the transit hub

TheTransit Hub

A Collaborative User-Interface for Public Transit

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Monday, February 27, 12

Northbound

Next Bus-7.06Min

Digital Surfaces Are Everywhere


Some Surfaces are Designed for

the Public

Time and Temperature Building

Motorist Information Display

Bus Signage

Airline Departures Casco Bay Ferry


SMS Text Message

Desktop Computer Monitor

Laptop Computer Monitor

Internet Enabled TV

“Smart” PhonesSome Surfaces are Designed for Individuals


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 impression when drivers are forced to answer simple questions which could’ve been addressed through better information design.

Where the schedule? Portland International

Jetport


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.


Next Bus-7.06Min

“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.”

What Makes Transparency Effective?Quote From Francisca Rojas, research director at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Transparency Policy Project


http://transparencypolicy.net/full-disclosure.php

http://transparencypolicy.net/full-disclosure.php

Real-Time Data is only half the battle. Only USERS understand how to make it

USABLE

Decision Makers

Stakeholders

So in other words...


A Platform of tools designed to put the Public Back into PUBLIC Transit

The Transit Hub

Multimodal

ScalableNetworked

Collaborative

Regional Open


Next Bus-7.06Min

Internet Enabled TV

• Scheduling• Trip Planning•Online Ticketing

•Real Time Arrival Info• Route Info

Small Monitor in Local

Establshment

Tablet Computer

• Geolocation• Interactive Mapping

Desktop/Laptop Computer

• Scheduling• Interactive Mapping• Ticketing• Contribute p2p Data

Cell Phone SMS• Real Time

Location Time• Contribute

GeoData• Ticketing• Contribute p2p

GeoData

Smart Phone• Real Time Location Time• Contribute GeoData• Ticketing• Contribute p2p GeoData• Interactive Mapping• Scheduling• Trip Planning

How it will work-

Real-Time Data Feed

Dedicated Server

Web-Based Application


Open Transit Software Examples

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.

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.


https://github.com/openplans/OpenTripPlanner/wiki/Demos

https://github.com/openplans/OpenTripPlanner/wiki/Demos

Open Transit Hardware Examples

Travelboard Norwalk CT.See also Routefriend.com and Livable Norwalk

Linux-based software easily loads to recycled monitor displaysTransit Appliance Portland Oregon

Transit Appliance running on recycled PC monitor

Transit Appliance running on $60 Chumby digital picture

frame

“Homebrew” Transit Stop Notifiers built with Open Source “Arduino” Hardware and Open Transit Data

Real-time GPS tracker with Mobile phone uplink

Real-time Bus notifier signals when bus is

approaching

Analog dial bus location tracker using Arduino and

OneBusAway softwareMobilitylab.org Pilot Project

Arlington VAJava Shack Coffee Shop


Boston MA 128 Minutes w/Bicycle

Bike-Ped Examples

A Project of the University of South Florida recently created

gtfs-osm-sync, which synthesizes Google Transit data with user-contributed Bike-Ped

data via OpenStreetMap

The TRIMET trip planner in Portland Oregon is the first

citywide implemtation of this program. The result combines

important cycling data with transit trip times.

OpenCycleMap (a version of

OpenStreetMap) allows cyclists to trace their own

routes using GPS and upload the data for other users’ benefit.

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


Challenge Open Source SolutionConventional Solution

Riders must wait outdoors until bus arrives. Schedules are approximate.

Next Bus-7.06Min

Outdoor Digital Display-$25,000

Proprietary Vehicle Location Software

$60,000+ maintenance

Next Bus-7.06Min

Civic entrepreneur partners with local business near stop to display real time

bus location information.

Low population in rural areas can not support

regularly scheduled service. Majority of population lives in low-density regions with low or no transit access.

Massive resources allocated to centralized

bureaucratic authority and out of state consulting firms.

$

$ $Regional transit agencies

adopt an open standard and provide data sets to civic

entrepreneurs who develop applications according to

individual community needs

Transit services are managed seperately

with limited connectivity.

1-800-VANPOOL

Paratransit, Commuter Vans and Park and Ride

lots are subsidized through state and federal

taxes. Automobile ownership is still a necessity for most

citizens.

1-800-VANPOOL Vanpools and paratransit are integrated into regional transit network allowing for scalable access in small communities.

Location transmitters add microtransit to the list of

available choices.

$

$

No Bikes allowed on Amtrak Downeaster except for Wells

and Portland (neither of which have easy access to

bicycle facilities)

Partner with non-profit to form Bike-Train program with additional “bike car”. Similar

programs exist on the MBTA, MNRR, VIARail and GOTransit

Bike Car

Civic entrepreneur partners with local business to

participate in bike-share program. Partner

businesses are provided with Android tablets with

preinstalled software.


Maine Mall Entrance Lobby

Forest Ave, Hannaford Bros.

BankNorth Office Building, Falmouth Portland Public Library

Congress St. Storefronts

Potential Transit Data Station Locations


Regional

Scalable

Open

Collaborative

Networked

Multimodal

Connecting dispersed populations with

services and employment centers.

Open data allows for local citizens and

application developers to innovate.

Diverse modal options allow smaller

neighborhoods to be connected to larger

neighborhoods.

Transit system must include a wide

variety of modal choices.

System must operate as a fully functioning network with mutliple

points and destinations

Unique collaborative opportunities between

civic entrepreneurs, transit providers, non-profit sector, private

employers and tourism industry.

The Regional Transit Platform


Established Models


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