Use and Deployment of Mobile Device Technology for Real-Time Transit Information (2011)

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61 APPENDIX B Survey Questionnaire Synthesis Questionnaire Use and Deployment of Mobile Device Technology for Real-Time Transit Information Date: _________________________________________________________ Name and Title of Respondent: _____________________________________ Transit Agency Name: ___________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Phone Number: _________________________________________________ Fax Number: ___________________________________________________ Respondent’s E-mail Address: _____________________________________ Purpose of this survey: Increasingly, transportation agencies are deploying real-time transit infor- mation on mobile devices via techniques such as text messaging, mobile Internet and smartphone applications. There are several components of providing this information that include not only the underlying technology (e.g., automatic vehicle location) needed to generate the information, and capa- bilities of mobile telephones and smartphones, but also the types, content, and format of mobile real- time information, methods of dissemination, and how providing this information contributes to an overall customer information strategy. This survey focuses on collecting information about providing real-time information on mobile devices. Once the survey results are reviewed, key agencies that are providing real-time information using mobile technology will be selected for telephone interviews to gather more in-depth information. All survey responses will be confidential. The final results of the survey will be synthesized into a report that will be published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB). Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey! Transit System Characteristics: 1. Which modes does your agency either directly operate or operate using a contractor? …… Fixed-route bus ……Light rail/streetcar …… Paratransit ……Bus rapid transit …… Heavy rail/subway ……Commuter rail …… Other (please specify): –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ……Ferry 2. How many total riders does your system carry on an annual basis? ––––––––––––––––

62 3. How many riders do you carry on each mode on an annual basis? …… Fixed-route bus: _______________________________……Light rail/streetcar: __________________ …… Paratransit: ___________________________________……Bus rapid transit: ____________________ …… Heavy rail/subway: _____________________________… Commuter rail: ______________________ …… Other (please specify): ___________________________… Ferry: _____________________________ 4. What percent change in total annual ridership has your agency experienced over the past five years (2005–2010)? _________________% 5. Does your agency have goal to increase ridership in 2010? …… YES … NO If YES, what is that goal? _________________% 6. Do you see providing real-time information on mobile devices as a way to maintain or increase ridership? …… YES … NO Underlying Technology and Real-time Mobile Message Types: 7. What underlying software, hardware, and communications systems do you utilize to generate and disseminate real- time information? Please check all that apply. …… Automatic vehicle location (AVL) … Computer-aided dispatch (CAD) …… Schedule adherence functionality … Real-time arrival prediction software …… On-board next stop announcements (visual) … On-board next stop announcements (audio) …… Dynamic message sign (DMS) at bus stop (electronic visual sign). Please indicate type of DMS and how many of each: …… Light-emitting diode (LED) ________________ How many with audio capability (e.g., using a push-button or infrared device to “read” DMS display) ___________________________________________________________________________________ …… Liquid crystal display (LCD) _______________ How many with audio capability …… Other: Please specify: _____________________… How many with audio capability _________ …… DMS in station or on platform. Please indicate type of DMS and how many of each: …… Light-emitting diode (LED) ______________________ How many with audio capability (e.g., using a push-button or infrared device to “read” DMS display) _______________________________________ …… Liquid crystal display (LCD) _______________ How many with audio capability _________ …… Other: Please specify: _____________________ How many with audio capability _________ …… On-board driver voice communication system … On-board data communication system …… Real-time map display at stop/station … Two-way messaging capability (e.g., using short message service (SMS) [text messaging]) …… Alert subscription system … Near-field communication (NFC) capability

