Electronic Fare Collection

CEE582

Vehicle- Based Systems (Fixed-Route)

Exterior Routeand DestinationAnnouncements

ElectronicDestination Sign

Vehicle SystemsSensors

Next StopAnnouncements

Next StopDisplays

GPS Receiver

On-BoardAutomatic Vehicle

Location and Mobile Processing

Smart CardReader andProcessing

Wireless DataOn- Off Load

Data Radio/Message and

AVLTransmissionAutomatic

PassengerCounters

Status Informationfor Transit Signal

Priority

Driver Interfaceand Display

Digital SecurityCameras

Collision Avoidance

EmergencyAlarm

Vehicle- Based Systems (Fixed-Route)

Exterior Routeand DestinationAnnouncements

ElectronicDestination Sign

Vehicle SystemsSensors

Next StopAnnouncements

Next StopDisplays

GPS Receiver

On-BoardAutomatic Vehicle

Location and Mobile Processing

Smart CardReader andProcessing

Wireless DataOn- Off Load

Data Radio/Message and

AVLTransmissionAutomatic

PassengerCounters

Status Informationfor Transit Signal

Priority

Driver Interfaceand Display

Digital SecurityCameras

Collision Avoidance

EmergencyAlarm

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Fare Collection Evolution

• Cash only• Tickets and tokens• Monthly pass• Magnetic stripe pass• Smart card

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Electronic

Electronic Fare Collection Benefits

• “Seamless” regional travel • Encourage ridership• Faster boarding• Regional revenue reconciliation• Customer convenience & fare incentives• Administrative & operational efficiencies• Easier to track revenue and ridership

– Route, Bus stop, Time of day

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Smart Cards

• Plastic card with imbedded chip– Contact– Contactless– Combi

• Value options– Number of rides– Valid time period– Electronic purse (stored value)– Combination of the above

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Smart Card Benefits

• Replaceable (if registered)• New capabilities

– Marketing incentives (eg. 10th ride free)

– Distance-based fares – Multi-purpose

• Social services benefits

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Smart Card Implementation Issues

• Limit fare media to just Smart Cards and cash?

• How to distribute• How to check value• How to add value• Where is clearing house function for

multi-agency cards?– Collecting and disbursing revenue

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More Implementation Issues

• Privacy• Transit-only or multi-use• Contact, contactless or combi cards

– Maintenance– Multi-purpose requirements

• Card longevity vs. cost• Current lack of standards

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Central Puget Sound Smart Card Project

• 3 - 4 counties• 5 - 7 bus, rail & ferry agencies• 3M pop/1.6M commuters• 7-39% inter-county

commuters• 130M annual trips• $160M annual revenue• 3rd most congested US traffic• 7 agency system cost

estimate: $17M - $28M

Everett

Seattle

Tacoma

BremertonKing County

SnohomishCounty

PierceCounty

KitsapCounty

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Project Demonstration Equipment

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Operating Concept Highlights

• One System: – Common fare collection system for bus,

ferries and rail.

• One Fare Medium: – Smart card replaces 300 pass and ticket

types and some cash and provides new fare incentives.

• One Service Contract: – Vendor provides 10 regionally consistent

customer and clearinghouse services.

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Operating Concept Highlights

• Three Primary System Functions:– On-board/terminal/station fare collection– Automatic fare vending and card revalue

options– Regional revenue & data reconciliation

• Fare Policy: – Region-wide standard pass categories and

transfer policies– Agency-specific fares and incentives.

CEE582

1. 2.

Ferries

Fare Gate

3.50

$1.10

TransactionProcessor

Buses

POSTerminal

Fare CardReader

Card Issue and Revalue

Smart Card Transaction/Revenue Data

Telephone

(Revaluation Only)

Passenger Fare Payment 3.

Ferry Terminals

Data AcquisitionSystem

Bus Agencies (all bases)

Transaction/

RevenueData

CustomerServiceOffices

RevaluationMachine

OutsideRetail

4. Regional Revenue Clearinghouse(Revenue Management and Reconciliation)

ClearinghouseComputer System

RevenueManagement

WSFAccount

STAgenciesAccount

KTAccount

FUNDS DISTRIBUTION TOTRANSIT AGENCY ACCOUNTS

Revenue from faremedium sale/revalue

Agency OperationsContracted Services

5.Agency Ridership and Revenue Processing

Direct line if noAgency Network

FinanceComputer

System

Agency DistributedDatabase Network

AgencyProcessor

Other Ridership or Financial Systems

CEE582

Systems Integration

• Onboard Bus: smart card driver control unit with farebox, radio, AVL, destination signs

