Smart Mobility Hubs (SMH) Concept of Operations

Smart Mobility Hubs (SMH) Concept of Operations

for the Smart Columbus Demonstration Program

FINAL REPORT | October 24, 2019

UPDATED REPORT | December 27, 2019

Produced by City of Columbus

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of

Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government

assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof.

The U.S. Government is not endorsing any manufacturers, products, or services

cited herein and any trade name that may appear in the work has been included

only because it is essential to the contents of the work.

Acknowledgement of Support

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of

Transportation under Agreement No. DTFH6116H00013.

Disclaimer

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this

publication are those of the Author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of

the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Smart Mobility Hubs Concept of Operations – Final Report | Smart Columbus Program | i

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...........................................................................................................................i

Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1

1.1. Project Scope ............................................................................................................................... 2

1.2. Geographic Scope ....................................................................................................................... 3

1.3. Project Relationship to System of Systems ............................................................................... 4

1.4. Smart Mobility Hubs System Overview ...................................................................................... 5

1.4.1. Smart Mobility Hubs Facility ............................................................................................ 5

1.5. Smart Columbus Projects Associated with SMH Project .......................................................... 7

1.5.1. Operating System ............................................................................................................ 7

1.5.2. Multimodal Trip Planning Application/Common Payment System .................................. 7

1.6. SMH Stakeholders ....................................................................................................................... 8

1.6.1. The City of Columbus ...................................................................................................... 8

1.6.2. Central Ohio Transit Authority ......................................................................................... 8

1.6.3. Emergency Dispatch Centers .......................................................................................... 8

1.6.4. Columbus Metropolitan Library – Linden Branch ............................................................ 8

1.6.5. St. Stephens Community House...................................................................................... 8

1.6.6. Columbus State Community College ............................................................................... 9

1.6.7. Experience Columbus ...................................................................................................... 9

1.6.8. Kiosk Vendor.................................................................................................................... 9

1.6.9. Mobility Providers ............................................................................................................ 9

Chapter 2. References .............................................................................................................. 11

2.1. Stakeholder Engagement Summary Interviews ...................................................................... 12

Chapter 3. Current System ....................................................................................................... 15

3.1. Background and Objectives ...................................................................................................... 15

3.1.1. Central Ohio Transit Authority CMAX ............................................................................ 16

3.1.2. Central Ohio Transit Authority Transit Centers and Park and Ride Facilities ............... 16

3.1.3. Central Ohio Transit Authority Passenger Wi-Fi ............................................................ 18

3.1.4. Emergency Dispatch Center .......................................................................................... 19

3.2. Operational Policies and Constraints ........................................................................................ 20

3.3. Modes of Operation ................................................................................................................... 20

3.4. User Classes of the Current System ........................................................................................ 21

Table of Contents

ii | Smart Columbus Program | Smart Mobility Hubs Concept of Operations – Final Report

Chapter 4. Justification and Nature of Changes .................................................................. 23

4.1. Justification for Changes ........................................................................................................... 23

4.2. Description of Desired Changes ............................................................................................... 26

4.3. Priorities Among Changes ........................................................................................................ 30

4.4. Changes Considered but Not Included .................................................................................... 30

Chapter 5. Concept for the New System ............................................................................... 33

5.1. Background, Objectives and Scope ......................................................................................... 33

5.1.1. Operational Policies and Constraints ............................................................................ 33

5.1.2. Description of Proposed System ................................................................................... 34

5.1.3. Methodology for Site Selection ...................................................................................... 35

5.1.4. Proposed Smart Mobility Hub Locations ....................................................................... 37

5.1.5. Proposed Smart Mobility Hub Facilities ......................................................................... 37

5.2. Modes of Operation ................................................................................................................... 40

5.3. User Classes and Other Involved Personnel ........................................................................... 41

5.4. Support Environment ................................................................................................................. 42

5.5. Security and Privacy .................................................................................................................. 42

Chapter 6. Operational Scenarios ........................................................................................... 43

Chapter 7. Summary of Impacts ............................................................................................. 59

7.1. Operational Impacts................................................................................................................... 59

7.2. Organizational Impacts .............................................................................................................. 59

7.3. Impacts During Development .................................................................................................... 60

Chapter 8. Analysis of Smart Mobility Hubs ......................................................................... 61

8.1. Summary of Improvements ....................................................................................................... 61

8.2. Disadvantages and Limitations ................................................................................................. 61

8.3. Alternatives and Trade-Offs Considered .................................................................................. 61

Chapter 9. Notes ........................................................................................................................ 63

Appendix A. Stakeholder Engagement Summary ........................................................... 65

Appendix B. Acronyms and Definitions ............................................................................ 71

Appendix C. Glossary ........................................................................................................... 73

Table of Contents

Smart Mobility Hubs Concept of Operations – Final Report | Smart Columbus Program | iii

List of Tables

Table 1: References .................................................................................................................................... 11

Table 2: Meetings ........................................................................................................................................ 12

Table 3: Existing Smart Mobility Hub Facilities Features ............................................................................ 18

Table 4: Operational Policies and Constraints of the Current System ........................................................ 20

Table 5: Modes of Operation for Current System ....................................................................................... 21

Table 6: User Classes of the Current System ............................................................................................. 21

Table 7: Beneficial Locations for Smart Mobility Hubs Deployment ........................................................... 24

Table 8: Justification for Changes ............................................................................................................... 25

Table 9: Desired Changes ........................................................................................................................... 26

Table 10: User Needs .................................................................................................................................. 27

Table 11: Priority Among Changes .............................................................................................................. 30

Table 12: Operational Policies and Constraints of Proposed System ........................................................ 34

Table 13: Expected Interfaces of Proposed System ................................................................................... 34

Table 14: Proposed Functionality by Smart Mobility Hub Facility ............................................................... 38

Table 15: Modes of Operation ..................................................................................................................... 40

Table 16: Proposed System Users .............................................................................................................. 41

Table 17: UC1-S1 –Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Plan a Trip ................................. 44

Table 18: UC1-S2 – Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to book a Ride-Hailing Service ..... 47

Table 19: UC1-S3 – Traveler at SMH Location Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Book a Bike-

Share Service .............................................................................................................................................. 50

Table 20: UC2-S1 – Degraded Conditions – Pivot app on the Interactive Kiosk not Working .................... 52

Table 21: UC2-S2 – Degraded Conditions – Interactive Kiosk Power Failure/ Communication Failure ..... 54

Table 22: UC3-S1 – Emergency Call Button Activation .............................................................................. 56

Table 23: Summary of Improvements ......................................................................................................... 61

Table 24: Acronyms List .............................................................................................................................. 71

Table 25: Glossary of Terms ........................................................................................................................ 73

Table of Contents

iv | Smart Columbus Program | Smart Mobility Hubs Concept of Operations – Final Report

List of Figures

Figure 1: Smart Columbus Projects .............................................................................................................. 2

Figure 2: Smart Mobility Hub Deployment Locations .................................................................................... 3

Figure 3: System of Systems Context Diagram ............................................................................................ 4

Figure 4: SMH High-Level Context Diagram ................................................................................................. 5

Figure 5: Pedestal Mounted Kiosks (Deployed)............................................................................................ 6

Figure 6: Central Ohio Transit Authority CMAX Service Stops ................................................................... 16

Figure 7: Example of Central Ohio Transit Authority Park and Ride and Transit Facilities ......................... 17

Figure 8: Outreach Survey Results for Preferred Kiosk Functions at Smart Mobility Hubs ....................... 24

Figure 10: Proposed System Context Diagram .......................................................................................... 35

Figure 11: Proposed Smart Mobility Hubs Locations .................................................................................. 37

Figure 12: UC1-S1 –Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Plan a Trip ............................... 44

Figure 13: UC1-S2 – Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to book a Ride-Hailing Service ... 46

Figure 14: UC1-S3 – Traveler at SMH Location Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Book a Bike-

Share Service .............................................................................................................................................. 49

Figure 15: UC2-S1 – Degraded Conditions – Pivot app on the Interactive Kiosk not Working .................. 52

Figure 16: UC2-S2 – Degraded Conditions – Interactive Kiosk Power Failure/ Communication Failure ... 54

Figure 17: UC3-S1 – Emergency Call Button Activation ............................................................................. 56

Figure 17: Outreach Survey – Participant Cell Phone Ownership .............................................................. 66

Figure 18: Outreach Survey – Travel Payment Method .............................................................................. 66

Figure 19: Outreach Survey – Preferred Multimodal Trip Planning Application/Common Payment System

Alerts and Notifications ............................................................................................................................... 67

Figure 20: Outreach Survey – Helpful Transportation Features ................................................................. 67

Figure 21: Outreach Survey – Potential Mobility Hub Sites ........................................................................ 68

Figure 23: Outreach Survey – Accessing Smart Mobility Hub Facility........................................................ 69

Figure 23: Outreach Survey – Preferred Kiosk Functions .......................................................................... 70

Smart Mobility Hubs Concept of Operations – Final Report | Smart Columbus Program | 1

Chapter 1. Introduction

This Concept of Operations (ConOps) serves as the first in a series of engineering documents describing the development of the Smart Mobility Hubs (SMH) project as part of the City of Columbus “Smart Columbus” program. The goal of the Smart Columbus program is to connect people by creating opportunity for City residents to better access jobs and services while improving the overall safety and efficiency of the transportation network. The SMH will provide access to resources at chosen areas of community focus (transit stops, libraries, community centers) by aggregating transportation resources and services that will provide improved mobility for those in the areas around the SMH facilities. These could include interactive kiosks with Wi-Fi access points; embedded touch screen displays with access to trip planning, emergency calling and other applications; and dynamic information displays. The SMH locations will also have multimodal resources like bike-share racks and car-share parking. This project supports the broader Smart Columbus goals by deploying SMH along Cleveland Avenue and through the Linden neighborhood, an underserved area northeast of downtown Columbus. Goals of this project include increasing the effectiveness of the existing transit options [Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)] by increasing available mobility modes, particularly for first/last mile situations, at SMH locations and providing access to enhanced trip planning and payment options through use of the Multimodal Trip Planning Application and Common Payment System (MMTPA/CPS). The application deployed through the MMTPA/CPS project that will help travelers to plan, book and/or pay for the trip is called Pivot.

The purpose of the ConOps is to convey a high-level view of the system to be deployed. This document bridges early project motivations with the eventual technical requirements. The ConOps is implementation independent and establishes the foundation of the project by focusing on the functionality of the proposed systems. It communicates the users’ needs and expectations for the proposed systems which will help build consensus and focus the vision of the system moving forward.

The document is structured in accordance with IEEE Standard 1362-1998. Below is a brief description of each section in this document.

• Chapter 1 provides a document overview.

• Chapter 2 identifies all documents referenced and interviews conducted in developing this

document.

• Chapter 3 describes the current and supporting systems and the problem(s) to be addressed.

• Chapter 4 describes the features that motivate the project’s development.

• Chapter 5 provides a high-level description of the proposed system resulting from the features

described in Chapter 4.

• Chapter 6 describes how the project is envisioned to operate from various perspectives.

• Chapter 7 describes the impacts the project will have on the stakeholders, users and system

owners/operators.

• Chapter 8 provides an analysis of the impacts presented in Chapter 7.

• Chapter 9 includes additional information to aid in the understanding of this ConOps.


