AVL Systems for Bus Transit: Update (2008)

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80 APPENDIX A Survey Questionnaire TCRP Synthesis SA-17 Questionnaire AVL Systems for Bus Transit 1. Agency Information: Date: __________________________ Name and Title of Respondent: ___________________________________________________________________ Transit Agency Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Phone Number: ________________________________ Fax Number: _________________________________ Respondent’s E-mail Address: ___________________________________________________________________ Purpose of this Survey: Bus Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems are being increasingly implemented by transit agencies to enable improvements in operations and customer service, as well as in other areas such as planning, maintenance, and security. This survey focuses on: The characteristics of operational bus AVL systems; How systems were approved, procured, and implemented; How they are being used; Organizational effects; and Benefits/costs. Once the survey results are reviewed, key agencies with extensive recent experience in implementing and using a bus AVL system 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! 2. 1–10 11–50 51–100 101–300 301–600 601–900 901–1200 1201+ Fixed-route bus Paratransit Heavy rail/subway Light rail/streetcar Bus rapid transit Commuter rail Ferry Other For each of the following modes, what fleet size (number of vehicles) does your agency either directly operate or subcontract?

81 3. Please specify for any “Other” response in the previous question. ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Which of the following describes the status of bus AVL system development at your agency? In revenue service and is being currently enhanced In revenue service and is not being currently enhanced (skip to Question 6) Being implemented (skip to Question 52) Being procured (skip to Question 53) Being planned (skip to Question 56) No current interest (skip to Question 59) 5. Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers Odometer Integration Heading Sensor Onboard Computer Operator Display/Keypad Interior Next Stop Announcements Exterior Announcements at Stops Automatic Passenger Counters Covert Alarm Monitoring Covert Microphone Monitoring Transit Signal Priority Drivetrain Monitoring Headsign Integration Farebox Integration Digital Video Recorder Integration Mobile Radio Integration Mobile Radio System Enhancements Cellular Data Service Integration Wireless Local Area Network Integration AVL Software for Fixed-Route Operations Fixed-Route Scheduling Software Integration Paratransit Scheduling/Dispatch Software Integration Data Warehouse Integration Display/Keypad and Location Monitoring for Non- Revenue Vehicles Supervisor Mobile Access to AVL Software Next Arrival Predictions via Signs at Stops Next Arrival Predictions via Automated Telephone System Next Arrival Predictions via Website Next Arrival Predictions via Website, for Access with Mobile Personal Devices Next Arrival Predictions via E-mail Subscription Other (please specify): _______________________________________ _______________________________________ 6. 1994 or Earlier 1995– 1997 1998– 2000 2001– 2003 2004 or later Currently under Warranty? Transponder or Transponder Receiver (“Signpost” Technology) Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers Please indicate which of the following technologies, part of or integrated with a bus AVL system, your agency is implementing through the current enhancement effort: Please indicate time periods when your agency implemented any of the following technologies, part of or integrated with a bus AVL system, and whether maintenance and support is currently provided under warranty:

82 Odometer Integration Heading Sensor Onboard Computer Operator Display/Keypad Interior Next Stop Announcements Exterior Announcements at Stops Automatic Passenger Counters Covert Alarm Monitoring Covert Microphone Monitoring Transit Signal Priority Drivetrain Monitoring Headsign Integration Farebox Integration Integrated Digital Video Recorder Mobile Radio Voice Communications Integration Mobile Radio Data Communications Mobile Radio System Enhancements Cellular Data Service Communications Wireless Local Area Network Communications AVL Software for Fixed- Route Operations Fixed-Route Scheduling Software Integration Paratransit Scheduling/Dispatch Software Integration Dispatch Center Workstation Furniture Data Management System Integration Central System Hardware/Software Upgrades Display/Keypad and Location Monitoring for Non- Revenue Vehicles Supervisor Mobile Access to AVL Software Next Arrival Predictions via Signs at Stops Next Arrival Predictions or Paratransit Trip Information via Automated Telephone System Next Arrival Predictions or Paratransit Trip Information via Website Next Arrival Predictions or Paratransit Trip Information via Website, for Access with Mobile Personal Devices

