Portuguese people take pride in how old their nation is, independent since 1143 and with almost completely unaltered borders since 1297, it’s certainly a rare achievement in terms of European standards. However, this old nation encapsulates even older cities that can trace back their origin to centuries before any concept of Portugal even existed, one of these cities is Braga.
Founded in 15 A.C under Roman Empire rule, it was denominated as Bracara Augusta as an homage to Rome’s then ruler, Emperor Augustus. In spite of being ancient, the Municipality of Braga hasn’t stopped growing. It has doubled its population in the last 50 years, currently amounting to over 200 000 inhabitants.
A growing population associated to an ancient urban landscape makes mobility a challenge, but TUB – Transportes Urbanos de Braga (the company responsible for Braga’s public transportation network) is embracing today’s challenges and opportunities by recognising mobility as an important factor in simplifying the complexity of the social tissue of urban areas.
The internet of things consists of technologies that connect objects to the internet. By taking this approach towards a big complex transportation network, one can more easily identify patterns, predict issues and minimise errors. “If we can’t measure it, we can not manage it” is a common quote and like most quotes it does not encapsulate the full spectrum of possibility, but there’s a strong case for real-time monitoring and analysis as indispensable tools for a modern intelligent mobility network and a sustainable future.
NDrive & TUB – Connected Mobility in an Ancient City
Portuguese people take pride in how old their nation is, independent since 1143 and with almost completely unaltered borders since 1297, it’s certainly a rare achievement in terms of European standards. However, this old nation encapsulates even older cities that can trace back their origin to centuries before any concept of Portugal even existed, one of these cities is Braga.
Founded in 15 A.C under Roman Empire rule, it was denominated as Bracara Augusta as an homage to Rome’s then ruler, Emperor Augustus. In spite of being ancient, the Municipality of Braga hasn’t stopped growing. It has doubled its population in the last 50 years, currently amounting to over 200 000 inhabitants.
A growing population associated to an ancient urban landscape makes mobility a challenge, but TUB – Transportes Urbanos de Braga (the company responsible for Braga’s public transportation network) is embracing today’s challenges and opportunities by recognising mobility as an important factor in simplifying the complexity of the social tissue of urban areas.
The internet of things consists of technologies that connect objects to the internet. By taking this approach towards a big complex transportation network, one can more easily identify patterns, predict issues and minimise errors. “If we can’t measure it, we can not manage it” is a common quote and like most quotes it does not encapsulate the full spectrum of possibility, but there’s a strong case for real-time monitoring and analysis as indispensable tools for a modern intelligent mobility network and a sustainable future.
NDrive steps in as a key partner, collaborating closely with TUB to develop a comprehensive centralised system. This new system integrates every operational aspect, from ticketing to public information displays and back office fleet management. By providing a real-time overview of bus operations through advanced system monitoring, it significantly enhances TUB´s management teams ability to respond swiftly and effectively. Simultaneously, this integration delivers precise and more pertinent information to end users, thanks to innovative customisation options. The result is a seamless, efficient, and user-centric public transportation experience.