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Urban Transport Technology Article - High-Flying Software Raises Efficiency

Written by: Trapeze Software Group
Printed in Urban Transport Technology 2001

Internet Applications for Transport

Everyone has jumped on board the Internet bandwagon. But just what practical, useful functionalities are possible on the Internet that can be applied to a transport organisation's day-to-day business?

That the Internet is an excellent tool for communicating information is a bit of an understatement. The accessibility of the Internet - the ability to log on to a Web site from any on-line connection, whether at home, work or play - has been the primary use of this medium.

Anything and everything in print, audio and video can be placed on-line. For transport organisations, operations-related information includes service areas, routes, timetables and transport programmes.

Pull vs push: the user in control

The Internet's most attractive and unique feature is its interactive capabilities. The "pull versus push" effect is very much in play - users request transport information from a Web site (the "pull"), which obtains the data from the server and posts appropriate information to the user. This automated response system relieves the amount of effort needed to provide the public with specific information (the "push").

A richer, more interactive medium than any other, the Internet can be used to implement many existing customer services that are offered by audio, such as a computerised voice system (IVR) or a call centre agent.

The possible applications for conventional transport include:

• Closest stop information. Users can type in their location to find out where the closest bus stops are;
• Real-time next bus information. When interfaced with transport telematics technologies such as automatic vehicle location, real-time information on bus arrivals can be presented to users;
• Journey planning. Users can type in an origin and destination to request information on the best bus routes for a journey. The server would quickly find this information for the user to view. The resulting itinerary could include walking distances, travel times, transfers, and a map of the route.
  

The information sent by the end-user to the server can also be stored, making the Internet an excellent medium for collecting data. This applies as well to the booking trips for a demand-response service programme.

An example of required booking data that a user would enter to convey back to a transport organisation include:

• Pick-up address (origin);
• Date of trip;
• Requested pick-up or arrival time;
• Drop-off address (destination);
• Accompanying passenger.
  

Trip confirmation and cancellation notification can also be applied. If registration for service is required prior to utilising the service, riders can be registered on-line.

The key aspect of an Internet application is that it gives users and service providers the control and choice of searching/providing specific information about your service from a place and time that is convenient for them.

Behind the scenes

The challenge, of course, is that the Internet is only the backbone, or perhaps what you would call the operating system - of these functionalities. The actual interface and user features must be designed, developed and programmed.

Trapeze Software Group, a developer of people transport software solutions, has developed and deployed technologies for the Internet.

Trapeze-INFO-WEB and Trapeze-PASS-WEB were designed to help implement conventional transport information and special needs transport trip booking functionality on the Internet, respectively.

A large amount of information is necessary for such systems to be accurate and effective; there's route data, map data, customer data… the list goes on. Data integrity becomes a key issue. This is one of the many operational benefits of the Trapeze products.

Developed with an ODBC-compliant, open-database concept, the Trapeze system houses its data in one large "container". Minimising islands of data and products through an "integrated database and all-in-one container plug and play component concept" is principal to well designed information technology systems today. The open-database structure also enables seamless integration and communication of data with other transport telematics technologies such as map sources, on-vehicle devices and automatic vehicle location. This infrastructure is also exceptionally compatible with the Internet.

Space exploration

There are still challenges to overcome on the Internet. With maximum modem speeds of 56kb and lower, slow Web page loading speed is still a barrier to usage, and we are probably still a few years away from high-speed, broadband Internet access that is readily available to all.

Indeed, there is still much scepticism and cynicism that conventional transport users even have Internet access or the computer literacy required to properly navigate through a Web site.