rabbittransit, officially known as the Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority, is a regional public transportation agency committed to delivering safe, reliable, and accessible transit across 11 counties in Central Pennsylvania. Serving both urban and rural communities, the agency provides fixed-route bus service, paratransit, and shared-ride transportation to thousands of residents daily.
With a fleet of more than 427 active vehicles serving a broad and varied region, rabbittransit operates multiple maintenance facilities and supports a wide range of mobility programs for seniors, individuals with disabilities, commuters, and the general public. The agency’s infrastructure includes 14 facilities and continues to expand through capital projects and service integrations.
Following a merger with Capital Area Transit in Harrisburg, rabbittransit’s operational complexity increased significantly, adding new assets, personnel, and compliance requirements. To maintain high service standards while scaling efficiently, the organization sought a centralized, flexible solution to streamline fleet operations, unify data, and empower staff across a geographically diverse footprint.
The Challenge
Before partnering with AssetWorks, rabbittransit managed fleet operations using two separate systems, a result of merging with Harrisburg’s Capital Area Transit. Each facility operated independently, making it difficult to standardize processes, produce reports, or track asset lifecycles consistently. Critical tasks like entering fuel tickets, conducting inventory, and managing preventative maintenance were done manually, consuming hours of administrative time each week.
With limited visibility across counties and facilities, and no centralized way to plan or forecast asset needs, rabbittransit recognized the need for an enterprise fleet management system that could unify their operations and support growth.
Transforming Transit Management with FleetFocus FMIS
To solve these challenges, rabbittransit implemented FleetFocus, a comprehensive Fleet Management Information System (FMIS) from AssetWorks. FleetFocus provided a centralized platform to manage fleet maintenance, asset lifecycle tracking, fueling, reporting, and more, all tailored to the operational complexity of a regional public transit agency.
To extend and maximize their use of FleetFocus, rabbittransit adopted a combination of integrated tools and built-in features:
- FuelFocus integration to automate fuel tracking and capture real-time meter readings
- FleetFocus EDGE, a mobile extension that enables real-time inventory and work order management for technicians and storekeepers
- AssetWorks SmartApps, integrated with FleetFocus, to digitize Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) and automate service request generation
- Customer Access Portal, a built-in FleetFocus feature that allows internal departments to view vehicle availability and service status without submitting manual requests
- Equipment Planning, a native FleetFocus module used for forecasting asset replacements and managing equipment by location
- Power BI integration, which connects directly to FleetFocus to support custom dashboards, advanced reporting, and lifecycle analytics
Though Michael Behney, Transit Asset Manager, joined rabbittransit shortly before FleetFocus went live, he quickly became the in-house champion, learning the system through hands-on exploration, online training, and collaboration with the AssetWorks team.
The Results
Unified Data Across 11 Counties
FleetFocus allowed rabbittransit to bring all fleet data under one system, eliminating the inefficiencies of managing two legacy platforms. Now, maintenance, inventory, and asset tracking are consistent across York, Harrisburg, and the surrounding counties, with detailed visibility down to individual facilities.
Daily Time Savings with Automated Fuel Tracking
FuelFocus, now live at two major locations, has eliminated the need for manual fuel ticket entry, saving approximately one hour per day per site. Automatic meter updates also trigger more timely preventive maintenance, helping extend vehicle life and reduce downtime.
Lifecycle Management with Power BI
Using Power BI dashboards integrated with FleetFocus data, rabbittransit can now track the full lifecycle of each asset, from initial grant funding to disposal. “It’s been super helpful,” said Behney, “especially when managing more than 400 vehicles across so many facilities.” The agency uses custom Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) code and filters to track aging assets, plan replacements, and ensure grant compliance.
Mobile Inventory and Work Orders with EDGE
With EDGE in the hands of storekeepers, rabbittransit has modernized how they handle parts and inventory, allowing team members to enter data on the spot rather than return to a terminal. Technician training is underway now, with full mobile work order access expected in the coming months.
