, and meet the challenges of future
expansion.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is
using IBM software to monitor all of its buses, trains and related equipment to
know if and when they need to be repaired or replaced. By being able to see the
exact condition and location of all of its assets, WMATA is able to ensure safe
and on time service for millions of passengers each week.

IBM is helping WMATA manage all of its assets
including more than 12,000 bus stops and train stations, 106 miles of track,
1144 rail cars, and 1500 buses. Beyond the transportation assets, WMATA uses
the IBM software to properly maintain the 594 escalators and 275 elevators
bringing passengers from the streets to the trains and buses. All of these
parts of the transportation system — 267,000 in total for WMATA — can be
tracked, monitored, and managed from a central control center using simple
on-screen displays.

WMATA recently hosted Guangzhou Metro, a leading
rail network from China, for a workshop to share best practices when building
and maintaining smarter rail systems. Both organizations are using IBM Maximo
software to improve the efficiency and safety of their transportation systems
and took the opportunity to provide one another with ideas on how to best capitalize
on this investment.