Saskatoon Transit wins CUTA Innovation Award using Preteckt’s technology to empower its bus maintenance team

The CUTA Awards honour and celebrate the achievements of individuals and organizations that go above and beyond to keep transit running.

Saskatoon Transit was named the winner of the 2023 Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Innovation Award for using Preteckt’s AI-powered predictive maintenance technology to maintain its bus fleet. The award recognizes Saskatoon Transit’s excellence in using technology to make transit services more efficient.

“Keeping as many buses as possible on the road each day is critical for Saskatoon Transit to meet service demands,” says Tracey Davis, Fleet and Maintenance Manager, Saskatoon Transit. “Our enhanced preventative maintenance program with early detection predictive analysis is saving us money and increasing bus availability.” 

Preteckt’s predictive software sifts through millions of data points daily to catch problems before they cause bus breakdowns and empowers technicians with the insights needed to make early repairs. Saskatoon Transit piloted this technology with Preteckt in 2021 and then implemented the AI solution for its entire fleet in late 2022. 

Saskatoon Transit has not experienced service disruptions due to bus shortages since October 2022 due to intentional continuous improvement efforts, an enhanced preventative maintenance program and the partnership with Preteckt. 

“Innovation happens when leaders take risks. The Saskatoon leadership team led by taking a risk and agreeing to do a pilot test with Preteckt in late 2020, which has allowed them to continue seeing amazing results. The Saskatoon Transit maintenance team continues to innovate by combining technology with continuous improvement expertise driven by AI, thus allowing them to make data-driven decisions,” said Krish Inbarajan, CEO of Preteckt and APTA Board Member. “As an AI company, people make all the difference, and we salute the innovative team at Saskatoon Transit and thank them for trusting their entire fleet with us.”

During the award ceremony CUTA recognized this innovation with the following paragraphs: 

“Canadian start-up Preteckt partnered with Saskatoon Transit to implement their artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive maintenance. This AI, initially designed for heavy-duty trucks, analyzes vast data sets and uses AI to predict issues before they disrupt service. Despite initial skepticism, Saskatoon Transit embraced the innovation under CUTA’s Transit Vision 2040 theme, demonstrating leadership in Canadian transit.

The AI seamlessly integrates with Saskatoon Transit’s existing systems, enabling early issue detection and informed repair decisions, ultimately reducing costs. Saskatoon Transit stands as Canada’s pioneer in using AI for transit vehicle maintenance. This project’s success isn’t solely attributed to technology; it requires courage, effective leadership, and resource commitment. The process involved setting pilot objectives, procuring new technology, and integrating it into continuous improvement procedures. Training played a crucial role in implementation, with ongoing efficiencies anticipated.”

The Saskatoon Transit – Preteckt partnership highlights the integration of advanced technology, which will be essential to providing reliable, safe and efficient transportation services for a city that is planning for continued growth.