Case Study

How OHSU tracked campus transportation usage with student ID badges

Cloud-in-Hand - OHSU Oregon Health & Science University

Industry: Education & Healthcare

Location: Portland, Oregon

Riders: 10,000+

The Organization

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), the state’s only academic health center, is home to over 4,000 students and trainees and nearly 3,000 faculty members. Located in Portland, Oregon, the university sits atop a hill, accessible by one of the city’s most iconic features: the Portland Aerial Tram. This vital transit system connects the South Waterfront district to the OHSU campus and serves over 10,000 riders each weekday, including students, faculty, staff, and healthcare professionals.

While the tram is fast and efficient, its popularity created a new challenge: What happens when it’s out of service?

Cloud-in-Hand - OHSU Oregon Health & Science University

Industry: Education & Healthcare

Location: Portland, Oregon

Riders: 10,000+

The Challenge

In 2018, the Portland Aerial Tram was scheduled for five weeks of maintenance. During that time, OHSU planned to provide alternate transportation. But before implementing a contingency plan, the university needed detailed data to estimate demand. They had three essential questions:

  • How many people rely on the tram daily?
  • What times do they ride?
  • Where are they traveling to and from?

While access to the tram was simple, a quick flash of an ID badge, this simplicity also meant there was no automated way to track who was using it or when.

Adding complexity to the task: the tram terminals are open-air with a high volume of foot traffic, so any data collection method had to be non-disruptive, mobile, and fast.

The Solution

To tackle the challenge, OHSU partnered with Serialio to implement a seamless RFID tracking system using the Cloud-in-Hand® Mobile Attendance solution.

The setup consisted of idChamp® RS3 HSE wireless BLE-HID RFID readers paired with the Cloud-in-Hand® Mobile Attendance application, all running on Android tablets installed in mobile kiosks. These kiosks were strategically positioned at tram terminals, allowing riders to simply tap their OHSU-issued HID iClass ID badge as they passed through.

The idChamp RS3, equipped with dual-frequency RFID-NFC technology, enabled rapid, reliable scans that didn’t interfere with the flow of foot traffic. Each scan captured the unique iClass ID, a timestamp, and the kiosk identifier, ensuring every interaction was accurately recorded.

All data was uploaded in real time to the Cloud-in-Hand Solutions Platform, where it was automatically compiled across all eight kiosks. Each day, summarized reports were delivered to the OHSU Transportation Services team. By cross-referencing this data with their access control database, the team could analyze rider usage patterns and even identify which departments the riders belonged to, ultimately painting a comprehensive picture of campus commuting behavior.

The Results

With this information in hand, OHSU was able to devise an effective strategy for providing alternate transportation during the scheduled tram maintenance and ensure smooth operations. The data enabled them to forecast demand, optimize shuttle schedules, and allocate resources efficiently. Beyond addressing the immediate challenge, the solution offered a scalable model for future transit planning.

Get your free demo and 30-day trial