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ABSTRACT

Being the busiest road in Metro Manila,
EDSA has been congested due to the increasing
number of vehicles traversing the road. Heavy
traffic and accidents are the common effects of
these situations. Though there are orders and laws
the government implemented to minimize these
incidents on EDSA, these are not strictly enforced.
Together with the Memorandum Circular
No. 08 of MMDA and Republic Act No. 8794 of
DPWH, the researchers come up with the idea of
designing a device that will support these
implemented laws.
The system is entitled Smart Bus Door
System with Passenger Counter via RFID and
Sensor Technology. The main purpose of this
study is to make an improvement in the existing
bus operating system by installing sensor on bus
doors which has a counterpart on every bus stop.
With this, buses will only be allowed to open and
close its doors to load and unload on its designated
stops. And also monitor the number of passengers
inside the bus based on its capacity to avoid
overloading. This will present a more convenient
operating system and will lead to innovation.



















INTRODUCTION

Manila is one of the busiest cities in the
Philippines. Being the capital city where economic
and business ventures meet, opportunities also
lead to influx of people from provinces hoping to
get a share of what the metropolis has to offer.
Based on the data of the Metro Manila
Development Authority - Traffic Discipline
Office, there is a migration of about three million
people in Metro Manila.
With this massive number of vehicles
traversing the 636 square kilometers metropolis,
no wonder Manila is considered one of the most
congested cities of the world.
One of the reasons of traffic congestion in
EDSA is the undisciplined and reckless drivers,
most especially the jeepney and bus drivers. Bus
drivers cause traffic and accidents by overloading,
blocking the roads and picking up and dropping
off passengers anywhere in the road. They also
stop for a long time in loading and unloading bays
and thus, creating a long line of vehicles.

In support to the implemented laws the
responsible agencies enforced, this study will also
attempt to provide a solution.
A set of devices was configured to open
the bus doors automatically in the designated bus
stops only with the use of RFID tags and readers
to prevent buses from unloading passengers at the
wrong bus stops and unloading zones.
Smart Bus Door System with Passenger Counter
via RFID and Sensor Technology
John Patrick T. Bustillos, Daven Louis G. dela Cruz, Mark Christopher B. Pascual
Rizza R. Evangelista, Jovelle M. Gonzales, Reizel Alyssa H. Tolentino
Electronics Engineering Department College of Engineering
Bulacan State University, City of Malolos, Bulacan
davenlouis@yahoo.com.ph
johnpatrickbustillos@yahoomail.com
mark_1693@yahoo.com
rizza.roque@gmail.com
jovellegonzales13@gmail.com
alyssatolen@gmail.com



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In addition, passengers were counted for
overloading prevention based on the bus seating
capacity. The number of passengers inside the bus
will be displayed on an LCD.
In cases of emergency, an emergency
button is provided in the bus but will alarm once
used. An alarm is used to prevent bus drivers in
abusing the emergency button. The alarm will
only stop with the use of the master reset card
provided in the authority such as the traffic
enforcers.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study was to
make an improvement in the existing bus
operating system by installing sensor on bus doors
which has a counterpart on every bus stop. With
this, buses will only be allowed to open and close
its doors to load and unload on its designated
stops. And also monitor the number of passengers
inside the bus based on its capacity to avoid
overloading. This study presented a more
convenient operating system and will lead to
innovation.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Every design has its objectives for the user
to be able to understand its purposes. The
following are the objectives of the study:
1. To design a system that uses Radio
Frequency Identification.
2. To design a connection between buses and
bus stops that will trigger the automatic
opening and closing of bus door.
3. To design and install a passenger counter
on bus doors to monitor the number of
passengers in order to prevent overloading.
4. To promote a systematic and organized bus
operating systems that will utilize the
effectiveness of having bus stops on the
roads.
5. To minimize traffic on major roads and
lessen vehicular accidents with the
proposed system.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

The study focused on devising a system
that may help improve bus system in Manila by
developing a device powered by RFID that will
make the bus doors open only in their designated
stops. This study also included a passenger
counter to prevent overloading thus giving the
commuters convenience. The system was only
limited to the buses using the metropolis roads.
Also, it was limited by a time duration given by
their university college department.