2 | Smart Columbus Program | Smart Mobility Hubs Concept of Operations – Final Report

1.1. PROJECT SCOPE

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has pledged $40 million to Columbus, Ohio, as the winner of the Smart City Challenge. With this funding, Columbus intends to define what it means to be a “Smart City” and serve as a model for other cities wishing to fully integrate innovative technologies, such as self-driving cars, connected vehicles and smart sensors, into the transportation network. Columbus is acting as a laboratory for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and disseminating lessons learned and best practices to cities across the United States in an effort known as Smart Columbus. The goal of the Smart Columbus program is to connect people by creating opportunity for City residents to better access jobs and services while improving the overall safety and efficiency of the transportation network. This goal is both exciting and ambitious given the four-year implementation timeframe, which began in summer 2016.

The Smart Columbus program is comprised of eight individual projects grouped into three overarching themes: Enabling Technologies, Enhanced Human Services, and Emerging Technologies as shown in Figure 1. SMH is one of five projects that was organized for application purposes around the enhanced human services theme. While the initial SMH project will be piloted in six locations, the ultimate intent is for mobility hubs to be deployed throughout Columbus.

Source: City of Columbus

Figure 1: Smart Columbus Projects

The purpose of the SMH project is to deploy transportation facilities that provide travelers with consolidated transportation amenities such as interactive kiosks, provide access to comprehensive trip-planning tools (via MMTPA/CPS) and real-time transportation information, and are designed to accommodate multiple modes of transportation from a single location including bike-share, car-share and other mobility options. These services are particularly useful in the completion of first mile/last mile (FMLM) trips and in enabling multimodal trip options.



1.2. GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE

The geographic scope of the proposed SMH project deployment includes the Cleveland Avenue corridor coinciding with COTA’s Bus Rapid Transit (CMAX) service and the Easton commercial district, providing those in the Linden area better access to jobs and services in Easton and Downtown Columbus.

Six initial SMH deployment locations, shown in Figure 2 were selected based on user feedback and surveys:

• Columbus State Community College

• Linden Transit Center

• St. Stephens Community House

• Columbus Metropolitan Library – Linden Branch

• Northern Lights Park and Ride

• Easton Transit Center


Figure 2: Smart Mobility Hub Deployment Locations



1.3. PROJECT RELATIONSHIP TO SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS

The Smart Columbus program contains interrelated systems that work together to create a System of Systems (SoS). Both real-time and archived data is maintained in the Operating System for use by other Smart Columbus projects and future applications. The SoS provides Smart Applications (Apps), Smart Vehicles, and Smart Infrastructure to travelers in the Columbus area. The Operating System enables the SoS to share data with many other internal and external systems to provide the framework for the services provided. Figure 3 shows the relationship of the SoS to the external travelers and systems and highlights those systems or elements that are affected by the SMH project. The Smart Infrastructure element contains the roadside units (RSUs), SMH, and corresponding networks that enable interactions between these items and the Operating System. Smart Vehicles include the on-board units (OBUs) that will be installed in vehicles and include various vehicle types for the Connected Vehicle Environment project. Smart Applications include the software-oriented solutions that will deliver other Smart Columbus project capabilities such as multimodal trip planning, common payment, prenatal trip assistance, etc. The Operating System is the repository for all performance data from the Smart Infrastructure and Smart Vehicles, as well as the shared services platform that allow the Smart Applications to be directly integrated.


Figure 3: System of Systems Context Diagram

The SMH is a Smart Infrastructure component of the SoS that will incorporate the functions of other Smart Columbus systems like CEAV, public Wi-Fi and MMTPA/CPS along with data from other agencies including COTA and mobility providers.



1.4. SMART MOBILITY HUBS SYSTEM OVERVIEW

Figure 4 shows the relationship between the SMH, Operating System, and new and existing systems. The SMH is the system of interest and establishes both a physical location for the traveler to access multimodal transportation options as well as Wi-Fi and an interactive kiosk for travelers to access the MMTPA/CPS for comprehensive trip planning tools. Trip data through the SMH facilities including preferred transportation mode and origin/destination will be collected through the MMTPA and, after proper de-identification, sent to the Operating System where the data will be available to users at the City of Columbus and third-party users for reports and analysis.

.


Figure 4: SMH High-Level Context Diagram

1.4.1. Smart Mobility Hubs Facility

The SMH Facility is the physical site that consolidates the amenities of the SMH System, which includes the interactive kiosk, real-time information displays, pick-up areas and parking spaces for mobility providers and all other systems described in Figure 4. Individual SMH facilities will vary in size, configuration and available services. The following are descriptions of components that may be available at a SMH facility:

1.4.1.1. Interactive Kiosk

Traveler interactive kiosks will be installed on free standing pylons at SMH facilities. These kiosks will display real-time transit related information and provide an embedded touch screen display to serve as a direct interface between travelers and the MMTPA/CPS, providing the traveler the ability to plan trips using multimodal options available at the SMH facility or book available modes, along with additional information and instruction such as directing the traveler to a Transportation Network Company (TNC)



pick-up location. An Emergency Call Button with speakers and a microphone will be available for interactive communications to customer service and emergency facilities.

Figure 5 is a graphical illustration of interactive kiosks currently in operation elsewhere in the country.


Figure 5: Pedestal Mounted Kiosks (Deployed)

1.4.1.2. Wi-Fi

SMH facilities will be equipped with public Wi-Fi that will allow a traveler to access the MMTPA/CPS and other transportation information on his or her personal wireless device.

1.4.1.3. Park and Ride

Designated parking spaces will be available at select SMH locations and allow a traveler the option to park a personal vehicle at a SMH facility and then utilize the SMH amenities to continue his or her trip using alternate modes of transportation.

1.4.1.4. Electric Vehicle Charging

Electric vehicle charging stations will be available at some SMH locations based on the electrification study by the City of Columbus through the Vulcan grant or through other grant programs. Although charging infrastructure will be installed through a separate project, it is being included within the SMH ConOps to ensure proper provisions, such as designated parking areas, are set aside during deployment of the SMH facilities.

1.4.1.5. Emergency Call Button

Kiosks will include an emergency call button that, when activated, will send notification of the help request directly to the 911 emergency call center in the proper jurisdiction. The press of the button will initiate an



audio connection between the distressed traveler and an operator at the emergency call center. This may be a separate button or an option on the interactive kiosk.

1.4.1.6. Personal Wireless Device

A personal wireless device such as a cell phone or tablet may be used at SMH facilities to access the MMTPA via public Wi-Fi or through a personal data plan. Additionally, trip confirmation codes and other trip information may be sent to the personal wireless device upon traveler request and used to gain access to TNCs or to unlock bikes at bike-sharing docks.

1.4.1.7. Designated Passenger Pick-up/Drop-Off Zones

Loading zones will be available at SMH locations in the form of pull off lanes and/or parking spaces located away from travel lanes that will allow safe transfer of passengers between modes of transportation. These zones will primarily be used for mobility providers and will be clearly marked with signage and pavement markings.

1.4.1.8. Dockless Device Zones

Given the rapid rise in dockless mobility options such as scooters and bikes, it is important to enable mobility while balancing safety and site organization. Designated zones, including pavement markings and signage, will be provided for dockless device parking, so devices are not left in the way of walking paths or access ramps.

1.5. SMART COLUMBUS PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH SMH PROJECT

1.5.1. Operating System

The Operating System is a cloud-based, dynamic, governed data-delivery platform at the heart of the Smart Columbus system. The Operating System also serves as the source for real-time operational data and archived historical data from a combination of data storage sources for use by the City of Columbus and third-party applications/developers. The Operating System integrates data and data services from multiple sources including the planned Smart Columbus projects, traditional transportation data and data from other community partners. The Operating System embodies open-data and open-source concepts to enable better decision-making and problem solving for all users to support a replicable, extensible and sustainable platform.

The SMH system will connect to the Operating System (via MMTPA/CPS) to archive trip data.

1.5.2. Multimodal Trip Planning Application/Common Payment System

The MMTPA/CPS is the application that will allow travelers to enter trip request parameters and develop multimodal trip itineraries through coordination with mobility providers and provide travelers the ability to pay for these trips by integrating a common payment system. Travelers at the SMH facility will access the MMTPA by using the interactive kiosk or public Wi-Fi and their personal wireless device. Travelers, including those without access to a cellular phone, will be able to plan a trip without registering for an MMTPA/CPS account. Travelers with an MMTPA/CPS account and a smartphone will be able to plan, book and pay for a trip through the Pivot app. Travelers with a feature phone, due to the mobility providers’ infrastructure, will be limited to a smaller subset of mobility providers for booking and paying from the kiosk.



1.6. SMH STAKEHOLDERS

1.6.1. The City of Columbus

The City will collaborate with COTA and other partners to implement the SMH and is responsible for procurement of the solution and maintenance agreements with the solution provider(s) or integrator(s). The City will oversee the collaboration of data and kiosk deployment between the SMH and MMTPA/CPS developers.

The City will also, through the Department of Public Service, be responsible for SMH site readiness through its role as infrastructure contractor. This will include preparing the sites with new pavement markings, flat work (concrete) and signage.

The City of Columbus is the municipal government for Ohio’s capital city. Columbus is also the most populous city in Ohio and 14th most populous in the United States with an approximate population of 890,000. The City operates on an annual budget of about $1.7 billion with about 8,200 employees.

1.6.2. Central Ohio Transit Authority

COTA will provide access to existing transportation facilities along the Cleveland Avenue corridor to facilitate development of the proposed SMH solution and access to COTA CMAX and other transit routes, Park and Ride facilities, bike racks, and space for mobility providers to operate. It will provide the transit related data to the Operating System for MMTPA/CPS functionality.

Founded in 1971, COTA primarily serves Franklin County, Ohio, including the City of Columbus with fixed-route and paratransit bus service. COTA serves 1.2 million residents and provides more than 19 million passenger trips annually.

1.6.3. Emergency Dispatch Centers

The emergency operations and dispatch centers handle incoming 911 emergency calls and communications with first responders through Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems. Additionally, the emergency call buttons which will be installed on interactive kiosks at the SMH facilities will be directly connected to these operation centers so proper emergency personnel may be dispatched directly to a SMH location if a traveler activates the emergency call button.

1.6.4. Columbus Metropolitan Library – Linden Branch

The Columbus Metropolitan Library – Linden Branch is located on Cleveland Avenue and will be the site of a proposed SMH facility to help bridge the gap for travelers between the adjacent Linden Transit Center and Northern Lights Park and Ride facilities.

1.6.5. St. Stephens Community House

St. Stephens Community House is located near the intersection of 17th Avenue and Joyce Avenue. The Center serves the Linden area residents in numerous ways, including programs to promote employment, social development, education, health care and child care. The organization’s leadership is interested in the integration of a SMH deployment into their facility, which includes a recently abandoned COTA bus stop that may be readily repurposed into a transportation terminal for TNCs, car-sharing and ride-hailing. A new COTA bus stop was installed about 0.2 mile from St. Stephens, providing fixed route transit service near the SMH location.



St. Stephens Community House has also been designated as one of the stops on the Smart Columbus Connected Electric Automatous Vehicles (CEAV) project. More details on that project can be found in the Operational Concept document for CEAV.

1.6.6. Columbus State Community College

The Columbus State Community College (CSCC) enrollment of about 30,000 students consists largely of local commuter students and is a major employment center. The site generates a significant number of transit users which are served by COTA and includes a CMAX station that offers public Wi-Fi and real-time transit information displays.

CSCC representatives are interested in participating with the SMH project. The right of way on Cleveland Avenue between Mt. Vernon Avenue and East Naghten Street will be used for the deployment of a SMH facility. This location is centrally located within the campus area, adjacent to the existing CMAX stations and the CSCC bookstore, which experiences heavy pedestrian traffic and is the focal point for anticipated campus development and roadway improvement projects.