63 ……Mobile tagging software (e.g., Microsoft Tag, … Other (please specify): ______________ Semacode, 2D/3D barcodes) ________________________________ 8. Please note the types of real-time transit information you provide to customers and how often you provide it (check all that apply): Type of Real-time Information P ro vi de ? (Y /N ) Real-time Information Frequency Update on an ongoing basis Update when dis- semination media is not functioning Update when no information available Update as per defined threshold When requested by customers (on-demand) Next vehicle arrival/departure prediction time Real-time vehicle location Availability of information and dissemina- tion media Identification of service disruptions Information on planned detours Schedule information during special events (e.g., Boston Marathon) Emergency information (e.g., evacuation due to fire) Vehicles/routes available for transfer Display/announcement of the current route and destination Real-time information on availability of elevators and escalators Number of cars on the next train Wi-Fi access points and real-time informa- tion on availability Parking availability Other (please specify): _______________

64 9. How is this real-time information provided to your customers? Type of Real-time Information P ro vi de ? (Y /N ) Dissemination Media DMS Internet accessed by PC Mobile Web/ Internet Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Smartphone applications Two-way SMS Subscription Alerts Mobile tagging NFC Next vehicle arrival/depar- ture prediction time Real-time vehicle location Availability of information and dissemination media Identification of service disruptions Information on planned detours Schedule information dur- ing special events (e.g., sports event) Emergency information (e.g., evacuation due to fire) Vehicles/routes available for transfer Display/announcement of the current route and destination Real time information on availability of elevators and escalators Number of cars on the next train Wi-Fi access points and real time information on availability Parking availability Other (please specify): _______________ Mobile Technology: 10. Did your agency decide to deploy real-time transit information on mobile devices to augment providing real-time information via other dissemination media (e.g., DMS, Internet)? …… YES ……NO 11. Did your agency decide to deploy real-time transit information on mobile devices as a more cost-effective way of pro- viding real-time information? …… YES ……NO 12. Did your agency conduct a study to determine whether or not to deploy real-time transit information on mobile devices? …… YES ……NO If YES, what type of study was conducted (e.g., return on investment, business case analysis)? ___________________________________________________________________________________

65 13. Does your agency provide real-time information (and related information) to third parties for the purposes of develop- ing mobile applications? …… YES ……NO If YES, do developers have to register with your agency? _____________________________________ …… YES ……NO If YES, do developers have to agree to specific terms of use? __________________________________ …… YES ……NO If YES, please provide the terms of use. ___________________________________________________ If YES, does your agency set a threshold on the usage of the third-party applications (to not overwhelm your agency’s resources)? …… YES ……NO 14. What mobile services does your agency use to provide real-time transit information? Please check all that apply. …… Two-way messaging (e.g., SMS) … Mobile web/Internet …… Smartphone applications developed by the agency … Smartphone applications developed by third parties …… Location-based services (LBS) … Near-field communications (NFC) ……Mobile tagging (e.g., Microsoft Tag) 15. On which type of mobile phones do your agency’s mobile services work? …… Conventional mobile phones … Smartphones (e.g., BlackBerry®, iPhone) …… Near-field communication (NFC) phones 16. Which mobile operating system(s) do your agency’s mobile services use? Please check all that apply. ……Windows Mobile ……Research in Motion (RIM) …… Pocket PC ……iPhone OS …… Palm OS/Palm webOS … Symbian OS ……Mobile Linux ……Android …… bada (Samsung) ……Maemo (Nokia) 17. Does the software that your agency uses to provide real-time information on mobile devices automatically detect the operating system of the customer’s mobile device? …… YES … NO 18. Have you partnered with a specific mobile phone service provider(s) (e.g., VerizonWireless, Sprint, AT&T) to provide real-time information? …… YES … NO If YES, which service provider(s) and what is the nature of the partnership? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 19. Does your agency have specific contracts and/or agreements with mobile phone service providers, Internet service providers, or information service providers? For example, Transport for London has arrangements with orange™, O2, T-Mobile, and vodafone™ to provide a variety of mobile Internet services. …… YES … NO