Scope
In working for this project design,
the researchers created the following
measures to meet the needs of the users at
the maximum efficiency and reliability of
the system.
1. The study used RFID-based bus and
bus stops for law implementation.
2. Counter. The device has a directional
counter for passengers entering and
leaving the bus.
3. Provide information about the number
of people within the bus.
4. Buses are allowed to load and unload
on designated bus stops.
Limitations
With the possible advantages the
proposed system envisions, limitations
were also given emphasis as to the extent
or capability of the study. The following
were the limitations the research:
1. Counter was for passengers only,
overloading due to other load was not
accounted for.
2. There was no change on fare system.




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PROJECT DEVELOPMENT COST

Cost of the whole device: Php 5,688.00
Cost of the model for prototype: Php 1,800.00
Miscellaneous expenses: Php 1,986.00
Total Project Cost: Php 9,564.00

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Smart Bus Door System with Passenger
Counter via RFID and Sensor Technology is
designed to help ease the extreme congestion
problem caused by the undisciplined drivers that
load and unload passengers in the wrong places.
As the title implies, this study will use RFID
technology in configuring a device that will help
improve the bus system mainly in Epifanio delos
Santos Avenue (EDSA).
This system will give convenience to road
users as the bus door will only open in its
designated bus stop if the bus with RFID reader
pass through the RFID tag installed in the bus
stop. In addition, this study also includes a system
of passenger counter to prevent overloading
problems as the system will count every passenger
that will board and exit on the bus. The number of
passengers inside the bus will be displayed also in
the LCD provided in the bus. An alarm is also
provided in case of overloading.
This study aims to benefit every Manila
road users, may be it private vehicle or public
transport with the use of RFID technology. This
will also help traffic aids and bus operators to
unite in improving the laws with regards to the
traffic problems for a better Manila.

OPERATING PROCEDURES

The Smart Bus Door System with
Passenger Counter via RFID and Sensor
technology is operated automatically via the MCU
which will ensure the effectiveness of the system.
The following are procedures on how the
Smart Bus Door System with Passenger Counter
via RFID and Sensor Technology works:
For Bus Door System:
1. Power the system on by starting the bus
engine.
2. The system will now start to function
automatically afterwards.
3. The bus door will automatically open once
the bus with RFID reader reaches the
designated bus stop with RFID tag and
closes the door once the bus leaves the bus
stop.
4. In cases of emergency, an emergency
button was used to break the system and
open the door but resulted to an alarm so
that the enforcers near the bus knew that
the bus used the emergency button to open
the door.

For passenger counter:
1. The counter will increment once a
passenger enters the bus and passes
through the through beam sensor.
2. The counter will decrement once a
passenger exits the bus.
3. The amount of passengers inside the bus
will be displayed in the LCD provided in
the bus.
4. An alarm will notify the driver for
overloading once the bus reaches its
passenger capacity.

MAINTENANCE

To secure longer life and continuous
operation of the system, regular maintenance is
required. The following maintenance measures are
recommended:
1. Make sure that the system was installed
and properly mounted and fixed to
guarantee better detection.
2. Always check the cables and wire
connecting the device, counter circuit and
RFID reader.
3. Always check if the sensors are clear from
obstructions, both the counter and the bus
door system.


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4. Monthly calibration is highly
recommended.

EVALUATION RESULTS

To test the effectiveness of the system, the
researchers conducted an evaluation study
considering random respondents to test the
acceptability of the device. These respondents
were chosen according to the relation of their
occupation to the conducted study. The data
gathered from the evaluation were examined by
the researchers to find out any future modification
of the system.