1.6.7. Experience Columbus

Experience Columbus is the Columbus region’s travel and tourism agency responsible for promoting

Columbus as a destination and enhancing the visitor experience through local efforts. Experience

Columbus has contracted with a kiosk vendor to supply interactive, information kiosks in downtown

Columbus and the Short North area (area just north of downtown surrounding High Street). Experience

Columbus will partner with Smart Columbus and offer to extend its contract to the six SMH sites to ensure

a seamless resident and visitor experience when utilizing information kiosks in Columbus.

1.6.8. Kiosk Vendor

Through the Experience Columbus contract, the kiosk vendor will be responsible for the deployment, integration and maintenance of the kiosks at the proposed SMH sites.

1.6.9. Mobility Providers

There are several types of mobility providers that will be used to provide FMLM services to the SMH that will support COTA’s fixed route service.

Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), such as Uber and Lyft, provide ride-hailing services where customers are driven by contract drivers that use their own vehicle. Payment for Uber and Lyft is completely cashless. Traditional taxi companies, such as Yellow Cab, also operate in the region. Yellow Cab has expressed interest in providing service to SMH locations and participating with MMTPA/CPS.

Car-sharing services where customers reserve vehicles for personal use are planned to be available at SMH. ZipCar is an example of this service operating within the Columbus area. Other car-sharing services are expected to enter the Columbus market in the future.

The CoGo bike-sharing network, owned by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department and

operated by Motivate International (owned by Lyft), currently includes over 380 bicycles strategically

located at 46 stations throughout downtown Columbus. The Recreation & Parks Department is in the

process of deploying an additional 26 stations that will expand the service area beyond downtown, part of

which borders the Cleveland Avenue corridor included in the SMH project. Further coordination may

provide opportunities to locate some additional stations near the vicinity of the Cleveland Avenue corridor,

which will expand connectivity to SMH locations. Bike racks will also be provided for personal bike use.




Chapter 2. References

Table 1 contains document number, title, revision and publication date of all documents referenced in this document.

Table 1: References

Document Number Title Revision Publication Date

IEEE 1362-1998 Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) IEEE Guide for Information Technology System Definition Concept of Operations (ConOps) Document

1998 03/19/1998

USDOT Solicitation No.: DTFH6116RA00002

City of Columbus Smart City Application: Beyond Traffic: The Smart City Challenge Phase 2

"USDOT Application Volume I” (https://www.columbus.gov/smartcolumbus/application/)

1 07/29/2016

N/A Demographics of Mobile Device Ownership and Adoption in the United States. Pew Research Center

N/A 1/12/2017

N/A Smart Columbus Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) for Smart Columbus Demonstration Program

V0.1 2/2/2017

N/A Shared Use Mobility Center Reference Guide

(http://maps.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/sumc/#)

N/A

FHWA-JPO-17-523 ConOps for the Multimodal Trip Planning Application/Common Payment System Project for the Smart Columbus Demonstration

N/A 5/18/2018

N/A Link NYC (built by CityBridge) began in 2014, with the goal of repurposing payphone infrastructure with free Wi-Fi, phone calls and advertising. CityBridge is a consortium of experts in technology, media, user experience and connectivity that includes Intersection, Qualcomm and CIVIQ Smartscapes.

(https://link.nyc/)

N/A 6/4/2018

N/A Verizon Digital Kiosk

(http://www.verizonenterprise.com/products/internet-of-things/smart-cities/digital-kiosk/)

N/A 6/4/2018

https://www.columbus.gov/smartcolumbus/application/

https://www.columbus.gov/smartcolumbus/application/

http://maps.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/sumc/

http://maps.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/sumc/

https://link.nyc/

http://www.verizonenterprise.com/products/internet-of-things/smart-cities/digital-kiosk/

http://www.verizonenterprise.com/products/internet-of-things/smart-cities/digital-kiosk/



Document Number Title Revision Publication Date

N/A IKE Smart City Kiosk

www.ikesmartcity.com

N/A N/A


2.1. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY INTERVIEWS

To encourage future user participation and increase the likelihood of success of the SMH deployment, outreach steps were taken to solicit input from the public in order to better understand its transportation needs. This outreach included community planning events, surveys and stakeholder engagement discussions. Refer to Appendix A for questions and feedback of public surveys regarding the implementation of SMH facilities.

Initial public engagement occurred during a two-day community involvement event branded “Smart Columbus Connects Linden”, held February 10 and 11, 2017, at St. Stephens Community House, 1500 East 17th Avenue, Columbus. More than 170 Linden community residents shared their views and ideas regarding what will make Linden a “smart” community as part of the Smart Columbus initiative.

The desired outcome of this meeting was to solicit input on the deficiencies and limitations of the current system and to shape the concept of operations development for Smart Columbus projects that directly affect Linden. Information gathered during the two-day Connect Linden discussions, as well as discussions with Linden leaders, community surveys and other feedback, is included here as guidance for the SMH.

Recurring interests of residents included the desire for more convenient access to transit service, including more connections within Linden, a universal payment system and additional city bicycle routes and shared use paths.

A Linden Community Plan Transportation Working Group Session was held on November 30, 2017, and Linden Community Master Plan open houses occurred on December 7, 2017 and December 9, 2017, for Linden area residents which included surveys related to MMTPA and SMH concepts. A final round of user surveys was conducted during March 2018 within Linden, Easton and CSCC. Survey questions were specifically related to a SMH deployment and inquired as to location preferences, desired features and how users were likely to access the sites.

Responses to the second round of surveys indicated that nearly 90 percent of participants would like to be able to access SMH from where they live or work, and more than 50 percent of them would use the SMH in conjunction with a personal vehicle to complete their trip, implying the significance of establishing SMH locations within the vicinity of park and ride operations.

Potential SMH locations were identified through user surveys, leading to follow up correspondence between the City and these various agencies and stakeholders to determine their interest in participating with the SMH project and what level of service and amenities could be accommodated at their facilities.

Table 2 contains meetings that were relevant to development of the SMH ConOps and are referenced directly or indirectly in the document.

Table 2: Meetings

Meeting Title Recurring Meetings

Date

Smart Columbus Connected Travelers Working Group No 01/26/2017



Meeting Title Recurring Meetings

Date

Smart Columbus Connects Linden, A Community Planning Event

No 2/10/2017 – 2/11/2017

Linden Community Outreach No 2/10/2017-2/11/2017

Performance Measures Working Group Meeting Yes 4/1/2017 –

9/30/2017

Smart Mobility Hub, Ohio State University Interest No 7/3/2017

Smart Mobility Hub, Yellow Cab Involvement No 7/6/2017

Smart Mobility Hub, COGO No 7/10/2017

Smart Mobility Hub, Department of Recreation & Parks

No 7/12/2017

Smart Mobility Hub, Lyft No 7/12/2017

Smart Mobility Hub, Department of Neighborhoods No 7/17/2017

Smart Mobility Hub, Car2Go No 7/20/2017

Smart Mobility Hub, UBER No 7/24/2017

Smart Mobility Hub/MMTPA, Yellow Cab No 7/26/2017

Linden Community Outreach No 12/7/2017-12/9/2017

NEXT, CSCC No 8/28/2017


St. Stephens Community House No 4/4/2018

COTA – Mobility Hubs Working Session No 5/4/2018

Metro Library – Linden Branch No 5/9/2018


St. Stephens Community House No 5/25/2018

Emergency Call Button Operation - Columbus Police No 7/18/2018

Source: City of Columbus.


Chapter 3. Current System

As of this time there are no comprehensive mobility or multimodal transportation facilities along the Cleveland Avenue corridor. The SMH project corridor is served by COTA in a variety of ways:

• Traditional fixed route bus service

• Park and ride and transit facilities

• CMAX Bus Rapid Transit

• Public Wi-Fi provided at transit centers and on CMAX buses

The existing park and ride and transit facilities will become components of the future system and are thus described within this section; however, the COTA CMAX is to be considered the current functional system.

Mobility providers in Columbus, as in the rest of the country, offer their own single-purpose mobile apps to promote their own services, with the common objective of offering superior transportation services to customers. The mobility providers also place their infrastructure or assets, if applicable, in areas they believe to be best available. There isn’t a unified approach to providing multiple modes in identified locations for users to make modal choices.

3.1. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Preliminary public outreach surveys were conducted with area residents who indicated some commonly

recurring themes with regards to the current transportation system including:

• Residents and transit users need more mobility options available near their home and work to

complete trips.

• The current system lacks the tools for comprehensive trip planning.

• Limited FMLM transportation options exist due to:

o Difficulty of coordination with fixed bus route service due to varying transit schedules.

o Lack of parking spaces at bus stops for mobility providers to safely perform pick-up/drop-off

functions.

o Lack of access to bike racks and bike-share along fixed bus route service lines.

o Over-complicated procedure involving multiple step process to plan, secure, and pay for each

separate mode of transportation along a single trip.

• A need for flexible payment options since many mobility providers do not accept cash payments

and many residents are unbanked and do not have alternative payment options like credit/debit

cards.

• Security features including CCTV cameras have been installed at CMAX stops but safety is still a

concern of local residents and system users.

• Half of travelers indicated they would use personal vehicles to complete a segment of their trip.



3.1.1. Central Ohio Transit Authority CMAX

COTA’s CMAX project is currently deployed and provides users with visual displays of real-time

arrivals/departures and other system information. A total of 64 service stops were included with the initial

deployment. Additionally, CMAX buses and pylons are Wi-Fi enabled, providing users access to additional

travel information using their personal mobile devices. Figure 6 shows example locations of CMAX

service stops deployed in Columbus.

The objectives of the CMAX system are:

• Expand transit services

• Improve mobility and reliability through a congested corridor

• Reduce travel times by 20 percent

• Provide more travel options for growing transit-dependent populations

• Improve pedestrian access and safety

• Increase ridership by 20 percent in five years


Figure 6: Central Ohio Transit Authority CMAX Service Stops

3.1.2. Central Ohio Transit Authority Transit Centers and Park and Ride Facilities

There are three existing facilities that serve the needs of this project. These include the Linden Transit

Center, Northern Lights Park and Ride, and Easton Transit Center. See Figure 7 for visual illustration of

these facilities.




Figure 7: Example of Central Ohio Transit Authority Park and Ride and Transit Facilities

3.1.2.1. Linden Transit Center

The Linden Transit Center is a community resource located at intersection of 11th Avenue and Cleveland

Avenue. The center offers public Wi-Fi access and real-time transit information displays. Public outreach

surveys showed that this site ranked as the most desirable destination out of 10 potential SMH locations.

3.1.2.2. Northern Lights Park and Ride

The Northern Light Park and Ride Center is located north of the Northern Lights Shopping Center. The

facility offers a park and ride lot, public Wi-Fi access and spaces for car-sharing. Public outreach surveys

showed that this site ranked as the fourth most desirable destination out of 10 potential SMH locations.

3.1.2.3. Easton Transit Center

Easton Transit Center is a facility located near the intersection of Morse Road and Stelzer Road, directly

adjacent to the Easton shopping area. The transit center offers a park and ride lot, public Wi-Fi access

and real-time transit information displays. Public outreach surveys showed that this site ranked as the

third most desirable destination out of 10 potential SMH locations.

Table 3 identifies services available at existing COTA facilities within the proposed improvement area.



