Regional Transit Agency Offices

Status: Existing

Description

This element consists of all transit agency offices in the region, excluding PAAC, which manage fixed–route and paratransit transit operations. The element includes systems and personnel that provide centralized transit and emergency management and vehicle maintenance.

Stakeholders

StakeholderRoleRole Status
Regional Transit AgenciesOwnsExisting

Physical Objects

Transportation Information Center
Transit Management Center
Emergency Management Center
Archived Data User System

Functional Objects

Functional ObjectDescriptionUser Defined
TIC Data Collection'TIC Data Collection' collects transportation–related data from other centers, performs data quality checks on the collected data and then consolidates, verifies, and refines the data and makes it available in a consistent format to applications that support operational data sharing between centers and deliver traveler information to end–users. A broad range of data is collected including traffic and road conditions, transit data, emergency information and advisories, weather data, special event information, traveler services, parking, multimodal data, and toll/pricing data. It also shares data with other transportation information centers.False
TIC Operations Data Collection'TIC Operations Data Collection' collects and stores information that is collected about the transportation information service including data on the number of clients serviced and the services that were provided. This data can be used directly by operations personnel or it can be made available to other data users and archives in the region.False
TIC Traveler Information Broadcast'TIC Traveler Information Broadcast' disseminates traveler information including traffic and road conditions, incident information, maintenance and construction information, event information, transit information, parking information, and weather information. The same information is broadcast to all equipped traveler interface systems and vehicles.False
TIC Traveler Telephone Information'TIC Traveler Telephone Information' services voice–based traveler requests for information that supports traveler telephone information systems like 511. It takes requests for traveler information, which could be voice–formatted traveler requests, dual–tone multi–frequency (DTMF)–based requests, or a simple traveler information request, and returns the requested traveler information in the proper format. In addition to servicing requests for traveler information, it also collects and forwards alerts and advisories to traveler telephone information systems.False
TIC Trip Planning'TIC Trip Planning' provides pre–trip and en route trip planning services for travelers. It receives origin, destination, constraints, and preferences and returns trip plan(s) that meet the supplied criteria. Trip plans may be based on current traffic and road conditions, transit schedule information, and other real–time traveler information. Candidate trip plans are multimodal and may include vehicle, transit, and alternate mode segments (e.g., rail, ferry, bicycle routes, and walkways) based on traveler preferences. It also confirms the trip plan for the traveler and supports reservations and advanced payment for portions of the trip. The trip plan includes specific routing information and instructions for each segment of the trip and may also include information and reservations for additional services (e.g., parking) along the route.False
Transit Center Connection Protection'Transit Center Connection Protection' manages the coordination of transit transfers between routes within a single transit agency, between routes of different transit agencies, or between different modes (e.g. a bus transit route and a ferry route). This functional object also supports the capability for an individual traveler to obtain connection protection throughout a specific transit trip. This application may be implemented through peer–to–peer sharing between agencies control systems or as a central transit transfer request brokerage that facilitates the management and coordination of transfers across multiple agencies and control systems.False
Transit Center Data Collection'Transit Center Data Collection' collects and stores transit information that is collected in the course of transit operations performed by the Transit Management Center. This data can be used directly by operations personnel or it can be made available to other data users and archives in the region.False
Transit Center Environmental Monitoring'Transit Center Environmental Monitoring' assimilates current and forecast road conditions and surface weather information from a variety of sources, including both weather service providers and vehicle probes. The collected environmental information is monitored and used to support transit operations.False
Transit Center Fare Management'Transit Center Fare Management' manages fare collection and passenger load management at the transit center. It provides the back office functions that support transit fare collection, supporting payment reconciliation with links to financial institutions and enforcement agencies for fare violations. It collects data required to determine accurate ridership levels, establish fares, and distribute fare information. It loads fare data into the vehicle prior to the beginning of normal operations and unloads fare collection data from the vehicle at the close out of normal operations.False