66 If YES, what service providers does your agency have contracts/arrangements with? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Characteristics of Real-time Transit Information Provided on Mobile Devices: 20. For real-time information provided via SMS, please provide the format of the messages sent by customers to request the information. For example, “Send ctabus 14624 to 41411.” ___________________________________________________________________________________ Please translate the message(s) sent by customers to request the information. For example, “Send ctabus 14624 to 41411” means that the customer is requesting the next two real-time arrival times for CTA buses at stop ID 14624. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 21. For real-time information provided via SMS, please provide the format of the messages sent from the agency back to customers. For example: From 41411 5:07 PM 14624) Pulaski & Fullerton 53 to 31st DUE & 11 minutes Reply S)ervice Bulletins R)efresh ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Please translate the message(s) sent by the agency to customers. For example, the above example is translated as “as of 5:07 PM, at stop 14624 (at Pulaski & Fullerton), Bus Tracker estimates that a #53 bus to 31st is due to arrive, and then another one should arrive in about 11 minutes. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 22. For additional real-time information provided via mobile services, please provide the answers to questions 19 and 20 on the additional pages provided at the end of the questionnaire. 23. For real-time information provided via the mobile Internet, please provide the mobile website address to access real- time information: ___________________________________________________________________________________

67 24. How does your agency ensure that real-time information is accessible to everyone who owns or uses a mobile device? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 25. Does your agency believe that real-time information should be provided on mobile devices via a “pull” action (e.g., accessing a mobile website and making a selection) or a “push” action (e.g., pushing out an SMS or e-mail with real- time information when new information is available) or both? …… Pul … Push … Both Why has your agency chosen this approach? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 26. What standards does your agency use to provide real-time information via mobile devices? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 27. How does your agency ensure the reliability of the real-time information provided via mobile devices? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 28. How does your agency ensure the accuracy of the real-time information provided via mobile devices? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

68 Required Resources: 29. What are the capital, and annual operations and maintenance costs of providing real-time information to customers? Real-time Information Dissemination Media/ Channels and Other Cost Items T ot al n um be r of u ni ts T ot al c ap it al c os t T ot al a nn ua l o pe ra ti ng an d m ai nt en an ce c os t O th er ( pl ea se s pe ci fy ): __ __ __ __ __ Dynamic Message Signs (DMS): At transit stop/station On-board transit vehicle Internet accessed by PC Mobile web/Internet Interactive voice response (IVR) system Smartphone applications developed by the agency Subscription alert system Mobile tagging system Near-field communication (NFC) system Contract/agreement with wireless carrier Information service provider Mobile application software SMS (text) message system Internet-based text message system E-mail software Other hardware (please specify): _______________________________ Other software (please specify): _______________________________ 30. Does your agency charge for the customer to receive an SMS from your agency? …… YES … NO If YES, what are the charges associated with receiving an SMS? ___________________________________________________________________________________ 31. Does the mobile phone service provider(s) offer your agency a special pricing plan for providing real-time information on mobile devices? …… YES … NO If YES, please describe the pricing plan(s): ________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

69 32. Is your agency aware of the cost to customers to send an SMS message to request real-time information? …… YES … NO If YES, please describe the pricing plan(s): ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 33. Which departments/staff are involved in the deployment and use of mobile technology to provide real-time informa- tion? Please check all that apply. …… Information technology … Planning …… Operations … Maintenance …… Training … Procurement/legal ……Marketing/communication … Customer service …… Human resources/training … Other (please specify): ______________ 34. What are the training requirements for each department/staff that are involved in the deployment and use of mobile technology to provide real-time information? Please indicate the requirements in number of labor hours per month. …… Information technology: __________________________……Planning: _____________________________ …… Operations: ____________________________________……Maintenance: _________________________ …… Training: ______________________________________……Procurement/legal: _____________________ ……Marketing/communication: _______________________……Customer service: ______________________ …… Human resources/training: ……Other (please specify): __________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ hours 35. How many labor hours are spent by each department/staff that are involved in the deployment and use of mobile tech- nology to provide real-time information? Please indicate the number of labor hours per month. …… Information technology: __________________________……Planning: _____________________________ …… Operations: ____________________________________……Maintenance: _________________________ …… Training: ______________________________________……Procurement/legal: _____________________ ……Marketing/communication: _______________________……Customer service: ______________________ …… Human resources/training: ________________________……Other (please specify): __________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ hours Contribution of Providing Real-time Transit Information on Mobile Devices to Agency Communications Strategy 36. Of all dissemination media that your agency uses to provide real-time information, what is the percentage of usage of each type of media? All responses should add up to 100%. …… DMS: ________________________% … Internet accessed by PC: _______________% ……Mobile web/Internet: ____________% … Interactive voice response (IVR): _________% …… Smartphone applications: ________% … Two-way messaging (e.g., SMS): _________% …… Subscription alerts: _____________% … Mobile tagging: ______________________% …… NFC: ________________________% … Other (please specify): _________________ ____________________________________%