Table 3: Existing Smart Mobility Hub Facilities Features

Location

Amenities

Inte

ractive K

iosk (I

K)

Wi-F

i

Park

and R

ide

Pic

k-u

p/D

rop-O

ff Z

ones

Car-

Share

Bik

e-S

hare

Bik

e R

acks

Dockle

ss P

ark

ing

Real-T

ime D

ispla

y

Com

pre

hensiv

e T

rip-

Pla

nnin

g

Em

erg

ency C

all

Button

(EC

B)

Ele

ctr

ic V

ehic

le C

harg

ing

AV

Shuttle

Columbus State Community College

- - - - - E E - E - - - -

Linden Transit Center - E - - - - - - E - - - -

St. Stephens Community House - - - - - - E - - - - - -

Columbus Metropolitan Library – Linden Branch

- - - - - - E - E - - - -

Northern Lights Park and Ride - E E - E - E - E - - - -

Easton Transit Center - E E - - - E - E - - - -

Note: E = Existing, N/A = -


3.1.3. Central Ohio Transit Authority Passenger Wi-Fi

COTA provides passenger Wi-Fi on its entire fixed route service fleet including its CMAX line that offers

customers with access to real-time travel information and seamless internet connectivity along the

Cleveland Avenue corridor between downtown Columbus and Polaris Parkway/Africa Road. Wireless

internet is available at select locations along the corridor at CMAX pylons that serve as wireless access

points. Wi-Fi will enable travelers with personal devices the ability to connect to the MMTPA/CPS directly.

COTA is working with Cisco Systems on the physical implementation of the Wi-Fi system. The system will

use compatible Mobile Access Routers (MARs) on its buses and Wi-Fi access points at stops to provide a

consistent seamless connection to users. The City of Columbus is installing a regional fiber optic

communications network necessary to support the required bandwidth needs of its system through an

ongoing traffic signal upgrade program known as the Columbus Traffic Signal System (CTSS) projects.

Ultimately, COTA is responsible for the construction and upkeep of the CMAX pylons and Wi-Fi access

points, while the City and Department of Public Service will be responsible for support and maintenance

of the fiber optic communications network.

The system will backhaul to COTA with the CTSS fiber optic communications network in order to provide

the seamless connection, allowing customers to continue the same connection on buses as at transit



terminals. Part of COTA’s implementation strategy is to eliminate the need for customers to re-

authenticate between buses and transit terminals to provide for this seamless connectivity.

COTA’s communication network can currently accommodate user demand and is designed to be

expandable for future needs.

3.1.4. Emergency Dispatch Center

The CoC and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office operate emergency dispatch centers for residents who call 911 or press an emergency call button from a pylon located in the City and unincorporated areas of Franklin County. The 911 connectivity is the City and County’s tool to get police, fire or medical help as quickly as possible when someone else is experiencing an emergency situation.



3.2. OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND CONSTRAINTS

Operational policies are predetermined decisions regarding the operations of each component or sub-

component of the current system, typically in the form of general decisions or understandings that guide

development and decision-making activities. Operational policies inform decisions made in the design of

the current system. Constraints are impediments outside of policy that restrict the current system from

achieving its goal with respect to objectives. Table 4 apply to the current situation.

Table 4: Operational Policies and Constraints of the Current System

Category Operational Policies and Constraints

Constraint Advertisement material not permitted to be posted on infrastructure (kiosks) within right of way or on City property without an appropriate waiver to allow advertisements.

Constraint Physical right of way and existing infrastructure may limit the features that a specific transit center facility can offer.

Policy The Internet Service Provider contract for public Wi-Fi provided at park and ride facilities is managed and maintained by COTA.

Policy Columbus City Code Chapter 587 – Vehicle for Hire Owner’s License requires for-hire mobility provider be licensed with the City.

Policy The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio maintains the TNC permit process pursuant to ORC 4925 and 3942.

Policy Columbus City Code Chapter 904 discusses the City’s requirement for the use or occupation of the right of way.

Policy Department of Public Service’s Rules and Regulations for Shared Mobility Devices (i.e. bikes and scooters) vendors regarding the use or occupancy of the City’s right of way found in City of Columbus Public Notice PN0188-2018. These rules may be updated annually.


3.3. MODES OF OPERATION

Table 5 describes the existing COTA CMAX service and operations.



Table 5: Modes of Operation for Current System

Mode Definition

Normal Operating Conditions

Normal operating condition, the current system is operating as designed. The system is functioning during all hours of the day and is continually available, 24-hour per day, 365-days per year.

Limited Service Conditions

Reduced availability associated with planned maintenance or adverse weather.

Failure Conditions The system or a core function is unusable. The set of functions designated as core will be as agreed upon during the system design.

Maintenance The condition of the current system where service is unavailable due to routine or unscheduled maintenance.


3.4. USER CLASSES OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM

Table 6: User Classes of the Current System

User Classes Description

City of Columbus The City desires to collect ridership data to guide public policy decisions and make informed decisions about economic and transportation policy, and to be able to forecast economic changes and travel behavior in the region.

Travelers COTA users – end-users of the current system (residents and visitors of Columbus) who utilize COTA’s fixed route bus service. Users relying on additional modes of transportation (TNC, bike-share, etc.) to access the COTA system may be included under this category as well.

COTA Operational users – COTA employees who are responsible for system management and related operations and services; and for determining policies and regulations related to the fare management system, and for managing contracts with the vendor of the system.

Support and maintenance users – COTA employees responsible for maintenance, up-time and availability of the system; employees who are responsible for troubleshooting and coordinating among travelers, operational users and the vendors of the bus and fare system.

Mobility Providers Taxis, car-share, ride-hailing, bike-share, etc. These agencies may be used by travelers in conjunction with public transit to complete a trip, and they currently rely on third-party applications and services for trip schedule and payment functions.

Emergency Dispatch Centers Emergency Dispatch Centers connect to the public through emergency phone calls and push button activations to deploy the appropriate emergency services.



Chapter 4. Justification and Nature of Changes

The current system satisfies some needs of travelers, such as transit routes between fixed bus stops and several locations designated for park and ride operations but is limited in its capabilities when it comes to the coordination of multimodal trips and planning of trips that are beyond an acceptable distance of a CMAX corridor.

Gaps in service provided by the current system include:

• Lack of physical facilities offering accessible trip planning, multimodal transportation options and

other amenities at centralized locations

• Limited FMLM transportation options

• Trips are not being optimized for ride-sharing

• Unbanked users and users without smartphones are excluded from travel options

• Lack of adequate safety features at transit facilities

4.1. JUSTIFICATION FOR CHANGES

Following initial public engagement, follow-up public surveys inquired about more specific details including what types of information would be useful at kiosks and what locations would best be served by SMH deployments. These results are shown in Figure 8, where participants “scored” each feature from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) to indicate the likelihood that they would use the feature, and in Table 7. Additionally, the survey indicated that besides walking, the most likely way that a traveler will access a SMH facility is by use of personal vehicle.




Figure 8: Outreach Survey Results for Preferred Kiosk Functions at Smart Mobility Hubs

Table 7: Beneficial Locations for Smart Mobility Hubs Deployment

Proposed SMH Location Rank

St. Stephens Community House 1st

Linden Transit Center 2nd (tied)

Columbus State Community College 2nd (tied)

Northern Lights Park and Ride 2nd (tied)

Easton Transit Center 5th

Metro Library – Linden Branch 6th


The SMH proposed improvements will expand the capabilities of the current system. Through implementation of these improvements, as listed in Table 8, the SMH project will increase the number of mobility options and increase the accessibility of transit for system users.



Table 8: Justification for Changes

User Class Current Situation Benefit of SMH

City of Columbus

The current system does not provide the City the ability to collect ridership data to guide public transportation policy decision making

The City will have access to detailed travel data through integration with the Operating System. Data generated by the MMTPA/CPS will be collected in the Operating System to forecast economic changes and travel behavior. Information can be used to guide public policy decisions.

Traveler Users do not have resources available to schedule and carry out multimodal trips

SMH locations will enable users to access MMTPA/CPS which will serve as a single source of comprehensive mobility information allowing them to effectively manage their trip planning and payment options. †

Traveler Lack of a centralized location with access to comprehensive trip planning tools and mobility providers

SMH will consolidate access to trip planning tools, access to multimodal transit options and mobility providers at a single facility. †

Traveler Unbanked users and users without wireless devices are excluded from mobility options

Interactive kiosks at SMH locations will provide users with physical access to MMTPA/CPS. This will link travelers to services that typically require bank or credit accounts. †

Traveler Desire for additional security options Kiosks at SMH locations will include emergency call buttons for direct access to emergency services and kiosk camera.

COTA Existing fixed route service facilities are not typically configured to accommodate mobility providers and other multimodal options which would promote FMLM accessibility

Designated pick-up/drop-off zones will be established at SMH facilities, as well as additional modes of transportation including bike-sharing, car-sharing and ride-hailing options readily available to users at the SMH locations.

Mobility Provider

Mobility providers do not have timely access to modal information from other service providers

Mobility provider systems will be integrated with MMTPA allowing mobility providers to more efficiently distribute resources for planning multimodal trips. †

Mobility Provider

Lack of sufficient number of designated parking spaces to provide multimodal services

Designated parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off zones for mobility providers will be included at SMH facilities.

Emergency Dispatch Center

Mostly rely on mobile phone emergency calls in the Linden area and location can be difficult to pinpoint without adequate descriptions from the caller

The SMH will provide a dedicated latitude, longitude, and street address for the location of the emergency call for easier response to the scene.

† Trip optimization and trip payment functions will be performed by the MMTPA and CPS through traveler input information.




4.2. DESCRIPTION OF DESIRED CHANGES

The desired outcomes of the SMH project pertain to increasing mobility and safety options throughout Columbus, including access to real-time transportation information, connections with transit agencies and mobility providers, access to bike-sharing and bike racks, and access to Wi-Fi and other Smart Columbus applications such as the MMTPA/CPS.

The Performance Measurement Plan (PfMP) will detail the Performance Measures that will be collected and how they will be evaluated. More detailed information on the types of information collected and the statistical analysis used to make inferences about overall project success will be forthcoming in the Smart Columbus PfMP. Baseline data will be collected in the near term, where possible, to use for comparisons.

Table 9: Desired Changes

Service Gaps in the Current System

Major Capability Changes in the Proposed System

Lack of centralized, physical facilities offering accessible trip planning and multimodal transportation options

Provide designated facilities accessible to travelers at major trip generating/attracting sites

Deploy user interactive kiosks and public Wi-Fi to provide travelers with access to MMTPA/CPS application and other transportation information

Limited FMLM transportation options

Designate physical space for multimodal transportation options at SMH facilities including bike-share docks, park and ride lots, mobility provider pick-up/drop-off locations, dockless device zones, and car-share parking spaces

Trips are not being optimized for ride-hailing

SMH facilities will provide opportunities for travelers to access MMTPA/CPS through kiosk or public Wi-Fi to schedule car-sharing or ride-hailing trips

Users without wireless devices are excluded from travel options

Travelers without wireless devices may access MMTPA/CPS through kiosks to schedule trips

Unbanked users are excluded from travel options

Travelers without checking accounts or credit cards may access MMTPA/CPS through kiosks in order to schedule trips

Lack of incentives for mobility providers

SMH facilities will create designated pick-up and drop-off locations for ride-hailing services

SMH facilities will increase transit ridership by connecting transit with FMLM options

Need for improved safety and security

Emergency call button will provide direct access to emergency services. Kiosk security cameras will also be available.

Ability for traveler to provide feedback about system performance

SMH travelers will be able to enter feedback through MMTPA interface. Surveys will also be done to support the PfMP.




Table 10: User Needs

Identification Title Description Rationale

CITY NEEDS

SMH-UN001-v01 Data Collection The City lacks the ability to collect detailed travel data to make informed and effective planning decisions.

Trip data will help the City to forecast economic changes and travel behavior and can be used to guide public policy decisions.

