Skip to main content

BlipTrack monitoring in New Zealand

Danish wireless technology company Blip systems has supplied engineering and technology services provider Beca with its BlipTrack Bluetooth traffic monitoring system, which has been deployed in Waikato, New Zealand. The Te Rapa Bypass project is the first of a planned US$2 billion investment by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) in the Waikato region’s transportation network over the next eight years. The BlipTrack solution has been established in advance of these projects and will continue to assess
January 24, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Danish wireless technology company 3778 Blip Systems has supplied engineering and technology services provider Beca with its BlipTrack Bluetooth traffic monitoring system, which has been deployed in Waikato, New Zealand.

The Te Rapa Bypass project is the first of a planned US$2 billion investment by the 6296 New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) in the Waikato region’s transportation network over the next eight years. The BlipTrack solution has been established in advance of these projects and will continue to assess the benefits of each of these projects as they are completed.

Nine BlipTrack roadside mounted sensors have been installed to monitor travel times and route choices across the Waikato Region, with more units being added as new sections of road are opened.  

BlipTrack uses anonymous Bluetooth devices such as cell phones, headsets and in-car navigation systems to track vehicles and monitor travel times and route preferences.  The Bluetooth address is encrypted in the sensor, making it impossible to relate the information to an individual.

Project manager for the Waikato Expressway, Richard Young says, “We’re extremely pleased with the final result. The new road is delivering real time savings for all motorists, along with making the journey safer. In total it takes about seven minutes off commuters’ journeys each day. That is a significant time saving and also a saving on fuel costs.”

The system has also implemented in other parts of the country, including Wellington and Auckland following the completion of the US$250 million Victoria Park Tunnel in the city, and at Auckland airport, where BlipTrack is used for monitoring pedestrians.
 
Beca’s senior transportation analyst, Chris Vallyon, has been pleased with BlipTrack’s performance.  He says, “The Bluetooth tracking technology provided by Blip Systems provides a significant addition to the suite of technologies available to assist New Zealanders in understanding the performance of their assets and infrastructure. The hardware has proven to be robust enough to survive New Zealand’s volatile weather conditions, and the vendors have been proactive and efficient in creating a highly flexible matching system and then adapting it to suit our specific requirements.  We’re very satisfied with the service we’ve received to date.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Temporary traffic monitoring with Bluetooth and wi-fi
    May 31, 2013
    David Crawford reviews developments in temporary ITS. Widespread take-up of technologies such as Bluetooth and wi-fi are encouraging the emergence of more sophisticated, while still cost effective, ITS responses to the traffic issues posed by temporary road situations such as work zones and special events. Andy Graham of traffic solutions specialists White Willow Consulting says: “A machine-to-machine radio link is far easier and cheaper than reading characters on a plate.” There can be other plusses. Tech
  • InfoConnect delivers accurate travel information on all levels
    August 1, 2012
    Deryk Whyte provides an overview of how the New Zealand Transport Agency's InfoConnect concept was developed. Historically, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) (formerly Transit New Zealand) has faced challenges in communicating effectively with road users, its customers, about highway-related events or incidents in a timely, accurate manner. Prior to 2007, Transit relied on a third-party organisation to collect and disseminate national road condition information. This often resulted in incomplete infor
  • Shaking up the taxi market with smarter ride requests
    February 24, 2016
    Timothy Compston looks at the rise of Uber and ride request mobile apps. There is little doubt that the advent of Uber has come as major shock to established taxi operators and has caused regulators, cities and DOTs to rethink current regulations so they can keep pace with the changing dynamics of the marketplace.
  • Lane departure warning, blind spot detection help drivers avoid trouble, say researchers
    August 25, 2017
    The New Zealand Transport Agency has launched a free and open Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Marketplace app, Choice, in Queenstown. The app aims to connect users with services through an online marketplace, so they can pick what they want to do, use the live transport information to get to their destination and easily book their journey, all from one application and in three languages. New Zealand’s small size and Queenstown’s popularity over the snow season have been the drivers for the first MaaS Market