CRITERIA RATING MEAN
5 4 3 2 1
Reliability
The system is user-
friendly to all bus
operators/ drivers and
commuters.
8 18 4 4.13
The system guarantees
to provide a precise
and correct data
10 17 2 1 4.15
The system is
functional.
15 13 2 4.39
Competence and Effectiveness
The system is
efficient.
8 18 4 4.06
The system possesses
good quality.
11 13 6 4.10
The system promotes
modernization in
todays bus operating
system.
20 8 2 4.61
Development
The system makes an
improvement in bus
operating system.
22 4 4 4.57
The system shows the
degree where
technology helps in
modernization for
more convenient form
of living.
21 7 2 4.61
OVER-ALL AVERAGE 4.33



SUMMARY

Traffic congestions and overloaded buses
are common seen in Metro Manila especially
along EDSA. One of the main contributors of
congestion and accidents are the undisciplined and
reckless drivers, most especially the bus drivers.
Bus drivers cause traffic and accidents by
blocking the roads, picking up and dropping off
passengers anywhere in the road. They also stop
for a long time in loading and unloading bays and
thus, creating a long line of vehicles. The
researchers, with this in mind, come up with Smart
Bus Door System with Passenger Counter via
RFID and Sensor Technology.
The device aims on preventing city buses
from loading and unloading in non-
loading/unloading zones. RFID transmitter and
receiver is use for controlling the bus door system.
Once the RFID receiver, which is mounted on the
bus, receives a signal the bus door will
automatically open. Another signal is transmitted
at the exit of the bus stop, when the device
receives the signal the bus door automatically
closes. Through beam sensors is use for counting
passengers entering and leaving the bus. If the bus
loads more than the set limit, an alarm will notify
the bus driver of overloading. In cases of
emergency, an emergency button is provided in
the bus but will alarm once used. An alarm is used
to prevent bus drivers in abusing the emergency
button. The alarm will only stop with the use of
the master reset card provided in the authority
such as the traffic enforcers.

CONCLUSION

In line with the researchers vision for the
feasibility study, the researchers had established
these conclusions for the different aspects of the
study: the proposed system lessen traffic enforcers
work in monitoring bus loading and unloading; the
proposal reduces vehicle congestions and
collisions on road and properly controls passenger
number per bus to prevent busses from consuming


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too much time at bus stops, thus avoiding
congestion at the bus stop; there will be organized
system of buses in loading and unloading
passengers and it teaches right discipline in every
bus drivers using new technology.

RECOMMENDATIONS

After the researchers careful study and
respondents evaluation of the project, the
following recommendations are achieved for
further improvement of Smart Bus Door System
with Passenger Counter via RFID and Sensor
Technology.
Long range RF transmitter and receiver can be
used for actual implementation of the project.
Adding a weight sensor for overloading
detection purposes, for detecting not only
passengers but also other cargos.
A notification system for violations can be
added.
Through beam sensor can be formed into an
array for better detection and to avoid a bypass
on the counting system.
A database and identification for each bus can
be added for record keeping.
Back-up power supply for the device.
Data log can be integrated in the system for
bus operators record.
Recommended materials to be used for
implementation of actual devices:
Model 871 RF Tranceiver P 2,485.00 x2
Through Beam Sensor P 350.00 x4
LED Signboard Display P 600.00
Red beacon light P 500.00
Car Siren P 650.00
ARDUINO MEGA 2560 P 2600.00
Miscellaneous P 500.00
Casing P 1800.00

Model 871 RF Wireless Data Tranceiver with
range up to 800m can be used as alternative to
Low Cost RFID for implementation.
REFERENCES

[1] http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/2548
98/news/specialreports/the-agony- of-metro-manila-
commuters
[2] http://www.futurarc.com/index.cfm/projects-2013/2013-
manila-city-profile/
[3] http://ph.news.yahoo.com/bus-most-unsafe-modepublic-
transport-manila-says104605166.html
[4] http://pcij.org/stories/2007/buses.html
[5] S.E. Sarma, S.A. Weis and D.W. Engels. RFID Systems
and Security and Privacy Implications. [Retrieved
November 30, 2011 from http://interval.hu-
berlin.de/downloads/rfid/kernprobleme_Security/RFID
%20Systems%20and%20Security%20and%20Privacy%
20Implications.pdf]
[6] Mifflin, Houghton (2002). The American Heritage
Science Dictionary. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/programming+la
nguage
[7] http://www.petards.com/transport/on-board.aspx
[8] http://www.academia.edu/631354/Empowering_Bus_
Transportation_System_Using_Wireless_Sensor_Netwo
rks
[9] http://onlinepresent.org/proceedings/vol20_2013/29.pdf