Here is an interesting article in support of agencies opening their transit data. It discusses how transit agencies in big urban cities, like New York, San Francisco and Boston, are making their raw data available to the public, ushering in an era of what the geek community is calling transit-data democracy. Now, information ranging from which subway stops have working elevators to service alerts about construction and delays are available to the public, developers and entrepreneurs.
The article draws parallels to George Orwell’s book, “1984,” concerning the broader implication opening transit data might have on society. However, it is argued that unlike “1984”, technological advances have effectively provided a greater democratization and decentralization for individuals.
When transit agencies are reluctant to release their transit data they frequently allude to concerns about the accuracy of data and how it will be used. But riders are often already getting inaccurate data, so by making transit data public, developers and entrepreneurs can use this information for good, giving people the ability to plan and navigate their trips easily and simply.
To read the entire article, click here. To learn more about the open transit data debate, go here to download a free white paper.
If you haven’t heard by now, Federal Transit Authority (FTA) Administrator Peter M. Rogoff recently announced a $775 million competitive grant program for its Bus and Bus Facilities “State of Good Repair” initiative. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has also recently released several “Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA),” outlining new grant opportunities for transit systems. To read more about these funding opportunities, go here.
If applying for grant funding is unchartered territory for you, or if you would like to gain more clarity around the process, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy at DOT is presenting a seminar, “How to Compete for a DOT Discretionary Grant” on May 18 in Washington, DC. For more information, click here. The DOT website will also make a webcast available at http://www.dot.gov/
Managing a fleet of any size requires timely information exchange between drivers and dispatch. Inefficient radio communication can slow customer service and turn dispatch offices and buses into stressful, noisy work environments.
Watch this short demo and learn how a Transit ITS solution makes driver/dispatcher communication a breeze with two-way text messaging, Automatic Vehicle Location, and safe cell phone capabilities. Click here to watch the demo.
With the proliferation of transit mapping and mobile applications available, giving your passengers the best trip-planning tools possible can seem like a difficult task. Scott Davis, the founder of ThirstyHead.com, has put together a great overview of the many websites, applications and APIs that can help your customers use transit more effectively. He also provide links to many informative websites and the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS), where agencies can easily start the process of opening their transit data to the public. Providing your passengers with these resources will make them more confident when using transit, resulting in increased ridership and improved customer satisfaction. Click here to read the entire article.
How transit agencies can keep track of all their buses all the time
Watch and learn how to make use of the essential features of Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) software. With a click of the mouse, managing vehicles is effortless and stress-free. Click here to watch the demo.
If your transit agency is new to fare collection technology, or are looking to upgrade your current fare collection equipment, here is a webcast you might want to check out. On March 292010, APTA is putting on Fare Collection 101, a live video- and- audio stream webcast directly from the APTA 2010 Fare Collection Workshop in San Diego, CA. Listen to industry experts weigh in on the new options out there for fare collection technology. Hear what questions the on-site audience is asking, or submit your own to be answered directly by the panel. Click here for more information about the webcast.
It’s simple: keep your riders informed. Here is a good article from Mass Transit on the various technologies available out there to communicate with your riders, from customized web sites, to real-time passenger information and CAD/AVL systems. The benefit of providing accurate transit information to your riders is twofold: if people are confident and comfortable using your system, it will likely increase ridership and reduce traffic congestion. Read more about passenger information technology and its benefits.
Metro Magazine gives a detailed look at sustainability trends and issues affecting the transit industry. The Sustainability Commitment launched by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is discussed, as well as the LEED certification process. Click here to read the entire article.
Is excessive radio traffic affecting efficiency and productivity levels in your paratransit agency? A paratransit ITS solution allows dispatchers to communicate instantly with drivers using text messaging. Dispatchers can also keep tabs on all vehicles and unplanned situations, updating drivers’ in-vehicle manifests immediately to ensure customers are picked up on time. Hank and Jan are back to show you how paratransit ITS technology can make driver/dispatch communication more efficient, and managing unplanned events a breeze. Click here to watch Hank and Jan in action
If you manage a paratransit fleet, you know how difficult it is keeping up with ever-changing customer requirements, streamlining driver responsibilities, and conquering the chaos in the dispatch office. Time-consuming manual data entry adds to these challenges. Fortunately, there is technology out there to make your job much easier. A paratransit ITS solution automates repetitive processes, eliminates manual data entry so you can make better use of staff resources, and helps improve on-time performance. Hank and Jan, of Number 1 Transit, demonstrate how paratransit ITS technology makes everyday tasks and challenges a lot simpler to manage, and with fewer headaches. Click here to watch this short, entertaining demo.
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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