The International Association of Athletics Federation Championships 2017 (IAAF2017) operated a fleet of 130 vehicles which were used for transportation of officials, athletes, delegates and staff from the various hotels, airports, venue and training venues. The requirement was to have communications with the drivers, as well as track the vehicles. In previous sporting events two-way radio would have been the means for communicating with the drivers, with a separate device installed if tracking was required. This would require a wide area radio solution and vehicle installations, both of which can prove to be costly.
The solution for IAAF2017 was to implement the iCabbi dispatch system. This is used by some of the largest transport Fleets in the UK. iCabbi is a cloud based system which means the requirements for hardware expenditure are minimal, with only internet connected computers running Google Chrome, for management, and Android mobile phone devices using 4G running the app in the vehicles. The iCabbi system helped to automate many functions that would typically require radio controllers (either paid staff or volunteers). For a large operation, this can mean up to 6 people per shift. The savings in manpower alone by adopting this automation was considerable, with the Games operations also benefitting from the added functionality that the system offered.
The continuing trend from bespoke installed systems to cloud based systems is real. Core systems at major Games are now being delivered using cloud solutions. The benefits are also real, with cloud based IT delivery and applications offering scalability, cost efficiency, adaptability, agility and sustainability – all key drivers for a successful Games hosting.
FarrPoint look forward to hosting you at our stand at HostCity 2017 in Glasgow where we will be demonstrating the iCabbi system as an example of a cloud based system that has enabled significant savings and added functionality to major Event operations.
About FarrPoint
FarrPoint is a leading authority on the specification, sourcing, implementation and operation of telecoms, mobile and radio infrastructure and services for international major events.
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