A web-based information management system for bus test data for the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute

Computer-based information management systems have allowed many companies and facilities to greatly improve their data storage and processing capabilities over traditional paper and file methods. The Internet and its associated web-based technologies have further contributed to information processing capabilities. The Federal Transit Administration's Bus Testing Program, operated by the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute at the Pennsylvania State University requires an upgrade to such a system. Currently, all bus test data is entered directly into a hardcopy report, and data analysis must be performed manually. The objective in this research is to develop an information management system for the bus test data to facilitate access to the data, enable search queries, and perform statistical analyses to examine current trends or predict performance characteristics of future buses. A database has been created in Microsoft Access and linked to a user-friendly graphical user interface developed in Visual Basic for fast and nearly error-free data entry. A web-based infrastructure comprised of HTML, XML, ASP, and customized COM objects is used to display, search, and analyze the bus test data. The resulting information system saves time and money for PTI while enabling easy access to bus test reports.