Open Source Software for Transit Agencies Common OS Applications TimeTable Publisher Application Trip Planning Applications National Rural ITS Conference September 4, 2008 Bibiana McHugh, IT Manager GIS & LBS
Common OS Applications in Use at TriMet Linux Operating System MySQL & PostGIS Databases Mozilla Firefox Web Browser Apache and Tomcat for Web Servers, Services, etc. Footprints Service Desk Management System Openbravo Point of Sale Application (ticket purchases) Plone Content Management System Eclipse Development Platform Subversion (SVN) Version Control System (code, web pages ) Open Office? GeoServer & OpenLayers for Internet Mapping
Business Procedures & Evaluation Include OS Solutions in IT Feasibility Studies and Requirement Analysis in addition to Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products Evaluation Criteria OS Code/Language ex. can it be supported and maintained internally, does it adhere to IT standards Developer Base Working Implementations Terms and conditions of the OS license agreement Governance or Foundation Options for support and maintenance contracts No initial fee for the software, however, should calculate and compare long-term operating costs and resources against COTS
TimeTable Publisher History & Current Status HRT Implementation Benefits and Potential Technical Support
Printed Timetable
Web Timetable
timetablepublisher.org
TTPUB Process 1. Raw Schedule Data
TTPUB Process 1. Raw Schedule Data 2. Input into TTP System Enterprise Database CSV XML Google GTFS Custom TimeTable Publisher (TTP)
TTPUB Process 1. Raw Schedule Data 2. Input into TTP System 3. Configure & Prepare Data
TTPUB Process 1. Raw Schedule Data 2. Input into TTP System 3. Configure & Prepare Data TimeTable Publisher (TTP) 4. Output into Various Formats for Public Use (digital and paper) HTML WEB PDF PDFProof MS Excel AdobeInDesign XML PRINT PRODUCTION
Web HTML Output
Web HTML Output Sample
TTPUB History 2004 TRB Transit IDEA Project #39 ConSysTech s Dynamic Timetable Generator (DTG) 2005 Transit Forum Workshop DTG was suggested for a potential open source project http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/transitforumnet/
Transit Forum Yahoo Group
TTPUB History 2004 TRB Transit IDEA Project #39 ConSysTech s Dynamic Timetable Generator (DTG) 2005 Transit Forum Workshop DTG was suggested for a potential open source project http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/transitforumnet/ 2006 TriMet Replaced Legacy System with TTPUB 2007 TTPUB Released with OS License
Open Source Application is publicly available Based on Mozilla Public License 1.1. Why: To broaden user and developer base Share costs and lessons learned Extended software support Consistent user interfaces
TTPUB Status Internal Uses at TriMet Generates all printed timetable materials Generates Web HTML & PDF Timetables Current Customer Information Consistent Customer Information
TTPUB Status Internal Uses at TriMet Generates all printed timetable materials Generates Web HTML & PDF Timetables T3 Webinar http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/
TTPUB Status Internal Uses at TriMet Generates all printed timetable materials Generates Web HTML & PDF Timetables T3 Webinar Test Implementations: KING Co. Metro NYSDOT Lane County Transit Hampton Roads Transit
Published HRT Bus Schedule Route Information Services Effective Date Map with Timepoint and Transfer Location Schedule and Timepoints Transfer Location and Connecting Route
Process Flow Information sent to Marketing for design HASTUS REPORTS 1. Schedule Timetables created manually Using Quark Express software Information from Scheduling Mapping info 1. Transfer locations 2. Holiday info 3. Connecting routes 4. Wheel chair and bike rack avail 5. Fare information 6. Contact information Timetables sent to Scheduling & Planning For proofreading
Design Process in Marketing Timetable is currently created manually Quark Express software is used Very time-consuming and labor-intensive process Can be prone to error Marketing is considering outsourcing this process
Raw Data to Prepare Timetable Green boxes represent PM time
Cost of Preparing Timetables Labor hours - 29 to 39 hours per route To prepare headway (schedule) 8 hours per route To prepare maps 12 to 20 hours per map To prepare timetable from headway report 6 to 8 hours per route Proofreading 3 hours per route Publishing Cost To develop maps - $16K in 2007 To print and publish timetables for different routes - $45K in 2007
Cost of Preparing Timetables, cont d The cost also depends on other factors, such as Number of routes - 54 How often board changes happen (2 major changes Fall & Spring) Routes can change up to 6 times a year Reprinting due to mistakes
Benefits of TimeTablePublisher Tool Open source application (FREE) Helps Marketing team to prepare public schedules and timetables in various formats Easy to use Information is dynamically generated Minimal effort to implement Acceptance of Google Transit Feed data makes the generation of raw data very simple and standardized Timetable output can be produced in a variety of formats
Why Use the TTPUB? Consistent Current Control Costs GTFS Single system for print and Web output. Quicker turn-around & can generate directly from database. TimeTablePublisher gives Marketing team full control over public schedule information. Cost reduction from automation & repeatable processes (from 30 to 2 hours per route). Standardized data format lowers the barrier to using the TimeTablePublisher. Bottom Line Better Information and Reduced Costs.
