From four buses to 300,000 rides
From four buses to 300,000 rides:
Simcoe County and Consat Telematics scaling up rural travel
In 2018, Simcoe County launched Linx Transit, a regional public transit service designed to bridge communities across a vast and rural area of Ontario, Canada. At launch, Linx consisted of just one route and four buses – today, it has expanded to six routes and 22 buses, delivering over 300,000 rides per year. Behind this transformation is a trusted partnership with Consat Telematics, a relationship built from the very start.
Project overview
Partners:
Simcoe County / Linx Transit and Consat Telematics
Location:
Ontario, Canada
Objective:
Build a high-performing, technology-enabled rural public transportation service from the ground up
Start of collaboration:
2018
“Being such a small
team, we needed
solutions that were
tested, reliable, and
came with strong and
experienced support.”
- Shaw Dungate, Supervisor,
Transit Operations at County
of Simcoe
The challenge:
Reliability across 4,800 km²
When Linx Transit was launched in 2018, Simcoe County was building something entirely new. Starting with one route, four buses, and a region spanning more than 4,800 km² – including 16 municipalities and long distances between communities – the goal was to create a reliable, data-driven rural public transitservice that people could trust.
Operating under a contracted service model, the county handles planning and system oversight, while daily operations like driving and maintenance are outsourced. This makes real-time visibility crucial: knowing if buses are on time, whether people are riding, and how resources are being used. On top of that, accessibility was non-negotiable. Automated announcements, visual signage, and features to support passengers with disabilities needed to be integrated from the start.
The solution:
Intelligent tools for lean teams
Simcoe’s challenge was twofold: build a public transit service in a county spanning over 4,800 km², and do it with a lean internal team and outsourced operations. The county needed real-time visibility, dependable data, and a proven partner to guide its early steps.
To meet these needs, Linx Transit adopted a full suite of solutions from Consat Telematics, including:
• Traffic Control and Monitoring using Traffic Studio for live fleet monitoring, reports, detour logging and service alerts.
• Automatic Passenger Counting to measure success and build credibility with stakeholders.
• Passenger Information Displays and automated announcements to meet accessibility standards.
• Driver Displays for real-time navigation, scheduling and communication.
• Vehicle Computer as the core of the vehicle systems onboard.
• Data Insights with reports generated using Consat 360 for driver coaching, incident tracking and operational insights.
Core functionalities
Designed for efficiency, built for scale
- Traffic Studio (AVL/CAD system)
- Automatic Passenger Counting (APC)
- Passenger Information System
- Onboard Vehicle Computer
- Consat 360 Data Insights
- Driver Coaching
“With passenger counting data, we can demonstrate our performance, not just to internal stakeholders but to council members and the wider community. It gives us a precise understanding of how our routes are performing, where the demand lies, and how we can optimise our services.”
– Shaw Dungate
Supervisor, Transit Operations at County of Simcoe
Working as one:
A partnership that
evolves
What stands out in the collaboration is not just the technology but the relationship that has grown over years of close collaboration. From the very beginning, Consat Telematics has acted as an active partner in Simcoe’s growth; whether it’s offering hands-on training for both county and contractor staff, or providing fast, reliable troubleshooting.
“Consat is one of the best vendors we work with,” Shaw says. “If we call, someone picks up. If there’s an issue, someone’s with us right away. That kind of responsiveness is rare.”
Every year, the Canadian Consat team provides refresher training for county and contractor staff. They also host user group meetings, connecting agencies to share best practices.
“That kind of collaboration is incredibly valuable,” Shaw adds. “It’s not just about tech. It’s about learning from peers and growing together.”
Simcoe has already begun exploring future features like Fleet Studio for vehicle diagnostics and Push To Communicate for safer, hands-free driver communications. Looking ahead, Shaw sees potential for on-demand integrations and further system consolidation.
The results:
Scalable growth, safer service
The results of this long-term partnership are visible across every layer of Simcoe’s operations – from performance metrics and safety to the day-to-day passenger experience. The impact has been significant:
• Ridership growth: From 12,000 rides in 2019 to over 300,000 in 2024 – a 28% year-over-year increase.
• Operational efficiency: On-time performance is tracked weekly, leading to proactive route and scheduling adjustments.
• Safer service: Driver behaviour data (e.g., speeding or harsh braking) has been used to reduce risk and support driver coaching.
• Passenger satisfaction: Real-time updates via partner apps ensure a smoother experience.
300,000+
annual rides
In summary:
Power through partnership
The solution gives Simcoe County full visibility and control over their expanding rural transit service. From route planning to real-time monitoring and accessibility, the system ensures services are reliable, efficient, and continuously improving, supporting both daily operations and long-term strategic decisions.
Visibility: Full real-time access to vehicle status, ridership, route timing and more.
Scalability: Technology that grows with the service, even as new routes are added.
Planning: Journey time reports and passenger data inform long-term decisions.
Accessibility: Legal requirements like automated announcements and visual displays are built-in.