SMH-UN002-v01 Maintenance and Operations

The City needs to cooperate with property owners/stakeholders to provide resources for maintenance and operations of facilities and kiosks.

Potential for revenue generation through sales of advertisement space may offset expenses.

TRAVELER NEEDS

SMH-UN003-v01 User Interface Device

Travelers need interactive kiosks at SMH locations to access MMTPA/CPS from which they can plan, manage and pay for multimodal travel trips and parking options throughout Columbus.

Kiosks will provide SMH users with access to various types of transportation information and comprehensive trip planning tools.

SMH-UN004-v01 Public Wi-Fi Travelers need public Wi-Fi internet connectivity to aid in providing access to online resources and planning tools throughout Columbus.

Public Wi-Fi allows SMH users to access transportation tools and other online services.

SMH-UN005-v01 Facilities Travelers need park and ride facilities with sufficient space to accommodate the parking needs of personal vehicles or car-share vehicles and make multimodal transfers.

SMH facilities will allow the consolidation of infrastructure necessary to accommodate proposed transportation systems. Designated areas for each mode should be easily accessible and clearly marked, to facilitate use and comprehension.




SMH-UN006-v01 Real-time Information

Travelers need real-time information about COTA bus arrival and departure times to make informed decisions when traveling and to reduce uncertainty of when connections between modes will be possible. Travelers require posted information on available services along with general instruction on how to use the MMTPA/CPS.

Real-time information will help SMH users and mobility providers make informed multimodal transportation decisions.

SMH-UN007-v01 Emergency Call Button

Travelers need to be in a location that is safe and provides them a means to contact emergency services.

Emergency call button at kiosk will increase safety and security by creating a direct link to emergency services.

SMH-UN008-v01 Dockless Parking Zone

Travelers need access to a dockless parking zone to leave their dockless vehicle to avoid obstructing walkways and ramps.

Allows travelers to park their dockless devices in these dockless parking zones provided at the SMH locations.

SMH-UN009-v01 Educational Information

Travelers need more detailed educational information about transportation service options available at SMH. Outreach information needs to include instruction on how to use the services; for example, how to download and use the MMTPA, or information on how to use bike-share.

Allows travelers to be informed of the tools that can be used for trip planning and payment, the mobility options afforded to them and how to use various services.

SMH-UN010-v01 Bike Racks Travelers need access to bike racks to park personal and shared bicycles and transfer between modes.

Bike racks are an effective FMLM modal option.

SMH-UN011v01 Language Support

Travelers need the kiosk to support multiple languages. At a minimum, English and Spanish should be supported.

There are multiple primary languages spoken in Columbus and the system should be accessible to all. The MMTPA will support, at a minimum, English and Spanish.

COTA




SMH-UN012-v01 COTA Data COTA needs access to detailed travel data generated by the MMTPA/CPS and collected in the Operating System to forecast economic changes and travel behavior. This will allow for future mobility hub development where a transportation mode change took place.

Trip data will help COTA make more informed and effective planning decisions that will increase the effectiveness of the CMAX system through maximized route utilization and better serve user needs by providing better FMLM mobility options.

MOBILITY PROVIDERS

SMH-UN013-v01 Mobility Provider Infrastructure

Mobility providers need adequate, readily identifiable (marked) spaces and designated passenger pick-up/drop-off zones that must not interfere with COTA operations to facilitate safe and effective operations of the SMH and eliminate confusion for travelers in understanding where to connect between modes.

Infrastructure at SMH for mobility providers will increase the effectiveness, understanding and service to travelers at SMH locations.

DISPATCH CENTERS

SMH-UN014-v01 Emergency Call Button Integration

The Emergency Dispatch Center needs the latitude and longitude for each kiosk to map them into the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) program. There needs to be two-way communications between the Dispatch Center and the caller, and the kiosk must be capable of interfacing with the 911 telephone system since the CAD is isolated from the web.

To adequately respond and provide appropriate resources, the Emergency Dispatch Center needs the exact location and ability to interact with the user.




4.3. PRIORITIES AMONG CHANGES

The following priorities among changes listed in Table 11 are classified as essential or desirable to the successful implementation of the SMH project.

Table 11: Priority Among Changes

Rank Title Priority Classification

User Need

1 Facilities Essential SMH-UN005-v01

2 User Interface Device Essential SMH-UN003-v01

3 Public Wi-Fi Essential SMH-UN004-v01

4 Real-time Information Essential SMH-UN006-v01

5 Mobility Provider Infrastructure Essential SMH-UN013-v01

6 Emergency Call Button Essential SMH-UN007-v01

7 Emergency Call Button Integration Essential SMH-UN014-v01

8 Maintenance and Operations Essential SMH-UN002-v01

9 Educational Information Essential SMH-UN009-v01

10 Bike Racks Essential SMH-UN010-v01

11 Data Collection Essential SMH-UN001-v01

12 Dockless Parking Zones Essential SMH-UN008-v01

13 COTA Data Desirable SMH-UN012-v01

14 Language Support Desirable SMH-UN011-v01


4.4. CHANGES CONSIDERED BUT NOT INCLUDED

Cash payment at kiosks was considered, but physical and data security issues were beyond the ability of operations group to maintain at these locations. Also, any printing device was not seen as operationally practical.

The concept of installing interactive kiosk displays was considered to be incorporated into existing CMAX stop pylons, however this was abandoned because they are not readily compatible with current CMAX infrastructure. Furthermore, COTA does not want to make significant modifications or alterations to the newly deployed system. Newly installed freestanding kiosks would be introduced at sites if SMH functions are to be implemented at select CMAX stops in the future.

Access to Electric Vehicle charging stations has been considered at SMH locations. Enabling

Infrastructure may be included with SMH facilities. Charging station equipment will not be installed as part

of the SMH project but may be constructed by the City of Columbus or property owner through an

independent project whose funding is contingent on the outcome of the Volkswagen Emissions

Settlement as well as financial commitment of American Electric Power (AEP). Proposed SMH locations

are being coordinated with this independent project in the event that they proceed to construction.

While USB charging was a selected feature to be included based on user feedback and was originally

selected as a kiosk option, further review of security and environmental issues made this amenity too

much of a risk to move forward. USB skimmers put Travelers at risk of data theft and the USB ports are

exposed to the elements and could affect the integrity of the kiosks.



Account registration and maintenance for the MMTPA/CPS on the kiosk will be restricted. There is a

security concern for Travelers who have full access to account registration and maintenance by exposing

credit/debit card information. Further, it is not the project team’s intent to have Travelers pull out cards to

load the account while in the public space.


Chapter 5. Concept for the New System

This chapter describes an overview of the proposed SMH system including its relationship with data sources, mobility providers and related Smart Columbus projects. This section also includes the goals for the new system, modes of operation, classes of users and interfaces with other systems. A description of key concepts and the rationale for decisions is included. In addition to the scope of the new system, connections to the other Smart Columbus applications are described in detail.

5.1. BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE

The SMH project has established intermediate goals and objectives which, when reached, will signal progress toward reaching successful outcomes. Performance will be evaluated through the collection of trip-generated data as well as user surveys and evaluations.

• Goal 1: Provide physical access to multimodal trip planning and payment options

• Goal 2: Improve customer satisfaction

5.1.1. Operational Policies and Constraints

Operational policies and constraints listed in Table 12 have been identified as constraints on the design and implementation of the proposed system.



Table 12: Operational Policies and Constraints of Proposed System

Category Operational Policies and Constraints

Constraint SMH sites need TNCs to follow existing laws surrounding the operating of the TNCs and respect existing stakeholder infrastructure and agreements.

Constraint Effective distance of kiosk Wi-Fi coverage.

Constraint The City is evaluating whether advertisement material may be permitted to be posted on infrastructure (kiosks) within right of way.

Constraint Physical right of way and existing infrastructure may limit the features that a specific SMH site can offer.

Policy City does not desire to be an internet service provider (ISP).

Policy City of Columbus has ordinances for operation and licensing for Vehicle for Hire companies, drivers and vehicles to which TNCs are subject.

Policy

The availability of Wi-Fi and accessibility to internet content is determined by operational policy set forth by IKE Smart City, who functions as the ISP for users of the SMH system. The intent of the Wi-Fi service is to provide users access to trip planning applications and information systems. For example, changes to the policies in place that might provide users with access to internet content outside of the intended use, such as social media or video streaming, will greatly reduce available bandwidth of the communications network and may present security concerns as well.

Policy The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio maintains the TNC permit process pursuant to ORC 4925 and 3942.

Policy Columbus City Code Chapter 904 discusses the City’s requirement for the use or occupation of the right of way.

Policy Department of Public Service’s Rules and Regulations for Shared Mobility Devices (i.e. bikes and scooters) vendors regarding the use or occupancy of the City’s right of way found in City of Columbus Public Notice PN0188-2018. These rules may be updated annually.


5.1.2. Description of Proposed System

Table 13 provides an overview of components and interconnections in the SMH proposed system. The SMH facility is characterized by a physical transit center location that provides travelers with access to the MMTPA/CPS, real-time transportation information and various modes of transit options.

Table 13: Expected Interfaces of Proposed System

Interface Description

Kiosk to MMTPA/CPS SMH traveler inputs trip information into kiosk user interface which sends and receives information to and from the MMTPA/CPS

Emergency Call Button to Emergency Dispatch Center

Activation of the Emergency Call Button will establish a data and audio connection between the SMH location and the Emergency Dispatch Center

Kiosk to Operating System

Kiosk will share data with the Operating System through an interface




New System

Legend

Other Smart Columbus Project

Existing Systems / Stakeholders

Traveler

ModeTransfer

MMTPA/CPSInteractive Kiosk

Personal Wireless

Device

Operating System

Facility

Trip/PaymentData

Trip Data

EV Charging

Legacy

Bike Racks

Real-Time

Data Displays

Bike Sharing Dock

Mobility Providers

COTA Public

Transit

City of Columbus

Pickup/Drop Off

Emergency Call

CenterAudio/Data

Park and Ride

Third Party

Stakeholders

Trip

Dat

a

SMH

Wi-Fi

Usage Data

Trip

Req

ues

t/A

uth

ori

zati

on

Dat

a

Emergency Call

Button

Usage Data

SMH

Service

SMH

Mobility

Trip Data

Trip

Req

ues

t/A

uth

ori

zati

on

Dat

a

Pickup/Drop Off

Pickup/Drop Off

Pickup/Drop Off

Pickup/Drop Off

Dockless Device

Parking

Usage Data


Figure 9: Proposed System Context Diagram

5.1.3. Methodology for Site Selection

SMH are to be located along existing COTA transit lines and will accommodate most multimodal transitions. It is anticipated that potential system users will regularly walk to SMH locations if they are located within a half-mile radius. Installation of alternate mobility options will increase this radius especially when installed at destinations such as retail and employment centers, health and education facilities and civic centers.

Potential SMH locations were selected based on the following criteria:

• User indicated interest from public outreach

• Stakeholder interest

• Available amenities such as existing infrastructure

• COTA sites with existing park and ride facilities



• Proximity to trip-generating centers such as job centers, health-care facilities, schools and

community centers

• Accessibility to TNC and car-/bike-sharing

• Anticipated EV charging center access

The most significant consideration of evaluation criteria for site selection was based on proximity to job centers, health and education facilities, and community centers. Potential SMH sites based on these criteria were closely in line with the sites identified by user interest from public outreach. Commitment by stakeholders to support proposed SMH facilities was also important to the site selection process since most of these deployments will occur on stakeholder property. The availability of amenities offered are dependent on each site’s respective stakeholders, and in addition they will be expected to provide resources for some maintenance requirements in the future.