Lessons Learned Working together with other agencies has been great. Timetable issues are similar between agencies. No showstoppers yet encountered. Java and Java Web Application Servers Experience required only to add to the code
Enhancement Opportunities Template-Driven Publishing system has vast potential for expansion: View schedule for a route between 5:00pm & 7:00pm View schedule on an iphone or other mobile device Create text version that meets ADA requirements Additional Agency Requirements The code can be built upon and shared with others
TTPUB Technical Support Uses GTFS so implementation is simple Intuitive friendly user-interface Webinar & documentation for reference http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/ Development community is growing http://groups.google.com/group/ttpub-user
Open Source Software Support (Oregon Based Companies) Cort Buchholz, President 503.914.6272 cort@singlemindconsulting.com www.singlemindconsulting.com Concentric Sky Wayne Skipper, President (541) 968-5994 http://concentricsky.com
OS Trip Planning Applications A-TRAIN Trip Planner http://trip.atltransit.com/ TriMet s Interactive System Map GeoServer, OpenLayers, PostGIS http://maps.trimet.org/
Current Current System System vs. Web Service Perl Scripts Perl Scripts IVR LBS OregonZoo.org Web Service Based Interface Formatted Request Formatted Return ATIS Trip Planner (Core/ Engine) etc
Technical Support Community Support Great! Commercial Support Wanted 1-year support contract for first year Looked for companies that supported all 3 technologies at osgeo.org Looked at which of these companies contributed core source code (we needed added features) Requested annual service contracts to review TOPP s contract met our requirements most economically and efficiently
GeoServer Support Page
OS Geo Service Providers Search
Open Data developer.trimet.org
TriMet Developer Resources for for Customer Information Promotes Promotes use use of of transit transit and and information information related related to to transit transit
Direct access to to most current Schedule Data in in common open format GTFS GTFS is is a lightweight, lightweight, open open format format that that provides provides a common, common, easy easy way way to to exchange exchange transit transit data. data. You You don't don't have have to to be be Google Google to to use use it. it. Tim Moore, Bart Tim Moore, Bart
Developers are are scraping schedule data off off websites anyway. GTFS GTFS offers offers a more more stable stable solution solution with with Terms Terms of of Use. Use.
Who is using Schedule Data in the GTFS format?
Google Maps Get Get Driving Driving Directions Directions AND AND Public Public Transit Transit Directions Directions
TransitTrips Sits Sits on on Google Google Transit Transit Makes Makes it it easy easy to to save save links links to to common common trips trips
Public Routes believes believes in in allowing allowing public information to to be be shared openly by municipalities across the country in hopes of maximizing by municipalities across the country in hopes of maximizing travel travel efficiency efficiency and and better better serving the the greater public. public.
Tranzit Schedules Schedules and and Map Map Info Info for for Mobile Mobile Devices Devices using using GTFS GTFS data data Developer s motivation is to encourage more Developer s motivation is to encourage more sustainable modes of transport. sustainable modes of transport.
Stop & Service Finder Built Built on on the the GTFS other agencies coming Finds Finds all all stops, stops, buses buses & trains trains in in an an area area
Transit Maps Draws Draws route route lines lines using using GTFS GTFS
Garmin StreetPilot TriMet TriMet responded responded responded, responded, and and pointed pointed me me to to the the GTFS GTFS developer developer site site by by far far the the easiest easiest experience experience I ve I ve had had getting getting information information from from a public public agency. agency. Brett Warden, TriMet Rider & Software Developer Brett Warden, TriMet Rider & Software Developer
GPS Wayfinding Devices Sendero, Sendero, TriMet TriMet & Google Google working working to to integrate integrate GTFS GTFS with with POI POI Database Database
TimeTable Publisher Uses GTFS Data T3 T3 Webinar Webinar How How to to Implement Implement the thetimetable Publisher: Publisher: An An Open Open Source Source Application Application for for Transit Transit Agencies Agencies May May 14, 14, 2008 2008
Who is using our Web Services for Customer Information?
Direct access to to Real-Time Data via via web web services
Customer Information at at Airport Port Port of of Portland s Portland s Use Use of of Data Data
TriMet On My iphone Free Application for for iphone Transit Transit next next arrival arrival times times At At first first I I was was just just going going to to scrape scrape the the Trimet Trimetsite site to to get get the the information. information. But But then then I I came came to to find find out out that thattrimet actually actually has has a really really nice nice API API to to all all their their tracking tracking information! information! Matt Matt King, King, TriMet TriMet Rider Rider & & Software Software Developer Developer
Portland Transport Transit Surfer & Transit Board Next Next arrival arrival times times for for cell cell phones, phones, handhelds, handhelds, full-size full-size screens, screens, text text messaging messaging
TrainCheck Free SMS Services for for Cell Cell Phones Access Access to to transit transit next next arrival arrival times times
TransitCast Presents Presents arrival arrival times times and and locations locations of of buses buses that that are are approaching approaching a selected selected stop stop
Opera Award Winner TriMet Widget free free program program for for use use on on your your desktop, desktop, mobile mobile phone phone or or TV TV
Future plans for developer.trimet.org
Web Service for for TriMet Trip Trip Planner Access Access to to Planned Planned Trip Trip Itineraries Itineraries Offers Offers alternative alternative to to screen screen scraping scraping for for applications applications like like Dadnab Dadnab
Mobile Trip Planning Using my cell phone, I can get public transit directions to the nearest pizza place from my current location. Trip Trip Planner Planner Web Web Service Service Example Example TriMet TriMet builds builds the the API API and and the the applications applications are are unlimited unlimited Current GPS Location, Current Time, Requested Event/Place En Route Planned Itinerary To Event/Place Location- Based Service (LBS) Web Service API Formatted Request Formatted Return Trip Planner
Who else is making their data publicly accessible and why?
Public Feeds Page By By making making the the GTFS GTFS data data publicly publicly accessible, accessible, you you can can avoid avoid addressing addressing multiple multiple and and varied varied data data requests requests on on an an individual individual basis. basis.
BART San San Francisco Bay Bay We We want want to to foster foster innovative innovative new new applications, applications, reach reach a broader broader audience audience and and encourage encourage more more people people to to choose choose BART. BART. we we just just can't can't justify justify spending spending time time on on some some of of the the things things our our customers customers have have asked asked for. for.
Thank You For more information, please visit: developer.trimet.org maps.trimet.org