Transit Center Fixed–Route Operations'Transit Center Fixed–Route Operations' manages fixed route transit operations. It supports creation of schedules, blocks and runs for fixed and flexible route transit services. It allows fixed–route and flexible–route transit services to disseminate schedules and automatically updates customer service operator systems with the most current schedule information. It also supports automated dispatch of transit vehicles. Current vehicle schedule adherence and optimum scenarios for schedule adjustment are also provided. It also receives and processes transit vehicle loading data.False
Transit Center Information Services'Transit Center Information Services' collects the latest available information for a transit service and makes it available to transit customers and to Transportation Information Centers for further distribution. Customers are provided information at transit stops and other public transportation areas before they embark and on–board the transit vehicle once they are en route. Information provided can include the latest available information on transit routes, schedules, transfer options, fares, real–time schedule adherence, current incidents, weather conditions, yellow pages, and special events. In addition to general service information, tailored information (e.g., itineraries) are provided to individual transit users.False
Transit Center Multi–Modal Coordination'Transit Center Multi–Modal Coordination' supports transit service coordination between transit properties and coordinates with other surface and air transportation modes. As part of service coordination, it shares schedule and trip information, as well as transit transfer cluster (a collection of stop points, stations, or terminals where transfers can be made conveniently) and transfer point information between Multimodal Transportation Service Providers, Transit Agencies, and ISPs. An interface to Traffic Management also supports demand management strategies.False
Transit Center Paratransit Operations'Transit Center Paratransit Operations' manages demand responsive transit services, including paratransit services. It supports planning and scheduling of these services, allowing paratransit and other demand response transit services to plan efficient routes and better estimate arrival times. It also supports automated dispatch of paratransit vehicles and tracks passenger pick–ups and drop–offs. Customer service operator systems are updated with the most current schedule information.False
Transit Center Passenger Counting'Transit Center Passenger Counting' receives and processes transit vehicle loading data using two–way communications from equipped transit vehicles.False
Transit Center Security'Transit Center Security' monitors transit vehicle operator or traveler activated alarms received from on–board a transit vehicle. It supports transit vehicle operator authentication and provides the capability to remotely disable a transit vehicle. It also includes the capability to alert operators and police to potential incidents identified by these security features.False
Transit Center Vehicle Assignment'Transit Center Vehicle Assignment' assigns individual transit vehicles to vehicle blocks and downloads this information to the transit vehicle. It also provides an exception handling process for the vehicle assignment function to generate new, supplemental vehicle assignments when required by changes during the operating day. It provides an inventory management function for the transit facility which stores functional attributes about each of the vehicles owned by the transit operator. These attributes permit the planning and assignment functions to match vehicles with routes based on suitability for the types of service required by the particular routes.False
Transit Center Vehicle Tracking'Transit Center Vehicle Tracking' monitors transit vehicle location. The location information is collected via a data communication link between the transit vehicles and the transit center. The location information is presented to the transit operator on a digitized map of the transit service area. The location data may be used to determine real time schedule adherence and update the transit system's schedule in real–time. The real–time schedule information is disseminated to other information providers, which furnish the information to travelers.False
Transit Garage Maintenance'Transit Garage Maintenance' provides advanced maintenance functions for the transit property. It collects operational and maintenance data from transit vehicles, manages vehicle service histories, and monitors operators and vehicles. It collects vehicle mileage data and uses it to automatically generate preventative maintenance schedules for each vehicle by utilizing vehicle tracking data. In addition, it provides information to service personnel to support maintenance activities and records and verifies that maintenance work was performed.False

Interfaces To

(View Context Diagram)

BCTA Transit Management Center
City of Pittsburgh Traffic Management Center (CityTMC)
City/County Emergency Operations Center
County 911 Centers
County EMA Centers
Local Fire and Rescue Services
MMVTA Offices
Park–n–Ride Facilities
PennDOT Central Office Organizations
Personal Traveler Information Devices
PRT Offices
PRT Operations Center
PRT Police and Security Services
Regional Media Outlets
Regional Transit Vehicles
Regional Travel Information System
SPC CommuteInfo Ridesharing Program
Western Region Traffic Management Center (PennDOT)