511 Texas

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511 for Texas Getting TxDOT Onboard Alex
Power Texas Department of Transportation July 19,
2006
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Paradigm Shifts

• In Texas, the barriers have been primary
  Political and Cultural
• Cost vs. Value
• No dedicated Funding Source
• Defining 511
• Program development and delivery methods
• Purpose Traffic Management ? Travel Info
• Transit and other Alternative transportation
  options historically overlooked but needs are
  great and increasing

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Transit Regional Service PlanningMPO/COGs as
lead

• Department of Transportation
• Metropolitan Transit Authorities
• Small Urban Federal 5307 Program
• Rural/Non-Urbanized Transit Systems Federal
  5311 Program
• Elderly Disabled Transportation Federal 5310
  Program
• Intercity Bus Program
• Department of TransportationNon-Emergency
  Medical Transportation Program
• Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
• Commission for the Blind
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Independent Living Program
• Blind Childrens Vocational Discovery
  Development
• Interagency Council on Early Childhood
  Intervention
• Texas Workforce Commission
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Choices
• Welfare-to-Work
• Department on Aging
• Department of Health Kidney Health Care

• Department of Human Services
• Adult Foster Care
• Program of All-Inclusive Care for the
  Elderly/PACE
• Day Activity and Health Services
• Community Based Alternatives
• Residential Care/CBA
• In-home and Family Support
• Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs
• Family Violence
• Skilled Nursing Facility
• Department of Mental Health/Mental Retardation
  (TDMHMR)
• State Mental Health/Mental Retardation Facilities
• Community MHMR Centers
• Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally
  Retarded
• Home and Community Services
• In-Home and Family Support
• Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
  Child Adult Protective Services
• Rehabilitation Commission
• Vocational Rehabilitation

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Agenda

• Nationwide 511 Program Overview
• What is 511?
• Basic Content Optional/Enhanced
• National Vision for 511
• Then and Now
• SAFETEA-LU calls for 511
• Real-time System Management Information Program
• Lesson Learned from Deployment Coalition
• Do we really need 511 in Texas?
• Yes Lets Build 511Texas!

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Agenda

• Strategy for Implementing 511 in Texas
• Who will use it, and howWho Benefits?
• How will data get into the system?
• Stakeholders
• What will it look like?
• How much to build, operate, maintain?
• TxDOTs costs can be minimized and/or offset

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What is 511?

• Culmination of efforts in ITS, traffic incident
  management, public transportation and impacts of
  severe weather
• Puts a face on ITS, in a single access point
• Simple packaging for easy use
• End user is Joe Q Public, not traffic engineers
• All transportation needs
• Multi-modal transfers
• Multi-jurisdiction
• Multi-agency

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Basic Content

• Roadway
• Highway and Arterials (include toll roads,
  turnpikes)
• Include construction info, but only as it impacts
  driving conditions
• Transit / Public Transportation
• Call transfer is often employed
• Weather
• Information associated with observed and
  forecasted weather and road surface conditions
  that may impact travel

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Optional Content

• Tourism Information
• Special Events
• Parking
• Local Information / Points of Interest
• Interregional Information
• Driving Directions
• Public Transportation Trip Itinerary Planning
• Multimodal Routing and Trip Planning
• Local Transportation Facilities Information
• Local Transportation Services Information
• Concierge Services
• Personalized Services
• Incident Reporting
• Other N11 services
• Customer Feedback

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The National Vision for 511

• 511 will be a customer driven multi-modal
  traveler information service, available across
  the United States, accessed via telephones and
  other personal communications devices, realized
  through locally deployed interoperable systems,
  enabling a safer, more reliable and efficient
  transportation system.

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The National Vision for 511

• 511 will be a customer driven multi-modal
  traveler information service, available across
  the United States, accessed via telephones and
  other personal communications devices, realized
  through locally deployed interoperable systems,
  enabling a safer, more reliable and efficient
  transportation system.

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The National Vision for 511

• 511 will be a customer driven multi-modal
  traveler information service, available across
  the United States, accessed via telephones and
  other personal communications devices, realized
  through locally deployed interoperable systems,
  enabling a safer, more reliable and efficient
  transportation system.

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The National Vision for 511

• 511 will be a customer driven multi-modal
  traveler information service, available across
  the United States, accessed via telephones and
  other personal communications devices, realized
  through locally deployed interoperable systems,
  enabling a safer, more reliable and efficient
  transportation system.

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The National Vision for 511

• 511 will be a customer driven multi-modal
  traveler information service, available across
  the United States, accessed via telephones and
  other personal communications devices, realized
  through locally deployed interoperable systems,
  enabling a safer, more reliable and efficient
  transportation system.