83 Next Arrival Predictions or Paratransit Trip Information via E-Mail Subscription Other 7. Please specify for any “Other” response in the previous question. ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. 1%–20% 21%–40% 41%–60% 61%–80% 81%–100% Transponder or Transponder Receiver (“Signpost” Technology) Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers Odometer Integration Heading Sensor Onboard Computer Operator Display/Keypad Interior Next Stop Announcements Exterior Announcements at Stops Automatic Passenger Counters Covert Alarm Monitoring Covert Microphone Monitoring Transit Signal Priority Drivetrain Monitoring Headsign Integration Farebox Integration Integrated Digital Video Recorder Mobile Radio Voice Communications Integration Mobile Radio Data Communications Cellular Data Service Communications Wireless Local Area Network Communications Other 9. Please specify for any “Other” response in the previous question. ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. 1%–20% 21%–40% 41%–60% 61%–80% 81%–100% Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers Odometer Integration Heading Sensor Onboard Computer Operator Display/Keypad Covert Alarm Monitoring Covert Microphone Monitoring Drivetrain Monitoring Please indicate for any of the following technologies, part of or integrated with a bus AVL system, the portion of the fixed-route bus fleet your agency has equipped: Please indicate for any of the following technologies, part of or integrated with a bus AVL system, the portion of the paratransit bus fleet your agency has equipped:

84 Farebox Integration Integrated Digital Video Recorder Mobile Radio Voice Communications Integration Mobile Radio Data Communications Cellular Data Service Communications Wireless Local Area Network Communications Other 11. Please specify for any “Other” response in the previous question. ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Please indicate the approximate service area (in square miles) supported by your bus AVL system: Fixed Route 13. Please indicate the approximate service area (in square miles) supported by your bus AVL system: Paratransit 14. Please indicate the equipment suppliers and integrators for the technologies, part of or integrated with a bus AVL system, that your agency has implemented: ___________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. 16. Which of the following best describes how your agency deployed the bus AVL system? With a single procurement and a single deployment stage With a single procurement and multiple rollout stages With multiple procurements 17. U$10,000 or less U$10,001–U$20,000 U$20,001–U$30,000 U$30,001–U$40,000 U$40,001–U$50,000 U$50,001–U$60,000 U$60,001–U$70,000 U$70,001–U$80,000 U$80,001–U$90,000 U$90,001–U$100,000 More than U$100,000 18. U$1,000 or less U$1,001–U$2,000 U$2,001–U$3,000 U$3,001–U$4,000 U$4,001–U$5,000 U$5,001–U$6,000 U$6,001–U$7,000 U$7,001–U$8,000 At what time interval (in seconds) are AVL location reports received from any particular vehicle in your bus AVL system (e.g., many systems poll the fleet such that the location is updated for each vehicle every 60–120 seconds)? ____________________________________ Please indicate the cumulative capital cost for your bus AVL system, on a per equipped vehicle basis (please attempt to include the full range of capital costs associated with the system, including the costs for vehicles and central systems, but exclude any capital costs for mobile radio system enhancements). Please indicate any capital cost for mobile radio system enhancements needed to support your bus AVL system, on a per equipped vehicle basis.

85 U$8,001–U$9,000 U$9,001–U$10,000 More than U$10,000 19. Federal ITS grant Other federal funding State funding Local funding Agency revenues 20. Federal ITS grant Other federal funding State funding Local funding Agency revenues 21. U$1,000 or less U$1,001–U$2,000 U$2,001–U$3,000 U$3,001–U$4,000 U$4,001–U$5,000 U$5,001–U$6,000 U$6,001–U$7,000 U$7,001–U$8,000 U$8,001–U$9,000 U$9,001–U$10,000 More than U$10,000 22. Please indicate any additional comments or detail about the composition and/or staged deployment of your bus AVL system. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23. Can we contact you for press releases issued about your bus AVL system, for use in this Synthesis project? Yes No 24. Can we contact you for evaluation results about your bus AVL system performance and how you are using the system, for use in this Synthesis project? Yes No 25. Yes No 26. why)? _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please indicate the approximate breakdown for the sources of the capital costs for your bus AVL system, on a percentage basis: Please indicate the approximate breakdown for the sources of the operating costs for your bus AVL system, on a percentage basis: Can we contact you for the results for any surveys and/or focus groups conducted to gather customer feedback on your bus AVL system and how you are using it, for use in this Synthesis project? What bus AVL system technologies, and ways of using these technologies, have been most effective with your agency (and Please indicate the current operating cost that you feel is directly attributable to your bus AVL system, on a per equipped vehicle basis (please attempt to include the full range of operating costs, including maintenance, incremental staffing, and training/retraining).

86 27. Not Involved 1 2 3 4 Significant and Ongoing Involvement 5 Operations Maintenance Customer Service Security Information Technology Planning Revenue Marketing Training and Human Resources Other 28. Please specify for any “Other” response in the previous question. ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 29. Not Involved 1 2 3 4 Significant and Ongoing Involvement 5 Operations Maintenance Customer Service Security Information Technology Planning Revenue Marketing Training and Human Resources Other 30. Please specify for any “Other” response in the previous question. ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 31. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided 32. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided Please indicate the degree to which each of the following agency business units was involved in the effort to develop and implement your bus AVL system: Please indicate the degree to which each of the following agency business units are involved in the ongoing use and operation of your bus AVL system: Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Maintenance business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system. Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Operations business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system.