• Bus-to-Base: wireless data on/offload communications

• Security (potential): employee I.D., building/parking/computer access, other municipal uses

CEE582

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

CEE582

Major Elements of BRT

1. Running Ways2. Stations3. Vehicles4. Fare Collection5. ITS6. Operations Planning7. Image/Identity/Branding

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BRT Concepts• Reducing Travel Times

– Running Way Travel Time– Station Dwell Time– Wait Time– Transfer Time

• Making Travel Times More Reliable– Running Way Reliability – Station Dwell Reliability

• Improving the Image– Identity– Branding– Community Integration

CEE582

More BRT Concepts

• Enhancing the Passenger Experience– Accessibility– Passenger Comfort– Passenger Safety– Passenger Security

• Making Systems More Efficient– High Capacity– Enhanced Revenue– Enhanced System Management

CEE582

Ottawa, Ontario

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Los Angeles, California

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Boston, Massachusetts

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Curitiba, Brazil

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BRT ITS Elements

• Vehicle Prioritization– Signal Timing / Phasing– Station and Lane Access Control– Transit Signal Priority

• IVI Technology– Collision Avoidance– Collision Warning– Lane Assist– Precision Docking Technology

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More BRT ITS Elements

• Fare Collection– Station-based Electronic Fare Payment– Vehicle-based Electronic Fare Payment

• Operations Management– Advanced Communication System– Automated Scheduling Dispatch System– Vehicle Mechanical Monitoring – Vehicle Tracking

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And Still More BRT ITS Elements• Passenger Information

– Traveler Information at Station/Stop– Traveler Information on/for Person– Traveler Information on Vehicle– Trip Itinerary Planning

• Other Technology– Archived Data– Passenger Counter– Silent Alarms– Voice and Video Monitoring

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BRT Results

• In one year Silver Line ridership increased 84% from 7,625 passengers a day to more than 14,000

• Metro Rapid Demonstration

Wilshire/Whittier Corridor

Ventura Corridor

Operating Speeds

Up 29% Up 23%

Ridership Up 32.6% Up 26.4%

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Connection Protection

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Transfer Point Coordination

• Transfers:– A necessary evil for fixed route service

• Transfers allow:– Access between more locations– More frequent service to all locations at the

same cost– High volume movements to major points– Small vehicle service to low volume points

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Transfer Point Coordination• People don’t like to transfer

– Takes too much time– Effected by the weather– Worried about missing connections

• Frequent headways help– For many locations, frequent headways are

not possible

• “Connection Protection” facilitates transfers -- especially from frequent services to less frequent services

CEE582

Salt Lake City, Utah• Improve reliability of

transfers from TRAX to selected connecting bus routes

• System constantly monitors train schedule adherence – looks at estimated arrival times at next 3 stations

• If the lateness of the train is within a pre-determined threshold, a “Hold” instruction is sent to connecting buses

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Object Detection and Collision Avoidance

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Frontal Collision Warning

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Side Obstacle Detection

• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania• Ultrasonic sensors

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Paratransit Routing and Scheduling

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Vehicle -Based Systems (Demand-Response)

GPS Receiver

Smart CardReader andProcessing

Wireless DataOn- Off Load

Data Radio/Message and AVL

Transmission

Driver Interfaceand Display

EmergencyAlarm

Demand Response

Routing and Scheduling

Demand Response

Trip Request Eligibility Confirmation

Demand Response

Performance Data

Demand Response Service

Dispatch and Vehicle Tracking

ParatransitFare Structure

Demand-Response Central Control

Demand- ResponseRevenue Data

Internet-BasedDemand-Response

Service Status

Customer Information

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Transit Vehicle Communications Standards

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Capabilities• Collection of:

– Automated vehicle location information– Operational data (e.g., automated passenger counts

and electronic fare payment information) and maintenance data (e.g., vehicle status and operating parameters)

• Providing:– Transit vehicle driver with electronic dispatch and

routing instructions– Traveler information to the vehicle, which in turn can

provide it to the transit users.

• Support for emergency or "Mayday" alerts from the transit vehicle

CEE582

Transit Communication Interface Protocols (TCIP)• Spatial Representation• Scheduling/Runcutting• Passenger Information• Onboard Integration• Incident Management• Fare Collection• Control Center• Rules for Standardizing Street Names and

Route Ids• Message Set and Data Dictionary for Advanced

Traveler Information Systems

CEE582