Improved Visibility with Customer Access Portal and Equipment Planning
rabbittransit is working on implementation of a Customer Access Portal so departments can view vehicle availability and service status through the Customer Access Portal without contacting maintenance directly. At the same time, Equipment Planning within FleetFocus gives leadership a centralized view of assets due for replacement across all counties, simplifying resource planning.
Scalable Support for Growth
With 14 facilities, and with infrastructure projects underway, rabbittransit is expanding rapidly. AssetWorks enables the organization to scale its systems and insights without sacrificing accuracy or efficiency.
Flexibility That Drives Smarter Decisions
One of the biggest advantages rabbittransit has experienced with AssetWorks FleetFocus is the ability to customize data and reporting to meet the unique demands of a geographically diverse operation. With responsibilities that span 11 counties and multiple facilities, Behney needed a system that could adapt to how the organization actually works. “I like that I have access to be able to pull data the way I need it. So, I can make it match what we need. I’m not just relying on canned reports,” said Behney.
In the past, limited reporting options and disjointed systems made it difficult to generate accurate insights for decision-making. FleetFocus changed that. Whether he’s forecasting vehicle replacements, managing preventive maintenance schedules, or reporting for state and federal grants, Behney can extract precisely the information he needs. “Just being able to pull exactly the data I need is something that’s really important for us,” he added.
This level of flexibility has improved internal communication, reduced support bottlenecks, and given rabbittransit confidence that its data reflects real-time operations across every region they serve.
"I like that I have access to be able to pull data the way I need it.”
Future Plans
rabbittransit is actively expanding its use of AssetWorks tools to continue modernizing its operations. The team is currently piloting new mobile features and exploring solutions to extend their asset management capabilities beyond vehicles.
Piloting SmartApps for Digital DVIRs
To improve how driver inspections are conducted and processed, rabbittransit has begun testing SmartApps, a mobile tool that digitizes DVIRs. This upgrade streamlines reporting and allows issues to trigger maintenance workflows automatically. “We’re going to be using SmartApps for our driver inspection reports,” said Behney. “It just made sense to use AssetWorks for that because it automatically generates the service request for technicians.”
The pilot currently includes four drivers, and the team is monitoring the rollout closely to address any gaps before a wider deployment.
Expanding EDGE to Maintenance Technicians
Following a successful rollout of EDGE to storekeepers for inventory management, rabbittransit plans to extend the tool to maintenance technicians. EDGE enables users to access and update work orders, log parts usage, and track service progress from mobile devices, reducing manual entry and improving real-time visibility. “We’ve got the storekeepers using it right now. I’m hoping within the next month to have the technicians using it,” Behney said. “We’ll start doing training on that with the technicians. I think it’ll be a positive experience once they start using it.”
Exploring EAM for Facilities Management
As the agency grows, so does the need to manage more than just fleet assets. With 14 facilities and offices and three new projects planned, rabbittransit is considering AssetWorks’ Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) platform to bring centralized oversight to buildings, infrastructure, and other non-vehicle assets.
By adopting SmartApps, EDGE, and EAM, rabbittransit is laying the groundwork for a more connected, mobile, and proactive organization, one that can continue to scale while maintaining the high level of service their communities rely on.
Ongoing Learning Through the AssetWorks Academy
A key part of rabbittransit’s successful system adoption has been its continued participation in AssetWorks Academy, the annual user conference designed to connect, educate, and inspire users across fleet and asset management industries. Behney has attended three years in a row and sees it as more than just a training opportunity.
“Academy is incredibly helpful, not just for learning, but for networking,” Behney shared. “Now I have a group of people I can jump on a call with anytime to work through challenges.”
The exposure to new features, product roadmaps, and real-user case studies has helped rabbittransit bring fresh ideas back to their team year after year, fueling continuous improvement and a deeper understanding of the system’s capabilities.
Conclusion
By embracing the full capabilities of FleetFocus and building internal champions to lead adoption, rabbittransit is transforming its fleet operations from manual, siloed systems to a unified, insight-driven platform. With time saved, data unlocked, and processes mobilized, rabbittransit is well-positioned for continued innovation across Pennsylvania’s public transit landscape.