87 33. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided 34. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided 35. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided 36. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided 37. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided 38. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided 39. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Customer Service business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system. Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Security business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system. Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Information Technology business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system. Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Planning business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system. Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Revenue business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system. Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Marketing business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system. Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in the Training and Human Resources business unit, in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system.

88 40. Job Title Number FTEs Hired Number FTEs Retrained Number FTEs Avoided 41. Not Affected 1 2 3 4 Significant Changes Needed 5 Operations Maintenance Customer Service Security Information Technology Planning Revenue Marketing Training and Human Resources Other 42. Please specify for any “Other” response in the previous question. ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 43. Increase Staff Provide Training Alter Procedures Alter Organizational Structure Other Operations Maintenance Customer Service Security Information Technology Planning Revenue Marketing Training and Human Resources Other 44. Please specify for any “Other” response in the previous question. ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 45. AVL Software for Fixed-Route Operations Next Stop Announcements Automatic Passenger Counters Transit Signal Priority Next Arrival Predictions Scheduling and Dispatch Software for Paratransit Operations Other 46. _______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please indicate the number of staff (full-time equivalents) hired, retrained, or avoided (i.e., if you feel that the need to hire additional staff has been avoided through additional productivity from having the system) in other business units (beyond the business units discussed in the previous sequence of questions), in the revenue service phase for your bus AVL system. Please indicate the degree to which each of the following agency business units needed to adapt their organization and opera- tions to use your bus AVL system effectively: Please indicate any of the following specific changes that were undertaken for each agency business unit, in order to adapt their organization and operations to use your bus AVL system effectively: Please indicate any of the following aspects of your bus AVL system where you feel the potential has not been fully utilized to date, as a result of adaptations yet needed to the organization and operations to use it effectively. What was the one biggest challenge associated with adapting agency organization and operations to implementing and operat- ing your bus AVL system? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

89 47. Please indicate any of the following uses your agency has adopted for archived data from your AVL system. Scheduling Planning Maintenance Marketing Third Part Research (e.g., universities) Other (please specify): ____________________________________________________ 48. ____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 49. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 50. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 51. What was the one biggest challenge associated with managing the development and implementation of your bus AVL system? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 52. What was the one biggest challenge associated with selecting the systems integrator for your bus AVL system? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 53. Please indicate which of the following needed to be estimated as part of gaining approval to implement your bus AVL system: Capital costs Operating costs Measurable benefits Subjective benefits 54. Please indicate any of the following factors that were important in gaining approval to implement your bus AVL system: Improve operating efficiency Improve public information Improve safety and security Modernize public image of transit agency Improved reporting or analysis capability Benefits expected to exceed costs Other (please specify): _____________________________________________________________________________ 55. What was the one biggest challenge associated with gaining approval to implement your bus AVL system? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ What was the biggest way in which your bus AVL system has not met expectations the agency had when the decision was made to deploy? What was the one biggest challenge associated with effectively integrating your bus AVL system with other agency tech- nology? What was the biggest way in which your bus AVL system has met or exceeded the expectations the agency had when the decision was made to deploy?

90 56. What was the one biggest challenge associated with defining the functional capabilities for your bus AVL system? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 57. Agency Business Units Staff Agency Dedicated Project Management Staff Consultants Needs Assessment Technology Assessment Projects Definition Implementation Plan Project Approval Functional Specifications Solicitation Selection of Systems Integrator Implementation Management Evaluation 58. Please describe any additional “lessons learned” that would benefit transit agencies that are considering bus AVL systems. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 59. _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 60. If your agency has not yet decided to implement a bus AVL system, what is the biggest reason? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please Return the Completed Questionnaire by January 29, 2007 to: Mr. Doug J. Parker Senior Transportation Planner TranSystems Corporation 46 Barwick Drive, Suite 100 Barrie, Ontario, Canada L4N 6Z5 Telephone: 416-628-4331 Fax: 781-396-7757 E-mail Address: djparker@transystems.com We encourage you to return your completed survey to Mr. Parker via e-mail at djparker@transystems.com. If you have any questions on the survey or the project, please do not hesitate to call Mr. Parker. Thank you very much for your participation in this important project. Are there other agencies you would suggest we should speak to regarding “best practices” in bus AVL systems? If so, please provide contact information. Please identify which agency resources were involved in each of the following stages that have been completed for bus AVL system development at your agency: