"Getting Smarter"

One of Canada's busiest arteries, Yonge Street, in the core of downtown Toronto.

More people, better transportation. It all works in tandem.

Or at least in a perfect world, that's how it should work.

As more people flock to urban centres, the need for better transportation goes up with it.

London, Tokyo, and New York are but some examples of cities that “smartened up” their aging transit lines with tech upgrades to better serve their burgeoning user base.

A smart city relies heavily on smart transportation – a system that seamlessly controls the flow of traffic and transit, ensuring city dwellers are able to get around easily.

Inclement weather. Collisions. Roadwork. Any one of these factors can derail a commuter’s immaculately scheduled plans.

A smart transportation system exists in real time, gathering data from cars and pooling it together, to give an up-to-the-minute assessment of the situation on the roads.

Traffic alerts subsequently help commuters plan their day. These updates are transmitted safely and cheaply via their mobile phones, so that they can make the most informed decision on the fly. Perhaps that will mean commuters will tweak their route, heading out a bit later or simply working from home.

At Green Owl Mobile, we’re constantly evolving.

We’re not just interested in getting around traffic. We’re always looking for smarter, cleaner and faster ways to get from Point A to Point B. Sometimes that means exploring multimodal options (car-subway-bus, anyone?) or diving into shared economies (i.e. Uber, Lyft) for parking-free convenience.

We’re not the only ones having this conversation today…boosting a city’s transportation IQ is a hot topic these days.

Not surprisingly, urban planners, insurance companies and media agencies have their ears to the ground, watching for any challenges facing commuters on the road.

Toronto’s role on the world stage has become more pronounced in recent years, as it quietly campaigns for the coveted title of being a “world-class city”. Hosting this summer’s PanAm/ParaPanAm Games has put the international spotlight on the city, further underscoring its potential to be a global contender.

Still, the city has a long road ahead...and it won’t be without its fair share of growing pains (and headaches) as it gets smarter.