MARTINSBURG — At the Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority meeting on Monday, the board of directors observed reports of how new software technologies Fleetio, Passio and Ecolane will work for the organization.

“We are making a lot of changes here when it comes to software and computer programs. This is such a big lift for this agency and what we do here,” Amanda Sink, deputy director of EPTA, said.

Ecolane was put into place by EPTA in May, and that is its scheduling software.

“With our ridership increase, a lot of it attests to that system, because the numbers it is running, it optimizes everything. It makes sure we have the best route, mileage, multiloading. That is what this system is doing. It runs through tablets. That was a huge change for the drivers,” Sink said.

Additionally, EPTA is also moving into using Fleetio and Passio, two different companies that will take the place of current systems that focus on the functionality of number input.

Fleetio software includes the input of fuel numbers, preventative maintenance information and numbers and any work orders or issues on the vehicles.

“Passio is our current ridership-counting technology we have on the vehicles, as well as our automatic voice annunciation system, and they also have a bus-tracking software,” Sink said.

The staff at EPTA and designers of Passio also discussed the possibilities of GPS tracking and passenger tracking on the bus systems upcoming. Fleetio will additionally take over the pre- and post-trip inspection aspect of the job.

All of the new technologies will mainly use tablets and will be updated instantaneously, according to Sink.

“This allows us to stay on top of things,” she said.

According to Sink, there are several monetary benefits and functionality benefits to the new programs chosen and implemented.

Updates about rider access, routes or general updates will be posted both to the EPTA website, as well as its Facebook page.