Avoiding Stories Like
“The Secret Life of Lemmings” by Hugo First
MSTPA Conference
Tuscaloosa, AL
March 8 – 10, 2010
What’s Important about
Transportation Technology?
 What technologies will meet
operational challenges and answer
questions?
 Avoiding the feature buzz – focus on
the steak not the sizzle.
 Marketing and communicating
technology benefits to passengers.
WIFFM – Transit Technology
 Objectives, Objectives, Objectives
 Key Components of Transit
Technology Suites
 Creating Need To Have Vs Nice To
Have Checklist
 RFP and Selection Process
Focus on Objectives – Not Features
 Problem to Solve?
 Focus on main issue.
 Willingness to Pay?
 Budget and desire to fund.
 Perfect Destroy the Good?
 Determine the minimum
requirements for success
and increase from there.
 Alternative Approaches
 There is more than one way
to get from point A to B.
Transit Technology Suite
Rolling
Internet
GPS Routing &
Dispatch
GPS/AVL
Tracking
Digital
Destination Signs
On Board
Video
Passenger
Counting
Announcement
Systems
Electronic
Inspection
GPS/AVL Tracking – The Grandaddy of
Transit Technology
 Everything Begins with Vehicle Location and
Movement Tracking
 Routes, idling, delays, speed, time between stops.
 Location of events from complementary systems.
Component
Decision
Data Frequency
How often the system reports location (cost Vs.
information)
Reporting
Capabilities
How much information is needed and what
will it be used for? Specific reports like
frequency, average speed, bus stop times
Management or
Passengers
Transit visualization for passengers most
important or management tracking and
control
Compatibility
How well will it integrate with other systems?
Required Options
Cell phone access, routing optimization, driver
input, panic buttons, public viewer, etc.
Technology Checklist
Priority
Technology
Decision Points
Rolling Internet
> Length of trips
> Makeup of passenger community – will it be used?
Digital
Destination Signs
> How often buses change routes
> Experience of passengers
> Number and complexity of routes at institution
Passenger
Intelligence
(Counting)
>
>
>
>
On Board Video
> Security and liability issues, history of transportation system
> High number of unaffiliated or general public passengers
> Used as a training or counseling tool for drivers
Announcement
Systems
> Complexity of routes
> Passenger profile – infrequent or incidental users of the system
> Automated announcements Vs internal display signs
Electronic
Inspection
> Medium to large fleets, multiple storage locations
> Need to verify pre and post trip inspections for liability and
performance management
Count only number of people on buses by time, route, stop
Need to know affiliation or origination of passengers
Passenger validation for security and/or access control
System size, number of buses, information retrieval requirements
Technology Selection
RFP Design
 Straightforward requirements
 Allow for reasonable alternatives
 Focus on objectives not strict
interpretation
 Avoid getting stung by the Feature
Buzz
 Stick to important aspects
 Ignore unnecessary and
expensive compatibility and
modularity
 Inspect & Validate Responses
 Don’t get a camel when you ask
for an automobile…
Marketing Transportation
Technology
 Find Reasons To Explain All
Technology
 Video (Safety, Training)
 GPS Tracking(Safety,
Convenience)
 Passenger Counting
 Use the Tool Itself Wherever
Possible
 Demonstrations
 Trial Runs/Participate in
Purchasing
 Provide Reason for Passengers to
Use It
 Registration in system that
provides further information
 Contests
 Create Ambassadors
 Student Government
 Special Interest Groups
 Passengers


Integrate with Passenger Interests
Clubs, classes, hobbies.
 Internships
 Public Relations
 Press Releases
 Articles
 White Papers
 Use Everything
 Repetition
 Email, Website, Posters, Text
Messaging, Twitter, Facebook
How Many Jellybeans are In This Bus?
• Why Does This Matter to You???
• Better bus deployment – how many buses should be
on each route…
• Determine how often to pick up at key stops.
• Faster service and fewer passengers left behind
Questions?
Answers!
Contact Me Any Time…
Mitch Skyer
Solstice Transportation Group
678-474-9355
Mitch@SolsticeTRG.com
www.SolsticeTransportationGroup.com