5.1.4. Proposed Smart Mobility Hub Locations

Figure 10 shows the locations of the potential Smart Mobility Hubs in relation to the Cleveland Avenue corridor of Columbus.


Figure 10: Proposed Smart Mobility Hubs Locations

5.1.5. Proposed Smart Mobility Hub Facilities

This section describes the proposed functionalities of each potential SMH location. Due to differences of the physical configuration and specific needs for each site, the proposed infrastructure and technology-based improvements will necessarily vary between them.



Location

Amenities

IK

Wi-F

i

Park

and R

ide

Pic

k-u

p/D

rop-O

ff Z

ones

Car-

Share

Bik

e-S

hare

Bik

e R

acks

Dockle

ss P

ark

ing

Real-T

ime D

ispla

y

Com

pre

hensiv

e T

rip-P

lannin

g

EC

B

Ele

ctr

ic V

ehic

le C

harg

ing

AV

Shuttle

Columbus State Community College

P P - - P E E P E P P - -

Linden Transit Center P E - P - P - P E P P - P

St. Stephens Community House

P P - P P P E P - P P - P

Columbus Metropolitan Library – Linden Branch

P P - P P P E P E P P - -

Northern Lights Park and Ride

P P E P P - E P E P P P -

Easton Transit Center P E E P - P E - E P P - -

Note: Proposed=P, Existing=E


Table 14: Proposed Functionality by Smart Mobility Hub Facility

The CSCC campus site generates a significant number of transit users which are served by COTA and includes a CMAX station that offers public Wi-Fi and real-time transit information displays. Some proposed amenities include an interactive kiosk with public Wi-Fi, car-share and dockless parking.

The Linden Transit Center is a COTA location within a revitalized area that includes direct access to healthcare and daycare centers. The facility offers public Wi-Fi and real-time transit information displays. Physical space immediately surrounding the transit center is limited, which precludes the deployment of some car-based services. However, COTA has expressed interest in interactive kiosks and bike-sharing facility enhancements.

St. Stephens Community House’s leadership is interested in the integration of a SMH deployment into its facility, which includes a recently abandoned COTA bus stop that may be readily repurposed into a transportation terminal for car-sharing and ride-hailing. A new COTA bus stop was installed about 0.2 mile from St. Stephens, providing fixed route transit service to the SMH location.

The Columbus Metropolitan Library – Linden Branch is located on Cleveland Avenue near Hudson Street. SMH amenities that can be offered at this site are limited by lack of available physical space. Bike-sharing docks and reserved car-share and pick-up/drop- off spaces are proposed for this location, which will help to bridge the gap between the adjacent Linden Transit Center and Northern Lights Park and Ride facilities.

Northern Lights Park and Ride is a new COTA-operated park and ride facility located at the Northern Lights shopping center. This site features public Wi-Fi and has infrastructure to support future EV



charging stations. COTA is interested in deploying an interactive kiosk and the facility can accommodate space for ride-hailing vehicles, bike-share docks and EV charging designated parking.

The Easton Transit Center is located near the intersection of Morse Road at Stelzer Road and serves transit and FMLM needs of travelers accessing the Easton Center district. Operated by COTA, it is currently equipped to provide many of the SMH defined services. COTA is interested in the installation of interactive kiosks and bike-share.



5.2. MODES OF OPERATION

Table 15: Modes of Operation describes the modes of operation for the proposed system, including the impacted user classes for each mode.

Table 15: Modes of Operation

Mode Definition

Normal Operation Normal operation mode occurs while interactive kiosks are online, Wi-Fi is fully accessible, and users can utilize the MMTPA/CPS to evaluate real-time transportation conditions throughout the corridor to make decisions on modal choices. Buses, TNCs, cars (car-share), and bikes are readily available to user with minimal delay.

Degraded Conditions

Degraded mode refers to a localized or systemic event that results in diminished access to a component of the MMTPA/CPS resulting in trip disruption to users; or when appropriate travel options are not readily available to users within a reasonable amount of time; or when full corridor travel is not possible or permitted due to an unrelated event such as a traffic incident or other emergency event.

Failure Conditions

Failure mode results in the complete systemic disruption of the user’s ability to access the MMTPA/CPS or transportation modes. This may be due to a network or other system equipment problem, or physical lack of bus, TNC, bike service, etc.

Maintenance

Maintenance mode occurs when the system is operating in Backup mode or Failure mode to restore, repair, or replace system components. These are planned events and should occur during off peak hours to minimally impact users, and proper notification should be given to potential users in advance of the event when practical.




5.3. USER CLASSES AND OTHER INVOLVED PERSONNEL

A user class is distinguished by the ways in which users interact with the system. Factors that distinguish a user class include common responsibilities, skill levels, work activities, and modes of interaction with the system. Different user classes may have distinct operational scenarios for their interactions with the system.

In the proposed system, a user is anyone who interacts with the SMH, including operational users, system operators, operational support personnel, software maintainers, and trainers.

Table 16: Proposed System Users

User Classes Description

City of Columbus The City, through Smart Columbus, will provide the project deployment functions necessary to establish the operational system and provide testing and verification. The City also will maintain the Operating System, MMTPA/CPS, and facilitate the agreements between mobility providers and stakeholders.

COTA As the public transit provider in central Ohio and Columbus, COTA is central to the design and implementation of the SMH. It is envisioned that COTA will serve as the backbone of the transportation system, tying into the SMH facilities and linking travelers to multimodal options for FMLM connections.

Travelers Travelers are end users that utilize the features of SMH to begin, pass through, or complete their trip. Travelers interact with SMH in two primary ways – the first is that they use the physical SMH facility to transfer or connect between modes of transportation. For example, a user may transfer from a ride-hailing service to a COTA fixed route bus, or from a COTA fixed route bus to a bike-sharing service. The second way in which Travelers interact is through the kiosk terminal or Wi-Fi connectivity provided at the SMH facility to interact with the MMTPA/CPS to plan, reserve, or pay for one or more components required to complete their trip.

Mobility Providers Mobility providers are private businesses, nonprofits, and quasi-governmental agencies that offer one or more modes of transportation for use by travelers in exchange for payment. These include car-sharing services, ride-hailing companies, bike-sharing services, scooter-sharing companies, and private car/van pools from ride matching services. A bike-sharing service will maintain a physical space at the SMH where travelers can pick-up or drop-off a bicycle when transitioning to or from a COTA bus.

Property owners/Stakeholders

Agencies partnering with the City to permit the deployment of a SMH facility within the limits of their property. Agreements between these agencies and the City will be made to address operating and maintenance expectations of the SMH facility and equipment.

Emergency Dispatch Centers

The Emergency Dispatch Centers will interact with Travelers and other users of the kiosks to intake emergency call information and deploy the appropriate resources to respond to the emergency.

Experience Columbus

Experience Columbus is the contracting agency for kiosk deployment.




5.4. SUPPORT ENVIRONMENT

The support environment for the SMH project consists of COTA, the City of Columbus Department of Public Service, Property Owners/Stakeholders, and the other future partnering agencies of the SMH project such as vendors and advertisers. Support consists of operations and maintenance of the SMH and related services offered at each location. At the existing park and ride facilities operated by COTA, COTA will provide the support environment and be responsible for construction and maintenance of CMAX pylons and access points providing wireless internet connectivity to SMH travelers. The City and Department of Public Service will be responsible for maintenance of the fiber, as well as other services offered in the proposed system.

5.5. SECURITY AND PRIVACY

The Wi-Fi network at SMH facilities will be developed in accordance with best practices in data security

and privacy. Data Security refers to the tools, policies, practices, and procedures used to protect data

from being accessed, manipulated or destroyed or being leveraged by those with a malicious intent or are

unauthorized to do so. Data Privacy is the reasonable expectation that data of a sensitive nature will be

kept confidential, sanitized and/or encrypted, and respectfully and responsibly maintained by all users,

managers, and collectors of the data, while adhering to applicable laws and regulations, policies, and

procedures.


Chapter 6. Operational Scenarios

This section presents scenarios that capture how the system serves the needs of users when the system is operating under various modes of operation. Each scenario lists preconditions and events. The preconditions describe the state of the environment at the onset of the scenario, and the events describe the occurrences and actions taken by users and the system.

The following use cases and operational scenarios are covered in this section.

• UC1-S1 –Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Plan a Trip

• UC1-S2 – Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Book a Ride-Hailing Service

• UC1-S3 – Traveler at SMH Location Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Book a Bike-

Share Service

• UC2-S1 – Degraded Conditions – Pivot app on the Interactive Kiosk not Working

• UC2-S2 – Degraded Conditions – Interactive Kiosk Power Failure/ Communication Failure

• UC3-S1 – Emergency Call Button Activation



SMH Facility

Interactive Kiosk

Pivot app

Traveler enters trip origin and destination, trip criteria,

selects trip preferred modes

Traveler

Access Pivot app

Trip optimization

Review route options provided

after trip optimization

Send route option to personal wireless

device


Figure 11: UC1-S1 –Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Plan a Trip

Table 17: UC1-S1 –Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Plan a Trip

Use Case Traveler at a SMH location uses Pivot app on the Interactive Kiosk to plan a trip

Scenario ID & Title

UC1-S1: Normal Operating Conditions

Scenario Objective

Traveler at SMH location uses Pivot app on the interactive kiosk to plan a trip

Operational Event(s)

Access kiosk, Access Pivot app, Enter origin and destination, Select preferred travel modes, Select preferred route, Enter phone number to send trip plan to personal wireless device

Actor(s) Actor Role

Traveler Application user; end user of the system

MMTPA/CPS Allows traveler to plan for a trip

Pre-conditions Traveler is at SMH facility and can access the Kiosk. Traveler has Pivot app and CPS account. Traveler has access to a personal wireless device.

Key Actions and Flow of Events

Actor Step Key Action Comments

Traveler 1 Enters SMH facility

Traveler 2 Uses kiosk to access Pivot app



Use Case Traveler at a SMH location uses Pivot app on the Interactive Kiosk to plan a trip

Scenario ID & Title


Traveler 3 Launches Pivot app, enters origin and destination, enters trip criteria, selects preferred mode

MMTPA/CPS 4 Performs trip optimization, access real-time mobility provider service provider data

MMTPA/CPS 5 Provides multiple route options for the traveler

Traveler 6 Selects the preferred route. Enters his/her phone number to send the trip route information to his/her mobile

Post-Conditions The Traveler has directions on his/her mobile that are provided by the Pivot app

Policies and Business Rules

N/A

User Needs Traceability

SMH-UN003-v01 User Interface Devices

SMH-UN006-v01 Real-time Travel Information


Inputs Summary Origin, Destination

Output Summary Trip information recorded in the Operating System




HUBS Facility

Interactive Kiosk

Pivot app


selects ride-hailing as preferred mode (TNC

selected)

Traveler

Access Pivot app

Trip optimization, access real-time mobility provider

service provider data

Review route options provided


Select preferred route

Payment process and trip confirmation code

generated

Pick-up/drop-off zone

Traveler accesses the ride-hailing

service Traveler completes trip

Mobility provider

Receives trip information and confirmation code

Login to the MMTPA/CPS

account to pay for the ride

Dispatches driver to the pick-up/drop-off location at

the SMH facilityTraveler waits at the

pick-up/drop-off location at the SMH

facility


Figure 12: UC1-S2 – Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to book a Ride-Hailing Service



Table 18: UC1-S2 – Traveler Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to book a Ride-Hailing Service

Use Case Traveler at a SMH location uses Pivot app on the interactive kiosk to book a ride-hailing service

Scenario ID & Title


Scenario Objective

Traveler at a SMH location uses Pivot app on the interactive kiosk to book a ride-hailing service


Access kiosk, Access Pivot app, Enter origin and destination, Select ride-hailing under preferred mode options, Verify and select mobility provider route option, Confirm trip, Pay for the trip, Complete the trip

Actor(s) Actor Role


MMTPA/CPS Allows traveler to plan, book and pay for a trip

Mobility Provider Transportation network company providing trip

Pre-conditions Traveler is at SMH facility and can access the kiosk. Traveler has CPS account. Traveler must have personal wireless device.




