Here is an interesting article from APTA’s Passenger Transport about the role of technological innovation in public transit. In particular, the article discusses how real-time vehicle location systems lead to better customer information and, in turn, better customer service. From next-bus arrival information at bus stops, to real-time information screens being installed at transit stations, customer expectations are driving technological development and technology is helping agencies to continually improve service.
If you want more information on how passenger information technology can be used to seamlessly transfer information from your agency to your riders, take a look at this webinar.
Here’s a news article from APTA that looks at recent data concerning traffic congestion and the role public transit plays in reducing it. According to the most recent Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) report, without public transit, travelers would have suffered an additional 785 million hours of delay on US roads and consumed 640 million more gallons of fuel in 2010. These kinds of numbers speak to the effectiveness of public transit for the good of everyone. One has to wonder, what could the nation accomplish with an extra 785 million hours?
APTA’s most recent Transit Savings Report indicates that taking public transportation saves individuals an average of $9,581 a year. Compared to the same time last year, it is an increase in savings of over $400. The report also ranks the top 20 cities in the United States with the highest ridership numbers. Numbers like these make it clear that public transit is not only good for the environment but the wallet as well.
Do your passengers want real-time bus information and status updates, but you’re not sure where to start to keep them informed? Are you interested in technologies such as SMS text messaging from bus stops, wayside signs or smartphone apps? This short, but fun demo takes you behind the scenes of a passenger information system and explains how the technology works to get real-time bus location and status information to your riders to keep them up-to-date and happy.
In today’s transit environment, passengers are increasingly demanding instant, real-time information available anytime, and from anywhere. Implementing a Passenger Information System is a way to make this happen and increase rider satisfaction at the same time. We’re pleased to present an informative webinar on Passenger Information Systems. If you want to learn about what a Passenger Information System does, what the benefits of having one are, and the technology that makes it work to seamlessly transfer information from your agency to your passengers, don’t miss this opportunity. You will also learn what you need to do to open your transit data and make use of web services.
Title: Passenger Information Systems 101: Technology, Benefits and Practical Application
Date: Thursday, December 9, 2010
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MST
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
A bright group of people over at Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center have developed an application that will make taking the bus more convenient for staff and students alike. It also demonstrates one of the benefits of releasing transit data. Called VT Bus Tracker, this system delivers up-to-date bus location information as well as passenger counts to the rider’s mobile phone. The data is provided by Blacksburg Transit (BT), who has Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) software installed at their agency. The user simply texts their location and the BT route they are interested in riding to the VT Bus Tracker phone number, and within seconds it will reply with the bus’ estimated arrival time and the number of riders on board. The system works with smart phones including BlackBerry, Android and the iPhone, and works with regular cell phones too. Users can also access this bus information by logging on to www.bustracker.org/.
In the battle for transit funding, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is leading the charge armed with stories and petitions. Over that past year APTA has been collecting video testimonials of riders and community leaders speaking about the benefits and importance of public transportation, urging Congress to increase funding for public transit. Recently, APTA gathered in Washington, DC to unveil their “Telling Our Story” initiative to Capitol Hill. APTA’s National Online Wall is now open to the public; you can visit it here and share your own story.
Everyone knows product demos are a great way for transit agencies to gather information about a wide variety of products to determine how well a product will address agency needs. However, how can you ensure you are getting the most value from the ITS product demos you are watching?
Here are a few suggestions from the Transit Cooperative Research Board (TCRB) to make viewing product demos more productive:
Have the right participants: Make sure all applicable staff are present for the demo. Most importantly, include staff who will use the technology such as dispatchers, managers, drivers and operations staff.
Inform Vendors About Your Agency: Provide vendors with a description of your services, operations and needs well before the demo so they can prepare their product demo to specifically address your systems issues and goals.
Get the Basics: At the end of the demo, ensure you have all the information you need about how the product will meet your specific needs, who will use the product, computer requirements as well as estimated costs
Ask All Your Questions: Encourage all attendees to ask questions, especially those who will be using the product the most. This will ensure you have a complete understanding of how the product can fit into your day-to-day operations.
