JSC "GLONASS" has developed a system for tracking public transport in conditions of limited satellite navigation operation and radio-electronic interference. This was announced by the company's press service. The solution is based on the state information system "ERA-GLONASS" and should show passengers the actual movement of buses and trolleybuses in real time.

The first experiment starts on September 1, 2026, in the Kaluga region. In Kaluga, the technology will be tested on three routes. Then it is planned to use it to control municipal equipment and emergency service vehicles.

To determine the location of transport, special tags linked to route coordinates will be installed near stops. Identifiers will be placed on buses and trolleybuses. When transport approaches a stop, the system will record its position and transmit information to dispatch platforms, city services, and mapping applications.

Data exchange will take place via a secure channel through the ERA-GLONASS infrastructure to use the service under mobile internet restrictions. The equipment for stops operates autonomously, is designed for five years of operation, and is produced in Russia using domestic components and software.

What is ERA-GLONASS?

The system has two purposes. The first is emergency response in accidents. The ERA-GLONASS system was launched into commercial operation on January 1, 2015 — it became the world's first emergency notification system for transport of such a scale. Almost all cars produced or imported into Russia today have a special terminal with an SOS button.

In case of a strong impact during an accident, the device automatically determines the exact coordinates of the accident via satellites and automatically transmits information about the location and nature of the incident to rescuers. The button can also be pressed manually.

ERA-GLONASS also has a second important task — to monitor buses and trolleybuses. Since September 1, 2021, carriers of passengers and dangerous goods are obliged to install satellite navigation equipment on vehicles and transmit movement data to Rostransnadzor through this system.

Today, more than 220 thousand public transport vehicles across the country are connected to it. Data from ERA-GLONASS is retransmitted to more than a thousand municipal and regional information systems.