Technical Assistance Brief #3
January 1994
The Minnesota Guidestar Program has evolved through a partnership between Mn/DOT, U.S. DOT, and the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies. The Regional Transit Board and Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) are other public agency partners. Strgar-Roscoe-Fausch, Inc. is providing project management services. Private sector partners are also involved in the program.
Travlink System Description
The Travlink operational test will involve an integrated Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)/Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) implementation in the newly constructed I394 freeway corridor in the MinneapolisSt. Paul urban area. Travlink will use a variety of devices and systems to distribute both realtime and static multimodal information to travelers. A primary objective is to determine the extent to which improved information can assist travelers with tripmaking decisions and influence travel behavior. Travlink is designed to encourage commuters to consider alternatives to singleoccupant travel, especially public transit. The operational test will determine consumer preferences regarding message immediacy and content, as well as the type and location of the information devices. Other objectives are to improve fleet management and increase security for transit.
Key Travlink activities include deployment of a computeraided dispatching (CAD)/AVL system, use of a commercial videotex service and installation of other traveler information devices including smart kiosks, display monitors, and electronic signs. While all of these technologies are essentially offtheshelf, the operational test provides a unique opportunity for integration into a single functional system.
A CAD/AVL system is being installed at the MTC operations control center. For the operational test, the system will complement, but not replace, the existing communications and dispatching system. Eighty buses that operate in the I394 corridor will be equipped with AVL capabilities using global positioning system (GPS) technology. The equipped vehicles will operate primarily on peak hour express bus routes operating from the western suburbs to downtown Minneapolis.
The CAD/AVL automates and integrates all of the traditional dispatch functions of communications, incident management, and fleet control. Additionally, the system allows the dispatcher to continuously track vehicles and detect schedule and route deviations. Bus drivers are automatically informed of schedule deviations via digital message. The system is expected to help maintain or improve ontime performance and to locate buses in emergencies.
A signpost automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system will provide a comparative method for tracking buses that operate in the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane of I394. Signpost detectors are mounted at regular intervals along the freeway and infrared emitters are installed onboard the buses. The buses are detected as they pass the signposts. Data are sent to a computer located at Mn/DOT's Traffic Management Center (TMC). The computer will convert the data to vehicle speed and travel time information. Buses will thus be functioning as probe vehicles in the HOV lane.
Videotex is an interactive online information subscription service that makes use of dedicated small terminals with keyboards and builtin modems or, alternately, personal computers with modems. Up to 1,000 commuters in the I394 corridor are being provided with videotex service. A traveler information service is under development and will be made available free of charge to test participants along with access to a variety of payperuse entertainment, business and education services.
The videotex traveler information system will help users plan bus trips (routes and schedules), find out if their bus is on time, be informed of traffic conditions (delays), and provide a variety of other urban travel information. The ATIS will offer travel time and cost comparisons of bus and auto travel to encourage transit use.
Smart kiosks will utilize touchscreens and multimedia to provide the same information at a major regional shopping mall, at the downtown MTC Transit Store, and at the Commuter Connection (a transportation information storefront operated by the downtown business council). Display monitors will be mounted inside waiting areas at two transit transfer stations along I394 and electronic signs will be installed at four parkandride lots. The devices will display the ontime status of scheduled buses and other special messages for travelers.
The ATIS will be driven by a host computer server/terminal controller for the collection, enhancement and distribution of information. The ATIS will collect realtime and static data from the CAD/AVL system and other MTC databases. Traffic data will be obtained through the companion operational test project, Genesis. The Travlink ATIS server will distribute the transit, traffic and related data to the videotex gateway and the various field devices.
Public/Private Partnerships
The original Travlink project concept and proposal included letters of commitment for participation and costsharing by several private firms. These pledges are being formalized into partnership agreements with legal contractual standing.
Private partners in Travlink will include four firms. Westinghouse Electric Corporation is the system integrator and is to provide the CAD/AVL system, the ATIS system design, and much of the ATIS system. U.S. West is to provide the videotex service including user terminals, engineering services, and marketing and communications support. 3M is to provide the signpost system, and engineering and installation services. Motorola is to provide mobile radios for buses and other communications equipment and engineering services.
The contributions of the private partners will represent a significant share of project costs. Contributions will include equipment, equipment discounts, and professional services. The partnership agreements specify the contributions as well as the roles and responsibilities of the private and public sectors. In all cases, the partnerships include at least some public sector purchase of equipment and services.
The negotiation of agreements has been complex and lengthy, causing some delays in the project schedule. The partnership concept does not necessarily fit neatly with established contracting procedures of either the public or private sector. The negotiations require flexibility, clear definition of roles and responsibilities for both parties, and significant good faith.
A variety of issues have had to be resolved including the level and definition of contributions, the assignment of responsibilities in the absence of completed engineering, intellectual property rights, rights of ownership, and liability. Thus far, agreements have been executed with Westinghouse and 3M.
Market Research
A variety of market research activities are being employed in Travlink to refine the project concept and products as well as to evaluate customer response. Market research includes several phases of focus group interviews with commuters, a baseline survey of corridor residents, and posttest user surveys.
The initial focus groups suggested that Travlink should be targeted primarily to new and occasional transit users who don't understand their travel options or how the transit system works. The focus group results also indicated more emphasis is needed on providing information at the workplace. Finally, the research made it clear that travelers must be convinced that realtime information can be provided accurately and reliably and that the devices must be easy to use.
Evaluation
An evaluation contractor will provide an independent project evaluation. The contractor was hired prior to the start of the test to ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place for the necessary data collection. The evaluation contractor also will assist with development of a sampling plan for selection of videotex users as well as a control group.
The evaluation will focus particularly on customer acceptance and impacts related to travel behavior. Additionally, the evaluation will address transit operational impacts and service quality, technology performance, and institutional issues. FTA's Advanced Public Transportation Systems: Evaluation Guidelines will be followed.
The evaluation will provide answers to the following types of questions:
o What impacts have the technology had on traveler use of transit and ridesharing?
o How did customers react to the ATIS device locations, ease of use, and utility of information?
o How well did the AVL system perform?
o Was the transit operator able to use the AVL system to improve bus ontime performance and incident management?
o What are the advantages and disadvantages of publicprivate partnerships?
Current Status
A systems definition document has been completed which defines the basic functionality of Travlink and the project activities. Preliminary engineering of the integrated system is underway and scheduled to be completed by Spring, 1994. A simulated Travlink system with some prototype components will be displayed at the IVHS America Annual Meeting in April and a Concept Definition/Preliminary System Engineering document will be released at that time.
The Travlink system will be implemented in phases. Subsystems requiring limited modification can proceed more rapidly to deployment. A pilot phase is scheduled to begin by June, 1994 and will include the CAD/AVL and installation on 12 buses. The other systems and devices will follow thereafter. The full operational test is scheduled to begin in Fall, 1994 and will continue for a period of one year.
For more information on Travlink contact Marthand Nookala, Travlink Project Manager, at (612) 2822469.