The Transit Hub
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The document proposes The Transit Hub, a collaborative user interface for public transit. It would use digital surfaces like phones, tablets, computers, and displays to provide real-time transit information. This includes schedules, arrival times, routes, trip planning, and ticketing. The system would be open source, allowing civic entrepreneurs and users to develop applications and share data. It aims to make transit information more accessible, usable, and integrated across different modes of transportation like buses, trains, bikes, and cars.
The Transit Hub
- 1. Text TheTransit Hub A Collaborative User- Interface for Public Transit Monday, February 27, 12
- 2. Digital Surfaces Are Everywhere Northbound Next Bus -7.06Min Monday, February 27, 12
- 3. Motorist Information Time and Temperature Display Building Bus Signage Some Surfaces are Designed for the Public Airline Departures Casco Bay Ferry Monday, February 27, 12
- 4. Laptop Computer Monitor SMS Text Message Desktop Computer Monitor Some “Smart” Phones Surfaces are Designed for Individuals Internet Enabled TV Monday, February 27, 12
- 5. But what about public transit info? Transit riders in the Greater Portland Region are provided with minimal Route and Schedule information at important locations like the Train Station or Jetport. This results in poor on-time performance and leaves a negative Where the schedule? impression when drivers are forced to answer simple Portland International questions which could’ve been addressed through better Jetport information design. Monday, February 27, 12
- 6. But are things beginning to change? From Article- METRO’s board of directors voted to increase its budget by $70,000 yesterday to fund technology upgrades aimed at boosting ridership across the four-city service area.The technology, known as automatic vehicle location system, or AVL, will let riders check when the next bus is due to arrive using smartphones, tablets and personal computers. Monday, February 27, 12
- 7. What Makes Transparency Effective? Quote From Francisca Rojas, research director at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Transparency Policy Project “Simply providing information is not enough. Format and content matter, and should address the needs of a targeted audience. What we have seen in our study of transit transparency is that local programmers have been the critical intermediaries, taking raw data and generating a variety of information tools that transit agencies could not have imagined on their own. For other open government initiatives to spark this level of innovation and public benefit, they must identify their audience of information intermediaries and foster those relationships.” Next Bus -7.06Min Monday, February 27, 12
- 8. So in other words... Real-Time Data is only half the battle. Only USERS understand how to make it USABLE Stakeholders Decision Makers Monday, February 27, 12
- 9. The Transit Hub A Platform of tools designed to put the Public Back into PUBLIC Transit Regional Open Collaborative Multimodal Networked Scalable Monday, February 27, 12
- 10. How it will work- Desktop/Laptop Computer Small Monitor in Tablet • Scheduling Computer • Interactive Mapping Local • Geolocation • Ticketing • Contribute p2p Data Establshment • Interactive Mapping •Real Time Arrival Info • Route Info Next Bus -7.06Min Cell Phone SMS Web-Based Application • Real Time Location Time • Contribute GeoData • Ticketing • Contribute p2p GeoData Internet Enabled TV Smart Phone Dedicated Server • Real Time Location Time • Scheduling • Contribute GeoData • Trip Planning • Ticketing •Online Ticketing • Contribute p2p GeoData • Interactive Mapping • Scheduling Real-Time Data Feed • Trip Planning Monday, February 27, 12
- 11. Open Transit Software Examples OneBusAway is a set of tools to improve the usability of public transit, focusing on providing easy access to schedule and real-time arrival information across a variety of interfaces. Transit Data is made available through the “GTFS Data Exchange”. GTFS stands for “General Transit Feed Specification” OpenTripPlanner (OTP) is an open source multi-modal trip planner, which runs on Linux, Windows, or potentially any platform with a Java virtual machine.. As of Spring 2012, the code is under active development, with a variety of working demos from around the world. Monday, February 27, 12
- 12. Transit Appliance Portland Oregon Open Transit Linux-based software easily loads to recycled monitor displays Hardware Examples Transit Appliance running on Transit Appliance running on recycled PC monitor $60 Chumby digital picture frame “Homebrew” Transit Stop Notifiers built with Open Source “Arduino” Hardware and Open Transit Data Real-time Bus notifier Travelboard Norwalk CT. signals when bus is See also Routefriend.com and Livable Norwalk approaching Real-time GPS tracker with Mobile phone uplink Arlington VA Analog dial bus location Java Shack Coffee Shop tracker using Arduino and Mobilitylab.org Pilot Project OneBusAway software Monday, February 27, 12
- 13. Bike-Ped Examples A Project of the University of South Florida recently created gtfs-osm-sync, which synthesizes Google Transit data OpenCycleMap with user-contributed Bike-Ped (a version of data via OpenStreetMap OpenStreetMap) allows cyclists to trace their own The TRIMET trip planner in routes using GPS Portland Oregon is the first and upload the citywide implemtation of this Boston MA data for other program. The result combines important cycling data with users’ benefit. 128 Minutes w/Bicycle transit trip times. Electric Motor assist“E-Bikes” are becoming an increasingly popular mode of transport. Applications like the “Speedict” app for Android serve a variety of functions, measuring everything from speed and battery life to GPS tracking and navigation Monday, February 27, 12
- 14. Challenge Conventional Solution Open Source Solution Paratransit, Commuter Vanpools and paratransit are Low population in rural Vans and Park and Ride 1-800-VANPOOL integrated into regional transit areas can not support lots are subsidized network allowing for scalable regularly scheduled service. through state and federal access in small communities. Majority of population lives taxes. Automobile Location transmitters add in low-density regions with ownership is still a 1-800-VANPOOL microtransit to the list of low or no transit access. necessity for most available choices. citizens. Massive resources Regional transit agencies $ $ allocated to adopt an open standard and Transit services are centralized provide data sets to civic managed seperately entrepreneurs who develop bureaucratic authority with limited applications according to and out of state connectivity. individual community needs consulting firms. Riders must wait outdoors Next Bus -7.06Min $ Outdoor Digital Display-$25,000 Next Bus -7.06Min Civic entrepreneur partners with local $ Proprietary Vehicle business near stop until bus arrives. Location Software to display real time Schedules are $60,000+ bus location approximate. $ maintenance information. Civic entrepreneur partners No Bikes allowed on Amtrak Bike Car with local business to Downeaster except for Wells participate in bike-share and Portland (neither of program. Partner Partner with non-profit to form Bike-Train which have easy access to businesses are provided program with additional “bike car”. Similar bicycle facilities) with Android tablets with programs exist on the MBTA, MNRR, preinstalled software. VIARail and GOTransit Monday, February 27, 12
- 15. Congress St. Storefronts BankNorth Office Building, Falmouth Portland Public Library Potential Transit Data Station Locations Maine Mall Entrance Lobby Forest Ave, Hannaford Bros. Monday, February 27, 12
- 16. The Regional Transit Platform Open Open data allows for Regional local citizens and application developers Connecting dispersed to innovate. populations with services and employment centers. Multimodal Collaborative Transit system must Unique collaborative include a wide opportunities between variety of modal civic entrepreneurs, choices. transit providers, non- profit sector, private employers and tourism industry. Scalable Diverse modal options allow smaller Networked neighborhoods to be System must operate connected to larger as a fully functioning neighborhoods. network with mutliple points and destinations Monday, February 27, 12
- 17. Established Models Monday, February 27, 12
- 18. For Supplemental Materials from this presentation and others like it scan the QR Code or just go to carfreemaine.org facebook.com/carfreemaine ajawitz@carfreemaine.org @carfreemaine 207 370 5481 youtube.com/user/carfreemaine flickr.com/user/carfreemaine CarFree Maine Monday, February 27, 12