Traveler 2 Uses interactive kiosk to access Pivot app


Traveler requests ride-hailing service only


MMTPA 5 Provides multiple route options for the traveler to choose

Traveler 6 Selects the preferred route.

MMTPA/CPS 7 Prompts user to login to MMTPA/CPS account to pay for the ride

Traveler 8 Pays for the ride-hailing service for the selected route



Use Case Traveler at a SMH location uses Pivot app on the interactive kiosk to book a ride-hailing service

Scenario ID & Title


MMTPA/CPS 9 Process the payment and trip confirmation code generated

Confirmation code sent to personal wireless device

Traveler 10 Waits at the ride-hailing pick-up location

Mobility Provider 11 Receives notification for the ride. Dispatches the driver to the pick-up location

Traveler 12 Uses the ride-hailing service to complete the trip

Post-Conditions The traveler has selected and paid for a ride-hailing service from kiosk at SMH facility and completes trip


N/A





Inputs Summary Origin, Destination, Preferred mode options

Output Summary Payment confirmation, Trip confirmation




SMH Facility

Interactive Kiosk

Pivot app


selects bike-share as preferred mode

Traveler

Access Pivot app

Trip optimization, access real-time mobility provider

service provider data

Reviews route options provided


Selects preferred route

Payment process and trip confirmation code

generated

Pick-up/drop-off zone

Gets access to the bike

Traveler completes trip

Mobility provider

Receives trip information and confirmation code

Login to the MMTPA/ CPS

account to pay for the ride

Enters confirmation code at the bike-

share docking station


Figure 13: UC1-S3 – Traveler at SMH Location Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Book a Bike-Share Service



Table 19: UC1-S3 – Traveler at SMH Location Uses Pivot App on the Interactive Kiosk to Book a Bike-Share Service

Use Case Traveler at Easton uses Pivot app on the interactive kiosk to book a bike-share service

Scenario ID & Title


Scenario Objective

Traveler at a SMH location uses Pivot app on the interactive kiosk to book a bike-share service


Access kiosk, Access Pivot app, Enter origin and destination, Select bike-share under preferred mode options, Verify and select mobility provider route option, Confirm trip, Pay for the trip, Complete the trip

Actor(s) Actor Role


MMTPA/CPS Allows traveler to plan, book and/or pay for a trip

Mobility Provider Transportation network company providing trip

Pre-conditions Traveler is at SMH facility and can access the kiosk. Traveler has CPS account. Traveler must have access to a personal wireless device.






Traveler requests bike-sharing service


MMTPA 5 Provides multiple route options for the traveler to choose

Traveler 6 Selects the preferred route

MMTPA/CPS 7 Prompts user to login to MMTPA/CPS account to pay for the ride

Traveler 8 Pays for the bike-sharing service through the CPS account



Use Case Traveler at Easton uses Pivot app on the interactive kiosk to book a bike-share service

Scenario ID & Title


MMTPA/CPS 9 Process the payment and generates a confirmation code

Confirmation code sent to Traveler’s smartphone

Traveler 10 Moves to designated bike-share docking station. Provides confirmation code at the bike-share kiosk

Mobility Providers 11 Authenticates confirmation code, grants access and unlocks a bike

Traveler 12 Gets access to a bike and uses to complete the booked trip

Post-Conditions The traveler has selected and paid for a bike-sharing service from kiosk at SMH facility and completes trip


N/A





Inputs Summary Origin, Destination, Preferred mode options

Output Summary Payment confirmation, Trip confirmation




SMH Facility

Interactive Kiosk

Pivot app

Traveler uses Pivot app to plan, book and/or pay for

the trip

Traveler

Attempts to access Pivot app (out of

service)

Access Pivot app using personal wireless device

connected to Wi-Fi provided at the

kiosk


Figure 14: UC2-S1 – Degraded Conditions – Pivot app on the Interactive Kiosk not Working

Table 20: UC2-S1 – Degraded Conditions – Pivot app on the Interactive Kiosk not Working

Use Case Traveler at SMH location uses Wi-Fi to access Pivot app

Scenario ID & Title

UC1-S2: Degraded Operating Conditions

Scenario Objective

Pivot app on the interactive kiosk at SMH location is not working, relies on Wi-Fi and personal wireless device to access Pivot app


Access Pivot app on the kiosk, Access Wi-Fi on the personal wireless device, Access Pivot app on personal wireless device

Actor(s) Actor Role


The City Receives trip data for planning

MMTPA/CPS Allows traveler to plan, book and/or pay for a trip

Operating System Stores data from the MMTPA/CPS interactions

Pre-conditions Traveler is at SMH location and can access kiosk. Traveler has a Wi-Fi enabled personal wireless device. Traveler has Pivot app and CPS account.





Pivot app on the kiosk is not working



Use Case Traveler at SMH location uses Wi-Fi to access Pivot app

Scenario ID & Title


Traveler 3 Connects to Wi-Fi provided at the kiosk using personal wireless device

Traveler 4 Launches Pivot app and has access to the app on his or her personal wireless device

Travelers 5 Uses Pivot app to plan, book and/or pay for a trip

Post-Conditions The traveler has access to Wi-Fi and now has access to Pivot app to plan, book and/or pay for a trip


N/A



SMH-UN004-v01 Public Wi-Fi



Inputs Summary Accept Wi-Fi terms and conditions

Output Summary

Access to Pivot app on their personal wireless device




SMH Facility

Interactive Kiosk

Traveler

Attempts to access Pivot app. No access due to loss of communication/power

loss

Attempts to access kiosk Wi-Fi. No access to Wi-Fi

due to loss of communication/power

loss

Traveler can call COTA customer care number provided on her or his

personal wireless device through the Pivot app


Figure 15: UC2-S2 – Degraded Conditions – Interactive Kiosk Power Failure/ Communication Failure

Table 21: UC2-S2 – Degraded Conditions – Interactive Kiosk Power Failure/ Communication Failure

Use Case Traveler at SMH location tries to access Pivot app on the interactive kiosk

Scenario ID & Title


Scenario Objective

Kiosk is out of service due to power failure/communications failure


Access Wi-Fi, Access MMTPA/CPS, Access ECB

Actor(s) Actor Role


Pre-conditions Traveler is at SMH location and can access Kiosk. Traveler has a Wi-Fi enabled personal wireless device. Traveler has the Pivot app and CPS account.






Use Case Traveler at SMH location tries to access Pivot app on the interactive kiosk

Scenario ID & Title


Traveler 2 Encounters a black screen at the kiosk. Touches to activate the kiosk

Kiosk does not activate

Traveler 3 Tries to connect to kiosk Wi-Fi using personal wireless device

Cannot connect to Wi-Fi due to power and communications failure at the SMH location

Post-Conditions

The traveler does not have access to Pivot app and Wi-Fi at SMH location due to power loss and communication failure. Traveler can call COTA customer service provided on the pivot app on his or her personal wireless device


N/A



SMH-UN004-v01 Public Wi-Fi

Inputs Summary

N/A

Output Summary

N/A




HUBS Facility

Interactive Kiosk Emergency Dispatch Center

Receives alarm notification and attempts to gather incident details

from traveler using audio connection

Traveler

Activates emergency call button on kiosk

Emergency services are dispatched to incident

scene


Figure 16: UC3-S1 – Emergency Call Button Activation

Table 22: UC3-S1 – Emergency Call Button Activation

Use Case Emergency Call Button Activation

Scenario ID & Title


Scenario Objective

Traveler encounters incident and activates emergency call button


Active emergency call button on kiosk pylon

Actor(s) Actor Role


Emergency Call Center

City of Columbus Emergency Dispatch Center; receives emergency calls and dispatches emergency services

Pre-conditions Traveler is at SMH facility during emergency situation



Traveler 1 Enters SMH facility.

Traveler 2 Encounters incident requiring emergency service, activates emergency call button on kiosk.

Traveler 3 Notification sent to Emergency Dispatch Center.

Traveler uses audio connection to describe incident situation to emergency call center dispatcher.



Use Case Emergency Call Button Activation

Scenario ID & Title


Traveler 4 Emergency Dispatch Center operator interacts with caller (Traveler). Uses information embedded in emergency notification generated from emergency call button activation to determine location of incident. Dispatches emergency services to incident.

Post-Conditions Emergency services arrive at incident scene


N/A



SMH-UN007-v01 Emergency Call Button

SMH-UN014-v01 Emergency Call Button Integration

Inputs Summary N/A

Output Summary

N/A



Chapter 7. Summary of Impacts

This section describes the anticipated operational and organizational impacts of the proposed system on the City and stakeholder agencies during all stages of the proposed system, from development through implementation and support and maintenance of the proposed system.

7.1. OPERATIONAL IMPACTS

The evaluation of system performance will rely on feedback from user surveys. The method of distributing survey questionnaires to system users is still to be determined but it is likely that data from the survey results will need to be reviewed, organized, and input into the Operating System through at least partially manual processes.

7.2. ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACTS

Anticipated organizational impacts are further defined as follows:

• City of Columbus

o City Attorney’s Office

o Review legal agreements with Experience Columbus and each stakeholder

o Department of Public Safety

▪ Emergency call buttons at kiosk locations will need to be integrated into emergency

dispatch system

o Department of Public Service

▪ Install infrastructure improvements at each SMH.

▪ Maintain all SMH related signage and pavement markings for the grant period then

maintain only those in the right of way after grant period.

o Department of Neighborhoods

▪ 311 Call Center owner may be impacted by additional calls and information to make

available to public

▪ Additional outreach to help facilitate public’s understanding of new system

o Communications Teams (Mayor’s Office and Smart Columbus)

▪ Awareness to get message to citizens via social media, web, MyColumbus mobile app

▪ Provide information to mobility providers about parking and pick-up and drop-off zones

are at SMH sites

• COTA

o Sharing of facilities for SMH amenities

o Provide space and power/data connections for kiosks and mobility providers through

appropriate agreements

o Maintain SMH related signage and pavement markings on its property after the grant period

• St. Stephens Community House

Chapter 7. Summary of Impacts



o Provide space and power/data connections for kiosk and mobility providers through



• CSCC


o Provide space and power/data connections for kiosk and mobility providers through



7.3. IMPACTS DURING DEVELOPMENT

There are several tasks that could affect the ability of the system to provide all the services that have

been conceptualized for the system. These tasks include the development of the MMTPA/CPS project as

well as creation of data-sharing agreements with the mobility providers which will also occur through the

MMTPA/CPS project. The ability to share trip information with the Operating System through

MMTPA/CPS is also a major component of the SMH project – these interfaces will need to be developed,

and the parameters and expectations for integration defined.

Another impact will be the development of legal agreements as they relate to the following necessary

relationships: partnering with Experience Columbus on the procurement of kiosks, working with the

Department of Public Service on the infrastructure improvements, mobility providers working with site

stakeholders to gain access to operate on private property and site stakeholders agreeing to partner on

the SMH project.


Chapter 8. Analysis of Smart Mobility Hubs

An analysis of SMH is summarized below under Summary of Improvements.