70 37. Does your agency have a Communications Strategy? …… YES … NO If YES, is providing real-time information via mobile devices a part of that Strategy? …… YES … NO 38. Does your agency consider “information equity” when it chooses specific media/channels for the dissemination of real-time information? Here, information equity means providing real-time information via at least two dissemination media and in both audio and visual formats. …… YES … NO If NO, what factors are used in choosing specific dissemination media/channels? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 39. Does your agency consider providing real-time information on mobile devices as a way to attract “choice” riders? …… YES … NO 40. Did the deployment of real-time transit information on mobile devices result in an increase in ridership? …… YES … NO If YES, how much did ridership increase as a result of disseminating information via mobile devices? _________ % 41. If you have conducted surveys and/or focus groups to determine the usage of mobile communication among your rider- ship, can you provide the survey results for this Synthesis project? …… YES … NO 42. Have you developed a marketing campaign specifically about the use of mobile devices to obtain transit information? …… YES … NO If YES, may we obtain copies of the marketing campaign? 43. What is your agency’s opinion regarding collecting advertising revenue though mobile content? For example, is your agency interested in context-sensitive advertising based on the current location of the mobile device? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 44. What is the one biggest problem associated with providing real-time information on mobile devices? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

71 45. If your agency provides real-time information for third-party development of mobile phone applications, what is the one biggest problem associated with managing such a program? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 46. What is the one biggest problem associated with operating and maintaining the hardware and software necessary to generate and disseminate real-time information via mobile devices? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 47. Please describe any additional “lessons learned” that would benefit transit agencies that are considering providing real- time information on mobile devices. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 48. Are there other agencies that you know of that we should speak to regarding “best practices” in terms of providing real-time information via mobile devices? If so, please provide contact information. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Please return the completed questionnaire by February 15, 2010 to: Ms. Carol L. Schweiger Vice President TranSystems Corporation 38 Chauncy Street, Suite 200 Boston, MA 02111 U.S.A. Telephone: 857-453-5511 Fax: 857-453-5451 E-mail address: clschweiger@transystems.com We encourage you to return your completed survey to Ms. Schweiger via e-mail at clschweiger@transystems.com. If you have any questions on the survey or the project, please do not hesitate to call Ms. Schweiger. Thank you very much for your participation in this important project.

72 Format of Additional Real-time Information Provided on Mobile Devices: 1. For real-time information provided via SMS, please provide the format of the messages sent by customers to request the information. For example, “Send ctabus 14624 to 41411.” ___________________________________________________________________________________ Please translate the message(s) sent by customers to request the information. For example, “Send ctabus 14624 to 41411” means that the customer is requesting the next two real-time arrival times for CTA buses at stop ID 14624. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 2. For real-time information provided via SMS, please provide the format of the messages sent from the agency back to customers. For example: From 41411 5:07 PM 14624) Pulaski & Fullerton 53 to 31st DUE & 11 minutes Reply S)ervice Bulletins R)efresh ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Please translate the message(s) sent by the agency to customers. For example, the above example is translated as “as of 5:07 PM, at stop 14624 (at Pulaski & Fullerton), Bus Tracker estimates that a #53 bus to 31st is due to arrive, and then another one should arrive in about 11 minutes. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________