Case Study: City of Hobbs Signal Connectivity & Optimization
A Five-year signal connectivity and optimization program with Mobotrex gives the City of Hobbs real-time visibility into every signal it operates, plus expert support to keep traffic moving.
The City of Hobbs is upgrading 42 signalized intersections with cloud connectivity, automated performance monitoring, and ongoing optimization support. The program pairs VantageLink cabinet connectivity with ClearGuide SPM, ClearGuide Signal Trends, and VantageCare Signal Assist. Instead of waiting for complaints, Hobbs traffic staff will see problems as they develop and fix them faster.
The Challenege
Like many growing cities, Hobbs manages its signals mostly from the field. When a detector fails, a controller drifts out of coordination, or timing stops matching real traffic, the first sign is often a resident complaint. Staff then have to drive to the cabinet, diagnose the issue on site, and hope it was the only one.
That reactive model is slow and costly. It also hides the small problems, a stuck detector, extra split failures at rush hour — that add delay for drivers every day without ever generating a call.
The Solution
Hobbs chose a five-year Signal Connectivity and Optimization program from Mobotrex covering all 42 signalized intersections. The program was purchased through an existing NMDOT price agreement, which is open to New Mexico local public bodies.
| Component | What It Does For Hobbs |
|---|---|
| VantageLink | Cabinet hardware plus cloud connectivity; links each cabinet and controller to a secure online dashboard |
| ClearGuide SPM | Turns controller and detection data into automated performance reports and alerts |
| ClearGuide Signal Trends | Uses anonymized connected-vehicle data for a network-wide view of signal performance over time |
| VantageCare Signal Assist | Expert monitoring and professional signal-optimization support |
| Setup and Assessment | Per-site SPM setup plus a system-wide VantageCare Performance Assist assessment |
How it works
The system turns each signal cabinet into a connected data source, then layers analytics and expert support on top.
1. Connect the cabinet. VantageLink installs in existing cabinets, legacy or modern, so no infrastructure replacement is needed. It streams signal phase status, detector activity, cabinet health, and environmental sensor data to the cloud.
2. Manage remotely. From any connected device, staff can see live cabinet status, reach controllers and cameras, adjust controller settings, and even cycle power. Alerts flag power outages, UPS changes, flash conditions, and abnormal detection.
3. Measure performance. ClearGuide SPM converts controller and detector data into automated signal performance measures — split failures, arrivals on green, red-light-running risk, with configurable alerts.
4. See the whole network. ClearGuide Signal Trends adds anonymized connected-vehicle trajectory data, showing where and when delay builds across the city and how it changes over time.
5. Optimize with experts. VantageCare Signal Assist pairs the city with signal engineers who review the data, flag issues, and recommend timing improvements throughout the five years.
Expected Benefits
City staff outlined five outcomes they expect from the program:
• Systemwide visibility. Remote, real-time insight into all 42 connected intersections from one dashboard.
• Faster issue detection. Detector, controller, coordination, and timing problems surface sooner, with less reliance on complaints and manual field checks.
• Data-driven decisions. Objective performance data to prioritize maintenance, guide retiming, and measure before-and-after results.
• Smoother, more reliable trips. Better progression and travel-time reliability by finding unnecessary delay, stops, split failures, and recurring timing problems.
• Proactive safety screening. Patterns such as vehicles arriving late in the yellow or red interval are flagged so locations can be reviewed before crashes happen.
For drivers, that means fewer stops and less waiting. For the city, it means fewer truck rolls, longer equipment life, and staff time spent where the data says it matters most.
What's Next
The Hobbs City Commission approved the program on October 5, 2026. Next comes per-site setup, the system-wide Performance Assist assessment, and the start of ongoing monitoring and optimization.
Ready to connect your signals? New Mexico agencies can purchase the same program through the NMDOT price agreement. Contact your local Mobotrex representative to see what connected signal management could do for your network.
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