feasibility study of real time parking information at ... - WMATA.com

WMATA Real-Time Parking
Information Feasibility Study
Currently Existing Applications
Chapter 5: OPTIONS AND PREFERRED
SYSTEM FOR WMATA
Northern Virginia currently has a number of existing applications that could potentially
include or incorporate real-time parking information. These are described below. The
information from the smart parking system is discussed relative to each application.
WMATA Web and Mobile Device Interfaces
WMATA provides an extensive web site (http://wmata.com). The site currently offers a
variety of real-time information, including alerts for service changes and interruptions
and the status of accessible elevators. Arrival
information for the next trains at each station is Figure 5-2 WMATA Next
available. Bus arrival information had previously Train Information
been provided by NextBus; however, that service is
not currently available on the WMATA site.
WMATA also currently provides a version of their web
page enhanced for portable devices
(http://wmata.com/mobile). The agency also makes
service alerts and other information available via
RSS/XML feeds, including train arrival information, as
shown in Figure 5-2.
Because WMATA is already delivering real-time
information to its customers, the addition of parking
information to existing systems can be done with
minimal need for additional resources. The same
basic information feed that would be used on the
WMATA web site can also be used for many of the
other applications described herein.
Initial Installation
The first deployment would be on a test web site, which could be either inside or outside
of the WMATA domain. Following internal user testing, the links could be made
available for public testing. It is recommended that the test link be emailed to a subset
of SmarTrip users who are known to have used the facility in the past thirty days. The
test link can be followed some days later with a brief web-based customer service
survey that will seek to identify if the information is perceived favorably by users, and
whether the use of the information is causing them to alter their use of the facility. It is
possible that improved information could result in increased demand for parking and
that, as a result, the facilities could fill sooner and need to be closed earlier.
Following satisfactory results of the pilot test and incorporating user feedback, the
information link can then be included in the following WMATA information pages (a
graphic representation is shown in Figure 5-3):
• Station information pages for stations with real-time parking information,
• Parking information for those stations, and
• Online maps with driving directions link for those stations.
Page 5-3 June 2009