The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) will sponsor a free webinar examining lessons learned from public transit Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) implementation. The webinar will cover a real-world example of implementing and operating Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), computer-aided dispatch, fleet management, and real-time traveler information systems. The webinar will also explore the coordination of implementing Transit ITS in rural communities.

The free webinar will take place Thursday, June 2, 2011, from noon to 1:30 p.m. CST.
 

The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) will sponsor a free webinar series later this month titled “The Emergence of Open Electronic Payment Systems in Public Transit.” This three-part webinar series will discuss the trend of transit agencies moving to an open payment solution. The series will provide background information on traditional closed fare payment solutions and emerging open payment solutions, and it will also discuss the communication standards for open payment solutions and if the two technologies can coexist. The first webinar in the series, “Introduction to Closed Payment Systems and Open Payment Systems in Public Transit,” will provide a high-level introduction into closed fare payment systems and open payment systems in transit.

The free webinar will take place on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. CST. The schedule for the following two webinars in the series will be released during the webinar on the 18th.

CMAP believes an open electronic payment system in public transit would be beneficial for the region. Open electronic payment systems would allow for transit users to transfer seamlessly between transit providers and would improve the operational efficiency of the transit system. CMAP supports seamless coordination between modes in the Increase Commitment to Public Transit chapter of GO TO 2040.

Pace, the suburban transit provider in the Chicago region, is expanding service on its I-55 express bus routes. The I-55 express bus routes operate on sections of the shoulder of Stevenson Expressway when the facility is congested. The routes have experienced both increased ridership and improved on-time performance. The express service is part of the Bus on Shoulders pilot project which is a cooperative effort of Pace, Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Illinois State Police. The project received funding for signage from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement program and CMAP posted a short video on the program launch. The success of this project to date indicates that such services merit further study and possible additional deployments, contingent on safety and operational success.

CMAP has recently calculated the transit passenger miles traveled per vehicle revenue hour by agency for the Chicago region in 2010. It is one of CMAP’s annually-tracked regional transportation indicators.  The data used to calculate this measure is from the National Transit Database, which is created annually by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from data provided by transit agencies across the country. This performance measure is tracked because it is sensitive to both operational efficiency and passenger travel.

CMAP, as part of the Regional Indicators Project and the Congestion Management Process, has collected and summarized transit on-time performance data for transit operators in the Chicago region. 

The Chicago Transit Authority’s on-time performance consistently improved during 2009, and stayed relatively steady for 2010. Metra’s and Amtrak’s on-time performance is greatly affected by freight interference. Metra lines that do not interact with freight travel have the highest on-time service. Amtrak’s recent improvement in on-time performance could be accounted for by lower than normal freight volumes due to the recent recession.

More information and graphics relating to regional transit performance can be found on-line. Other regional transportation performance measures, including transit performance measures can be found on MetroPulse, part of the Regional Indicators Project partnership between CMAP and the Chicago Community Trust.
 

The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) will sponsor a free webinar titled IntelliDrive Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis (AERIS). The webinar will discuss the AERIS program, which is an application that uses real-time transportation system information to enable system users and operators to promote more environmentally friendly travel choices and is based on the IntelliDrive(SM) initiative. This webinar will provide an overview of AERIS, discuss the policy context of AERIS, and strategies for the implementation of AERIS applications involving cars, trucks, and public transit.

The free webinar will take place on Wednesday, December 8, 2010, from noon to 1:30 p.m. CST.

Transportation Research Board ’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 140: explores the types of flexible Transportation service strategies that are potentially appropriate for small, medium, and large urban and rural transit agencies. The guide examines financial and political realities, operations issues, and institutional mechanisms related to implementing and sustaining flexible Transportation services. More information is available online.

Transportation Research Board’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 83: was recently released. The report examines the different applications for transit preferential treatments in mixed traffic and provides guidance on which treatment would be most applicable in certain locations.