2011 GIS in Transit - Cell Phones and GIS - Lessons Learned from Developing Transit Navigation Software

Patents Pending USF 2009

Sean J. BarbeauResearch AssociateCenter for Urban Transportation Research

(CUTR)University of South Florida (USF)

Mark SheppardTravel TrainerHillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART)

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Cell Phones and GIS: Lessons Learned from

Developing Transit Navigation Software

Work to HomeWork to Home

Back

Distance to Final Stop:5.6 miles

5 DOWNTOWNNext Bus:

9:58 minutes

Patents Pending USF 2009Patents Pending USF 2009

Overview

Role of travel training

Travel Assistance Device

Challenges and Solutions

Next steps

04/13/2311/17/2008

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Project Partners3

Sean Barbeau, Phil Winters, and Nevine Georggi, CUTR, USF

Miguel Labrador and Rafael Perez, Computer Science & Engineering, USF

Mark Sheppard, HART Travel TrainerGigi Gonzalez, Special Education Facilitator

for STAGES program at USFAmy Datz, FDOT Project ManagerHarvey Berlin, TRB IDEA Project Manager

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Travel Training 4

. . . the Challenges . . . the Victories

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The Challenges . . . 5

Transportation is essential for independent living

Individuals with mental/cognitive disabilities (14.2M Americans, 6.9% of pop.)¹ often have problems with quick actions required by transit

Paratransit is expensive $27.90 per unlinked passenger trip (bus) versus $3.20 per unlinked passenger trip (demand responsive) and can be restrictive to riders

Travel training helps reduce learning curve for fixed route transit1 - National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. “Survey of Income and Program Participation

(SIPP)”, 1997.

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A Solution . . .TAD6

Develop first navigation software for public transportation using GPS-enabled mobile phones Alert user when to get off the bus with audio, visual,

and tactile prompts Target simplicity, with cognitively disabled in mind

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TAD Web Page – Create Trips7

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Transit Rider Selects Trip That Was Planned On Website

TADTAD

Cancel Select

Select Trip

(1) Home to Work(2) Work to Home(3) Home to Movie

TAD Cell Phone Application


On Bus…

Then the user hears: “Get Ready!”


Back


5 DOWNTOWN



Then: “Pull the Cord Now!”

TADTAD

OK

Pull the Cord Now!

(+Sound and Vibration)



Field Tests11

Over 50 test runs in Tampa: Over 38 by testing team 12 trips with riders with special needs

Overall, proof-of-concept was successfulMost consistent issue in tests:

Error in bus stop locations Problems with close proximity of stops

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Alert Timing

Number of Occurrences

Ideal 39

Early 2

Late 6

None 4


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Challenge: GPS is very dynamic…

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Challenge: Updating Route Information

Google Transit provides free trip planning tool to agencies

Agency has incentive to post schedule updates to a webpage so Google can update their system

TAD system can grab the same updates and use them!

This feature also allows adding new agencies to TAD with the click of a button!

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Challenge: Bus Stop Accuracy14

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• Errors in bus stop inventory location vs. true geographic location


Lessons Learned15

First Bus Stop Detection algorithm, based on radius surrounding final stop

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2nd-to-last Stop

Destination Stop

Alert Radius


Lessons Learned16

To avoid delivering alert late, radius should be increased

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2nd-to-last Stop

Destination Stop


Lessons Learned17

With GPS, uncertainty of true position exists

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2nd-to-last Stop

Destination Stop

Uncertainty Radius

Possible True Position

Calculated Position


Lessons Learned18

Problems arise when alert radius and uncertainty overlap when bus stops are close

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2nd-to-last Stop

Destination Stop


Lessons Learned19

When alert radius is big, can cause unpredictable results for certain route configurations

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2nd-to-last Stop

Destination Stop

XEarly Alert


Lessons Learned20

New Algorithm based on circles surorunding 2nd-to-last stop

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2nd-to-last Stop

Destination Stop


Detects user passing 2nd-to-last stop

Lessons Learned21

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2nd-to-last Stop

Destination Stop

Trigger Alert!


Lessons Learned

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Create Bus Stop Management Tool

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Lessons Learned23

Human Factors – Investigate Bluetooth Headset Privacy for Individual Easier to hear over noise on bus

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TAD with AVL24

Ideas Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) project to link TAD with AVL system Provides new services based on real-time bus

location

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Back


5 DOWNTOWNNext Bus:

9:58 minutes


Next Steps25

Testing with HART in Tampa Bay area has been successful

Expanding TAD deployment opportunities with other transit agencies

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New TAD Partners

Partners will be asked to: Format their data into Google Transit format

(HASTUS and Trapeze both provide export tool)

Test TAD by their travel trainer as part of daily trips with trainees

Correct errors in any bus stop locations through TAD webpage

Provide Feedback to TAD research team


New TAD Partners

CUTR will: Provide adequate TAD

orientation/demo/training sessions Help transit agency with TAD integration Monitor TAD and provide support during tests Resolve any TAD technical issues as they occur


SEAN BARBEAURESEARCH ASSOCIATE(813) [email protected]

MARK SHEPPARDTRAVEL TRAINER(813) [email protected]

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Questions?

11/17/2008

Please contact Sean Barbeau if you’re interested in TAD Deployment in your city!

Business

2011 GIS in Transit - Cell Phones and GIS - Lessons Learned from Developing Transit Navigation Software