ITS in a High Tech Community Blair Allen Ballen@regionofwaterloo.ca 15 February 2017
GRT's Technology
Traveller Information System Trip Planner Trip Planner Gran d Web-based Rive r Trip Planning Tran sit IVR Phone System Central System Terminal Displays Real-time Text- Displays messaging
Launched in 2005 • EasyGO next bus call: • Receives 35,000 calls per month • EasyGO text messaging • Receives 250,000 texts per month • EasyGO trip planner • Provides 68,000 trip plans per month
Launched in December, 2014 • EasyGO desktop map: • Provides real time bus arrival information • EasyGO Mobile Application • Provides real time bus arrivals • News • Detour information • 12,000 users
IVR – Traveller Information System • IVR went live in May 2008 as part of initial ITS implementation • Replaced old Telerider system installed in 1980's • Provided scheduled bus departure times at all stops plus planning for future bus trips and links to live agents, para-transit and general information
IVR – Traveller Information System • Spring 2016 • Determined the system was outdate and could no longer function properly • Due to changes in data sources, system would not work after June 30, 2016 • Cost to upgrade would be significant - $100,000+; annual operating costs - & could not be complete in time
IVR – Traveller Information System • Local Solution • Region's IT department discussed phone concept with UW students who had done some previous work for us • Pilot set up for under $10K with demo set up within days • After tweaking, went live in late June • Minimal public feedback – good sign
IVR – Traveller Information System • IT built front end with scripts and redirects to Next real time departure, MobilityPlus and Customer service agents • Developer used GTFS data to build an application to provide real-time info • IVR aspect not needed at 24/7 live agents available
IVR – Traveller Information System • Development cost was greatly reduced as it is cloud based so no hardware • Ongoing costs are a few hundred a month, low maintenance cost • Contract for small maintenance cost but also a number of development hours for suite of new applications
REST API • Use a new REST API replacing existing older API • Texting application hosted in-house instead of through aggregator • Service alerts fed different systems such as text messaging, mobile app, etc. Develop monitor based web app or “ticker tape” • Real time on web
Solar-powered bus stop e-reader
New Projects • Expand Transit Signal Priority to all vehicles – use PTIF funding • Beacons • Many opportunities to reduce costs while providing more information to customer • While not all use local talent, want to explore this whenever possible
New Traffic Projects • Running Fortran’s ARIA traffic control system • Partnered with Region of Durham and Fortran Traffic Systems • NTCIP system • Ethernet base system • Direct communication via Ethernet
New Traffic Projects • Installation of Transnomis ’ Event Management and Permitting system • Partnered with Transport Canada and CIMA • GIS based system to track planned and unplanned events • Pilot study using Bluetooth/WiFi tracking to estimate traffic congestion levels and initiate traffic responsive control • Partnered with Transport Canada, University of Waterloo, Miovision and CIMA • Installed at 6 signalized locations on Hespeler Rd just south of Highway 401
New Traffic Projects • Pilot evaluation and development deployment of Spectrum System by Miovision Technologies • Partnered with Miovision Technologies • Installed at 5 signalized locations around the Toyota plant in the city of Cambridge • LTE cellular, data management between the traffic cabinet and traffic management center • Spectrum’s cloud -based system provides both live monitoring of real-time conditions, and historical recall for incident investigate
Thank You Blair Allen - Transit Development Ballen@regionofwaterloo.ca Egerton Heath – Traffic Systems Management EHeath@regionofwaterloo.ca
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