8.1. SUMMARY OF IMPROVEMENTS

Table 23 provides a summary of improvements as a result of the proposed system.

Table 23: Summary of Improvements

Improvements Summary

New Capabilities Expanded Wi-Fi coverage to SMH users

Physical location provided for those without the ability to plan and pay for a trip on a personal wireless device

Provide mode choices at community areas of interest

Provide kiosk for access to general information

Enhanced Capabilities SMH users will have safer and more reliable means available to make multimodal trips, particularly for FMLM connections

Deleted Capabilities No capabilities deleted

Improved Performance Additional access to related Smart Columbus applications and services

Mobility provider and bike-sharing partnerships for SMH locations

Encourages ride-hailing and bike-sharing transportation options


8.2. DISADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS

The performance of the SMH system may be limited at times due to its dependence on outside agencies

which will provide the majority of multimodal and alternative transportation services. The system will be

dependent on the ability of these third-parties to provide an adequate number of bikes, scooters, vehicles,

or taxis to meet the demand of the users.

8.3. ALTERNATIVES AND TRADE-OFFS CONSIDERED

Alternatives and trade-offs were evaluated through stakeholder engagement and partnership meetings in

order to prepare the conceptual scope as defined in this conceptual operations document. Ongoing

stakeholder engagement and partnership meetings between the City, COTA and property owners will

occur to finalize operational and maintenance agreements.


Chapter 9. Notes

There are no applicable notes for the proposed system.


Appendix A. Stakeholder Engagement Summary

A.1 LINDEN COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THE SMART MOBILITY HUBS PROJECT

City of Columbus staff participated in the following meetings to seek input and user needs from the Linden community on Smart Mobility Hubs and the MMTPA/CPS:

• Linden Community Plan Transportation Working Group (11/30/2017)

• Linden Community Master Plan open houses (12/7/2017 and 12/9/2017)

Attendees were asked if they were familiar with Smart Columbus, and whether they thought it was a good idea. Then, a brief description of the project concept was provided, accompanied by handouts and display boards that helped the participants understand the concept.

After each project was described, the attendee was asked to complete questionnaires to identify gaps and/or risks that we may not yet have considered.

The feedback received from attendees is summarized below.

A.1.1 Multimodal Trip Planning Application/Common Payment System

Twenty-seven participants completed surveys and provided feedback on the MMTPA/CPS.

The City asked questions regarding cell phone use, which included:

• Do you have a cellphone?

• If yes, is it a smartphone?

• If yes, is it a prepaid phone or a phone on a plan?

• If yes, do you have a data plan?

• If you were making plans for getting around, how would you be most likely to pay for that travel?

Every participant had a cellphone. Results are displayed in Figure 17 and Figure 18.




Figure 17: Outreach Survey – Participant Cell Phone Ownership


Figure 18: Outreach Survey – Travel Payment Method

Participants were also asked to provide feedback regarding what notifications/alerts should be received from the MMTPA/CPS. Responses are shown in Figure 19.




Figure 19: Outreach Survey – Preferred Multimodal Trip Planning Application/Common Payment System Alerts and Notifications

In addition, participants were also asked to provide feedback on what preferences/attributes should be included in the MMTPA/CPS and if there were any preferences that have been missed. Responses are shown in Figure 20.


Figure 20: Outreach Survey – Helpful Transportation Features

General feedback expressed great excitement and the need for the project to happen quickly. One resident stated that he does not own a car and this application would help him make his travel decisions. Several residents stated that the ability to pay for all modes of transportation on one application would make life much easier.

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Text Depart

Text Ride Leaving

Text Payment

Email Depart

Email Ride Leaving

Email Payment

App Notify Depart

App Notify Ride Leaving

App Notify Payment

0 5 10 15 20 25

Plan and select multiple types of travel

Save favorite and/or preferred types of travel

Determine how much walking is involved

Save my payment information in the app for…

Find family friendly routes

Find the least costly way to get somewhere

Find the quickest way to get somewhere

Find the route that is most friendly to the…

Find ADA accessible routes



A.1.2 Smart Mobility Hubs and Travel Kiosks

Residents provided input on the Smart Mobility Hubs and kiosks. Overall, the residents were interested in the multimodal hubs. Many said they would use it. Some commented they would see this bringing people into the community in addition to helping them to travel outside or around the community.

Participants were asked to provide input on where Smart Mobility Hubs should be located and how they would access the SMH, as shown in Figure 21 and Figure 22.


Figure 21: Outreach Survey – Potential Mobility Hub Sites

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

CSCC

Linden Transit Center

Douglas Community Center

St Stephen's Community House

Columbus Library Linden Branch

Linden Community Center

Northern Lights Transit Center

Northland Transit Center

Easton Transit Center




Figure 22: Outreach Survey – Accessing Smart Mobility Hub Facility

In discussions with the Linden residents, several explained the importance of St. Stephens Community House as a Smart Mobility Hub. There are several community activities and services at the center and residents expressed the importance of getting transportation to and from St. Stephens.

Kiosks will be located at the Smart Mobility Hubs to assist with travel planning. Linden residents were asked the following questions:

If you were using a free-standing information kiosk or mounted information tablet, how likely would you be to use each of the following features?

• Access to COTA bus services and schedules

• Real-time transit (bus) arrival information

• Access to ride-hailing services (Uber/Lyft)

• Access to bike-sharing service

• Access to bike racks

• Assistance for those with disabilities

• Door-to-door trip planning

• Emergency call button

• USB charging for electronic devices

• Wi-Fi (internet) access

• Access to the MyColumbus app for info about Columbus services

• Other?

Each participant scored the features on a scale of 1 to 5, with five being the most likely. The results shown in Figure 23.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Drive

Get a ride

Bike

Walk

Bus




Figure 23: Outreach Survey – Preferred Kiosk Functions

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Access to COTA bus services and schedules

Real-time transit (bus) arrival information

Access to car sharing services (Uber/Lyft)

Access to bike sharing service

Access to bike racks

Assistance for those with disabilities

Door-to-door trip planning

Emergency call button

USB charging for electronic devices

Wi-Fi (internet) access

Access to the MyColumbus app

Total Score


Appendix B. Acronyms and Definitions

Table 24 contains project specific acronyms used throughout this document.

Table 24: Acronyms List

Acronym / Abbreviation Definition

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

AEP American Electric Power

AP Access Point

BRT Bus Rapid Transit

CAD Computer Aided Dispatch (emergency call center system)

CCTN Columbus Connected Transportation Network

CCTV Closed Circuit Television

CMAX Brand for COTA Cleveland Avenue Bus Rapid Transit

COTA Central Ohio Transit Authority

ConOps Concept of Operations

CPS Common Payment System (Smart Columbus Project #5)

CSCC Columbus State Community College

CTSS Columbus Traffic Signal System

CV Connected Vehicle

DOT (City of Columbus) Department of Technology

DPS Columbus Department of Public Service

ECB Emergency Call Button

ETA Estimated Time of Arrival

EV Electric Vehicle

FHWA Federal Highway Administration

FMLM First Mile/Last Mile

GHz Gigahertz

GPS Global Positioning System

HUBS Smart Mobility Hubs

IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

IK Interactive Kiosk

IP Internet Protocol address

ISP Internet Service Provider

IT Information Technology

Appendix B. Acronyms and Definitions


Acronym / Abbreviation Definition

ITS Intelligent Transportation Systems

IVP Interactive Voice Response

MARs Mobile Access Routers

MBs Megabytes per Second

MMTPA Multimodal Trip Planning Application (Smart Columbus Project #6)

MORPC Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

O&M Operations and Maintenance

SC Smart Columbus

SCC Smart City Challenge

Operating System Smart Columbus Operating System

SE Systems Engineering

SEMP Systems Engineering Management Plan

QR Quick Response barcode

SoS System of Systems

TNC Transportation Network Company

TTY Teletypewriter

USDOT United States Department of Transportation

Wi-Fi Wireless local area network based on IEEE 802.11 standards



Appendix C. Glossary

Table 25 contains project specific terms used throughout this document.

Table 25: Glossary of Terms

Term Definition

311 Columbus call center The City of Columbus Service Center which is the single point of contact for requesting all non-emergency City services and is available to residents, City businesses, and visitors

Agile A method of project management that is characterized by the division of tasks into short phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans

App Software application

Application solution providers Private companies that design, test, integrate, operate, and maintain one or more aspects of the Common Payment System

Application users (end users) The drivers (residents and visitors) in Columbus who will be interacting with the EPM system to view, plan, reserve, and navigate to desired parking

Automated vehicle A vehicle that can sense its environment and navigate without human input

Central Fare Management System

System implemented through a recently executed contract with SPX Genfare and will accept various forms of payment including cash, magnetic cards, smart cards and mobile tickets

Commercial-off-the-shelf system (COTS)

Software or hardware product that are ready-made and available for sale to the public

Connected vehicle A vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, infrastructure, and smartphones

Connected vehicle technology Technology that lays the foundation for a fully interoperable, open, wireless environment for enhancing safety and mobility for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists

Data privacy The reasonable expectation that data of a sensitive nature will be kept confidential, sanitized and/or encrypted, and respectfully and responsibly maintained by all users, managers, and collectors of the data

Data retention The continued storage of data for compliance or business reasons

Data security The tools, policies, practices, and procedures used to protect data from being accessed, manipulated or destroyed or being leveraged by those with a malicious intent or without authorization, as well as the corrective actions taken when data breaches are suspected or have been identified.

Data-sharing policies Adopted plan around the practice of making data available to others



Term Definition

Dedicated short range communications (DSRC)

A two-way short- to medium-range wireless communications capability that permits very high data transmission critical in communications-based active safety applications

Dependency When one Project, agency, or entity requires data or functionality provided by another Project, agency, or entity to meet its objectives

Enabling technologies An innovation that alone or paired with an existing solution produces a better end user solution at a rapid rate

Failure operations When a complete failure of the intersection occurs, primarily due to loss of power or other malfunctions

Fare collection system A system, either automated or manual, that collects fares for Transportation Service Providers

Multimodal transportation Travel that is performed with more than one mode of transportation

Normal operations When a signalized intersection is cycling through its pre-planned phases correctly, servicing all approaches, including pedestrian phases

Open-data Information that is freely available for anyone to use and republish as they wish

Open-source concepts The notion of open collaboration and voluntary contribution for software development by writing and exchanging programming code

Payment settlement The process by which funds are sent by an issuing bank to the CPS for processing and dispersal to the Transportation Network Companies

Performance metric A measurement used to determine how a project is performing

Parking facility Land or a structure used for light-duty vehicle parking

Quick Response barcode Commonly referred to as a QR Code. A barcode that stores information that can be used for marketing or sharing information and can be read using a digital device such as a cell phone

Real-time data Information that is delivered immediately after collection

Roadside equipment All equipment located on the roadside, including any or all of the following items: traffic signal controllers, pedestrian detection equipment, GPS receiver, a DSRC radio, a processing unit, and an audio pedestrian interface

System analytics or data analytics The analysis of data, procedures or business practices to locate information which can be used to create more efficient solutions

System integration user A firm that specializes in bringing together component subsystems into a whole and ensuring that those subsystems function together

TransitApp A free trip planning application available to users of iPhone or Android devices



Term Definition

Transportation network companies (TNCs)

Private businesses, non-profits, and quasi-governmental agencies that offer one or more types of transportation for use in exchange for payment

Unbanked users Application users who do not participate in the formal banking sector by maintaining traditional checking accounts or credit card amounts


Documents

Smart Mobility Hubs (SMH) Concept of Operations