Releasing an RFP is a substantial undertaking and oftentimes it’s the little details that are forgotten. Before release be sure to double-check:
Consistency of dates (pre-bid conference, question period, due date, etc.) throughout the document.
All pertinent contact information. Make sure the delivery address is a physical location and not a P.O. Box to allow for courier delivery of proposals.
Details such as the number of copies requested as well as the type of electronic copy desired (CD, USB key or email) are clearly specified.
Font size and legibility of copy delivered to vendors.
Forms that need to be manipulated by vendors are sent in an editable format (unlocked Microsoft Word document or PDF).
Information on where to access attachments and addenda is clearly stated.
By ensuring that all of these details are met, vendor time is freed to focus on the more important parts of their RFP responses. Your agency will also have fewer administrative questions to answer after the RFP’s release.
2. Provide Relevant Information About Your Agency
Be sure to include all relevant information about your agency and its current operations within the RFP. This should include details about any in-office computer equipment, servers and software currently used, as well as the number and types of vehicles in your fleet. This information will allow vendors to format their responses specifically to your agency and current resources which will save time and money during the implementation.
3. Establish Reasonable Timelines
It is normal to want the procurement process to proceed as quickly as possible to begin benefitting from your Transit ITS Solution; however, it is important to give vendors adequate time to respond to your proposal to the best of their ability. Below is a reasonable timeframe for generating a response to a Transit ITS RFP:
Release of RFP to Pre-Bid Meeting Date………………………………………. 2 weeks Pre-Bid Meeting Date to Deadline for Questions Submission………………… 2 weeks Deadline for Questions Submission to Agency Response to Questions………. 1 week Agency Response to Questions to RFP Due Date ……………………. at least 2 weeks
4. Give Vendors an Idea of Your Budget
If possible, ask vendors for preliminary pricing information when establishing your budget to ensure it accurately reflects your desired functionality. If this is not possible, publish your budget, or at least present a budget range, to allow vendors to present a solution that will be within budgetary constraints.
5. Require a Standardized Proposal Format
Requiring vendors to follow a standardized proposal format allows you to more easily compare and evaluate RFP responses. This is especially pertinent for the price proposal and compliance matrix sections. A standardized version of these forms will enable simple side-by-side comparison of vendor offerings and price points.
6. Use References Wisely
References from existing customers are one of the best ways to evaluate a vendor’s service and technical solution in a real-world setting. Requiring at least five customer references from completed projects similar to yours will help ensure the vendor’s solution is proven and works in the field. This is also a great way to get valuable first-hand feedback about a vendor’s support and service.
7. Do Not Make Price Your Only Determinant
With the multitude of factors present in evaluating responses to a Transit ITS RFP, it may seem logical and easiest to pick the response with the lowest price. However, the lowest price could also mean lower levels of functionality, support and vendor reputation.
Because the success of a Transit ITS implementation relies heavily on procuring the correct functionality and support for your agency, it is important to weigh factors other than price during evaluation. One way to ensure price is not an overriding factor is to request pricing information be submitted separately from the rest of the proposal. This will allow the evaluation committee to choose the response that best addresses your needs without being influenced by price.
Ever wondered exactly how ITS technology works on a vehicle to improve fixed-route transit operations? Here is a short, animated demo that clearly demonstrates how an ITS solution works on a bus, and how it benefits drivers and passengers. The demo shows you how ITS technology streamlines and automates a driver’s daily tasks, and keeps drivers informed of their on-time performance. It also demonstrates how an ITS solution can integrate with on-board devices, such as an Automatic Passenger Counter (APC) and a voice annunciator, to further improve service.
A blog for those of us who live and work in fleet management. Topics include engine diagnostics, driver safety, mobile workforce management, CAD/AVL, vehicle maintenance, truck distribution, global computing, work order management, and field services.
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