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The National Vision for 511

• 511 will be a customer driven multi-modal
  traveler information service, available across
  the United States, accessed via telephones and
  other personal communications devices, realized
  through locally deployed interoperable systems,
  enabling a safer, more reliable and efficient
  transportation system.

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The National Vision for 511

• 511 will be a customer driven multi-modal
  traveler information service, available across
  the United States, accessed via telephones and
  other personal communications devices, realized
  through locally deployed interoperable systems,
  enabling a safer, more reliable and efficient
  transportation system.

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The National Vision for 511

• 511 will be a customer driven multi-modal
  traveler information service, available across
  the United States, accessed via telephones and
  other personal communications devices, realized
  through locally deployed interoperable systems,
  enabling a safer, more reliable and efficient
  transportation system.

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511 is supported by
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Originally, just a phone service
511 is the cherry on top
511 Routing
Telephone System
Traveler Information System
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Now, many output formats
Traveler Information System
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Now, many output formats
511 Database ? Source Data Fusion
Traveler Information System
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Now, many output formats
PDAWebsitePhone number
511 Database ? Source Data Fusion
Traveler Information System
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Regard 511 as an evolving service...

• designed to attract and retain users.
• The most successful 511 services track, respond
  to, and even try to predict user needs
• One mechanism to capture user feedback is to
  incorporate a comment line on the 511 menu tree
• Programmers should have flexibility in designing
  an evolving 511 service

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Rapid evolution in 511 services

• The Bay Area 511 has evolved rapidly since its
  launch, but managing that development and
  ensuring accuracy is a challenge for the
  Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC),
  which operates the service
• In the Fall 2002, focus groups were conducted to
  establish what features consumers wanted in a
  travel information service. Until then, the Bay
  Area 511 was a solely phone-based service
  providing only basic information
• Results from those focus groups formed the basis
  for 511s expansion since Dec-02 to a
  multi-platform service (phone and web), providing
  information on Current driving conditions,
  Bicycling routes, and Ridesharing
• Features such as Driver Times which provides
  driving times between locations are subject to
  periodic tests to ensure information is accurate
• The MTC mandates that driving times provided by
  511 must be within three minutes of actual travel
  time for trips less than 20 minutes and within
  20 for longer trips
• Testing is conducted by having drivers equipped
  with GPS sensors traverse various routes at
  different times of day and comparing their times
  with those issued for the same journey by 511

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Example Deployments

• No single guideline for deployment, but resources
  available at deploy511.org
• Regional, transit-oriented, MPO
• San Francisco Bay Area
• 511.org - Your Bay Area travel guide
• Statewide, SOV-oriented, and tourism, DOT
• State of Kentucky
• Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 511.ky.gov

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The Who, What, When, and Where of 511511 is
Traveler Information that can be ? ? ?

• Gathered from many different sources
• Traffic sensors
• Aerial surveillance
• Transit location
• Incident detection
• Weather monitoring
• To advise of various situations (including, and
  other than free-flowing traffic)
• Incidents other Delays
• Road weather
• Transit schedule fare (i.e. NextBus)
• Travel times
• Emergency alerts
• Alternate routes
• In a variety of settings
• Rush hour
• Work zones
• Parking Special events
• Natural disasters severe weather
• Crashes and other incidents

• Delivered through multiple communications
  channels
• Website
• Transit or other kiosk
• PDA
• Telephone
• DMS
• In-vehicle navigation
• To many types of travelers
• Daily commuters
• Regional or cross-country vacationers
• Commercial vehicle operators
• Persons with disabilities, clients of human
  services agencies, and others who can be
  described as transportation disadvantaged
• For a variety of outcomes
• Confirm/Change route
• Confirm/Change mode
• Confirm/Change departure time
• Change destination

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• 511 real-time Traveler Information
  for the General Public
• It is not just a listing of scheduled roadway
  conditions,
• or a tool for transportation professionals(i.e.
  planners, engineers, contractors, etc.)

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Managed Lanes (includes Value Pricing, HOV, HOT,
Express lanes, etc., and promotes transit
enhancements)


Transit (includes persons with disabilities,
clients of human services agencies, and others
who can be described as transportation
disadvantaged, as well as commuters, and
non-drivers such as students and elderly citizens)

Congestion Mitigation Air Quality
(CMAQ) (includes RideShare, Transit, Bicycle and
Pedestrian efforts)
HCRS
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Managed Lanes (includes Value Pricing, HOV, HOT,
Express lanes, etc., and promotes transit
enhancements)


Transit (includes persons with disabilities,
clients of human services agencies, and others
who can be described as transportation
disadvantaged, as well as commuters, and
non-drivers such as students and elderly citizens)

