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Standardizing Data for Mobility Management (2013)

Chapter: APPENDIX A: SURVEYS

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Page 57
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX A: SURVEYS." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2013. Standardizing Data for Mobility Management. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22449.
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Page 57
Page 58
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX A: SURVEYS." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2013. Standardizing Data for Mobility Management. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22449.
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Page 58
Page 59
Suggested Citation:"APPENDIX A: SURVEYS." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2013. Standardizing Data for Mobility Management. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22449.
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Page 59

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APPENDIX A: SURVEYS Guided interviews were arranged with participants to explore the problem from the perspective of software vendors/developers, trip planning software, and those public and human service transportation agencies defined as having “emerging applications”. This wide focus provides a context to assure that data standards and protocols for such systems consider the broader world of mobility management and the directions these systems are taking in the future. The overall purpose of this activity was to canvas the key software programs that use similar data sets to (a) provide a conceptual framework of the relationships between these applications; (b) build an understanding of the data sets and protocols used in each; (c) identify the directions each is headed; and (d) the role, potential, and value of data standards for these systems. The basic systems were grouped into Information and Referral, Scheduling & Dispatch software, and Trip Planning software. These related functions use separate databases that contain overlapping information. In addition to these categories, an examination of Emerging Applications is included as a fourth category to highlight new approaches taken by organizations on the forefront of developing mobility management applications. Scheduling / Dispatch Software Vendors The participants were: • RouteMatch • Trapeze • Mobilitat • Stratagen • EnGraph • EcoLane • HB Software Solutions In addition, Shah Software was contacted but did not participate. Some of the above and additional vendors were spoken to at the CTAA EXPO Trade Show (CTS, PC Trans, Enghouse Transportation) The questions listed below were used to guide the interviews. The interviews were conducted via telephone, with one or both members of the project team on the line. They generally lasted for 60-90 minutes. The discussions turned out to be deeper and more wide-ranging that originally anticipated. They often led to recommendations to speak with others, and these leads were followed up. Initial Contact Questions: Structured Interview • Describe J-6/82 project, trend to interoperability, and vision of private sector in developing standardized data • Assess interest A-1

• Identify how to work with them on detailed questions. Range of topics: o Description of products and how their products work together and with others o The impact of / interest in interoperability on these products o Ways in which interoperability could be achieved o Challenges and barriers / successes and benefits o Future plans for new technology (cloud based; mobile apps; etc.) o How we can work with them in this project Trip Planning Applications and Information and Referral Services The purpose of these interviews was to understand the structure of the programs used in trip planning applications, their underlying data sets, and the potential interfaces between these and information and referral programs. Trip planning applications were initially web-based, but recently some mobile apps have been developed. These two categories are closely related and were combined. Trip planning systems are imbedded in web sites for fixed route transit services; advanced 5-1-1 systems also provide trip planning applications for consumer use. The participants were: Trillium (Aaron Antrim) for existing and future General Transit Feed Specifications and to seek out information on systems with advanced technology Google Transit regarding potential demand response specifications. San Bernardino VTCLI Project: I & R with 211, 511, and Veterans focus Denver RTD was contacted but their long-time IT manager was retiring so no participation was obtained. The websites for the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Atlanta 511 interfaces for transit AND demand response or other services (PT, DAR, Amtrak, Air, ICB) were investigated, as well as those for the National 2-1-1 Initiative and Aging and Disability Resource Center. While this provided useful background, it did not appear that individual contacts would be fruitful so these were not pursued. The Google Transit contact resulted in a conference call with a variety of interested participants, which in turn has led to the creation of a GTFS initiative to develop a specification for flexible transit services, which includes DRT. Initial Contact: Structured Interview (Task 3) A-2

• Describe J-6 / 82 project, investigation of interoperability, and roles of the private sector and public sector in developing standardized data. • Ask for a description of their approach to trip planning and how it differs from other trip planning systems. For I & R systems, ask for a description of their system. • Ask them to identify: o Primary data sets used o Standards that apply to these data sets o Where do these data sets reside? How are they updated? • Ask them to identify the primary protocols used, and any standards that apply to these protocols. • Is the orientation to directly to consumers (via phone, internet, mobile), through agency staff, or both? • How is their system used in navigation between systems, if at all? (Various transport systems, navigation for first and last mile, pedestrian interfaces, mapping software) • Do they have or are they developing mobile applications? • Describe the strengths of their system and ways in which it is most effective. • Describe the challenges and what they see as next steps in improving the functionality. • Ask them to discuss interoperability of data with other systems. o Where do they see the interfaces with the most potential and the value of these? Emerging Applications The participants were: • Ride Connection • New England Open Data Exchange group: o Montachusetts RTA, West Metro RTA, and HB Software Solutions were on the call. • Rogue Valley Transportation District • Denver RTD In addition, the team followed up with Tri-Met to gain a better understanding of their open- source software. The questions asked of the software vendors were used to guide the interviews, but with an emphasis on the provider’s perspective, the particular application that the provider is developing, and the relationship of the provider to the existing software vendors: What software have they and other providers in their region used? Why did they decide to do some of their own development? A-3

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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Web-Only Document 62: Standardizing Data for Mobility Management explores opportunities for the standardization of data relevant to mobility management systems. The report focuses on near-term and long-term objectives.

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