The Need:
Pierce Transit of Tacoma,
WA had installed a transit signal priority
(TSP) system to help its vehicles operate
more efficiently. While initial results
were encouraging, the system generated a
great deal of potentially useful but unruly
data that simply wasn't being used. This
data, properly harnessed, could give Pierce's
decision makers a much better understanding
of their vehicles' performance.
The Solution:
At the invitation of
DKS Associates, who had implemented the
TSP system for Pierce, GHS took on the task
of determining how the unused data could
be tamed, and how it could best be used.
The end result was the development of BusSpeak™.
This system filters and refines the data
so that it shows the times each vehicle
on a given route arrived at and departed
selected stops on the route. By comparing
this data with schedule data, BusSpeak™
can then allow Pierce officials to evaluate
on-time performance for each route at any
time of day.
The Implementation:
The Pierce Transit
implementation of BusSpeak™ has been
phased over the past year. Phase one involved
generating the original idea for the product,
and developing rough models as proof-of-concept
for Pierce to inspect. Phase 2 saw the development
of BusSpeak™, and its integration
with schedule and other data, and ended
with extensive testing and evaluation. Phase
3 is currently underway, involving the refining
of BusSpeak™ and extension of its
base functionality.
The Results:
Pierce Transit's BusSpeak™
system is in regular use, helping Pierce's
planners analyze operational efficiency
and saving the agency a lot of money. For
an article by Pierce personnel discussing
(in part) BusSpeak™'s contributions,
see this
PDF document (BusSpeak™ is discussed
on p.10 and following). GHS is still actively
involved in maintaining the system, as well
as refining and expanding its capabilities.
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