Congestion Mitigation Air Quality
(CMAQ) (includes RideShare, Transit, Bicycle and
Pedestrian efforts)
HCRS
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511Texas
www.511tx.org
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511Texas
www.511tx.org
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Traveling Public Daily commuters, Leisure
travelers vacationers, Transit-dependent
citizens
Commercial Vehicle Operators Interstate
commerce, and Regional mobility
511Texas
www.511tx.org
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Who will Use 511Texas How will they Use it
How will they Benefit?
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Traveling Public Daily commuters, Leisure
travelers vacationers, Transit-dependent
citizens
Commercial Vehicle Operators Interstate
commerce, and Regional mobility
Roadside Assistance Public Private operators
511Texas
Texas Tourism
www.511tx.org
2-1-1 operators other social services
Office of Emergency Management Statewide, and
Regional
Statewide, multi-disciplined service for all
roadway-oriented transportation issues
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511Texas Stakeholders

• TxDOT
• Administration (ADM)
• Aviation (AVN)
• Construction (CST)
• General Counsel (OGC)
• General Services (GSD)
• Government and Business Enterprises Division
  (GBE)
• Information Systems (ISD)
• Maintenance (MNT)
• Motor Carrier (MCD)
• Public Information (PIO)
• Public Transportation (PTN)
• Traffic Operations (TRF)
• Transportation, Planning Programming (TPP)
• Travel (TRV)
• Turnpike Authority Division (TTA)
• Representative districts and TMCs (urban and
  rural)

• State
• Governor
• Legislature
• Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
• Department of Information Resources (DIR)
• Texas Transportation Commission
• Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS)
• Texas Parks and Recreation

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511Texas Stakeholders

• Federal
• Homeland Security, Texas Division
• USGS
• NOAA
• National Parks and Wildlife
• Regional
• MPOs, COGs, Cities (especially Police, Fire, EMS,
  Public Works/Transportation)
• RMAs, Toll Authorities (county, regional)
• Transit Operators (CapMetro, DART, etc.)
  including metro, urban, and rural providers

• Private enterprise, associations, etc.
• American Automobile Association (AAA)
• ITS Texas
• Road Bridge Builders Association
• TexITE
• Texas Transit Association
• Commercial vehicle industry
• Internet Service Providers (ISPs), media, and
  telecomm providers/carriers (Yahoo, etc.)
• Information/Application Service Providers
  (Traffic.com, SmartRoute Systems, etc.)
• Major employers (a traffic generator can become a
  partner)

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What Will 511Texas Look Like?

• TxDOT Roadway Conditions / HCRS
• TxDOT Roadway Information Portal
  dot.state.tx.us/hcr/main.htm

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Statewide Roadway Information TxDOTs current
site by County
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Statewide Roadway Information TxDOTs current
site by District
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What Will 511Texas Look Like?

• TxDOT Roadway Conditions / HCRS
• TxDOT Roadway Information Portal
  dot.state.tx.us/hcr/main.htm
• Metropolitan TMCs
• Amarillo PEGASIS
• Dallas DalTrans Fort Worth TransVISION
• El Paso TransVista
• Houston TranStar
• San Antonio TransGuide

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Need to Track All Roadway Types (whether
tax-funded or tolled)Local Freeways
ArterialsInterregional, Statewide Interstate
Corridors
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What Will It Look Like?

• TxDOT Roadway Conditions / HCRS
• Metropolitan TMCs
• Texas Regional Service Planning
• http//www.regionalserviceplanning.org/

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Regional Service Plans under development
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What Will It Look Like?

• TxDOT Roadway Conditions / HCRS
• Metropolitan TMCs
• Texas Regional Service Planning
• Texas Tourism
• Texas Its like a whole other country
  http//traveltex.com/regional.asp?SN8757177LS0

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Texas Tourism
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TxDOTs costs for 511Texas can be minimized
and/or offset through a variety of methods

• Identify and request multiple small sources of
  funds from other Federal and TxDOT programs
• CMAQ, STP, NHS, Construction, Maintenance,
  Safety, Enhancement funds, etc.
• Subscriber fees for personalized and on-demand
  information
• Email alerts (i.e. disruptions on pre-defined
  route/time last bus leaving terminal)
• Maximize resources through economies of scale by
  leveraging technologies with other state programs
  and/or other states
• One IVR system could be developed for multiple
  state agencies use
• Join a private/public coalition that operates a
  511 system for several states
• Share/divide costs with participating partners,
  on a cash basis or through in-kind services and
  co-marketing efforts
• If a transit agency already has an IVR, then use
  of it for 511Texas could be its contribution to
  the project
• A partners existing ad agency contract can be
  tapped for 511Texas, with administrative costs as
  that partners contribution
• All partners can co-brand their marketing with
  511Texas, and utilize their PIO/PR resources to
  execute the 511Texas efforts

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511Texas
www.511tx.org