feasibility study of real time parking information at ... - WMATA.com
feasibility study of real time parking information at ... - WMATA.com
feasibility study of real time parking information at ... - WMATA.com
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<strong>WMATA</strong> Real-Time Parking<br />
Inform<strong>at</strong>ion Feasibility Study<br />
Chapter 5: OPTIONS AND PREFERRED<br />
SYSTEM FOR <strong>WMATA</strong><br />
Trafficland<br />
Trafficland (http://www.trafficland.<strong>com</strong>) is a vendor th<strong>at</strong> provides traffic camera services<br />
to a number <strong>of</strong> st<strong>at</strong>e departments <strong>of</strong> transport<strong>at</strong>ion (DOTs), including VDOT. Trafficland<br />
video streams are available on both the trafficland.<strong>com</strong> web site and the 511 Virginia<br />
website. The site <strong>of</strong>fers mostly video camera links, but does not <strong>of</strong>fer additional<br />
<strong>inform<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> such as travel <strong>time</strong>s. Should the vendor decide to include <strong>real</strong> <strong>time</strong> <strong>parking</strong><br />
<strong>inform<strong>at</strong>ion</strong>, it could integr<strong>at</strong>e a subscription to the <strong>WMATA</strong> d<strong>at</strong>a feed into general<br />
<strong>inform<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> and user-customized pages.<br />
GPS and Navig<strong>at</strong>ion Inform<strong>at</strong>ion Vendors<br />
A number <strong>of</strong> GPS and s<strong>at</strong>ellite radio oper<strong>at</strong>ors <strong>of</strong>fer additional service packages th<strong>at</strong><br />
include traffic <strong>inform<strong>at</strong>ion</strong>. The services can integr<strong>at</strong>e traffic <strong>inform<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> into GPS<br />
directions, enabling users to identify faster routes by incorpor<strong>at</strong>ing <strong>real</strong>-<strong>time</strong> traffic<br />
<strong>inform<strong>at</strong>ion</strong>. Two examples are as follows:<br />
• MSN Direct <strong>of</strong>fers service with info such as traffic incidents, speed, we<strong>at</strong>her, gas<br />
prices, movie <strong>time</strong>s, local events, news, stock quotes, etc. Prices for the service<br />
range from $50 per year to $130 for the device’s life<strong>time</strong>.<br />
• Clear Channel <strong>of</strong>fers traffic d<strong>at</strong>a via FM radio transmissions. The price for the<br />
service is $60 per year, but is included in the purchase price <strong>of</strong> some GPS<br />
models.<br />
<strong>WMATA</strong> Rel<strong>at</strong>ionship with Value Added Resellers<br />
In all <strong>of</strong> these applic<strong>at</strong>ions, <strong>WMATA</strong> can make the d<strong>at</strong>a available in <strong>real</strong> <strong>time</strong> with a<br />
negoti<strong>at</strong>ed agreement. This would allow for the establishing <strong>of</strong> a formal <strong>com</strong>munic<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
means between <strong>WMATA</strong> and the priv<strong>at</strong>e interest. It will be assumed th<strong>at</strong> the priv<strong>at</strong>e<br />
sector will be responsible for taking the d<strong>at</strong>a in the form<strong>at</strong> provided by <strong>WMATA</strong>, and<br />
manipul<strong>at</strong>ing and adding value <strong>at</strong> no cost to <strong>WMATA</strong>.<br />
Potential New Applic<strong>at</strong>ions<br />
Many <strong>of</strong> the means <strong>of</strong> <strong>com</strong>munic<strong>at</strong>ing with the public have been around for decades.<br />
DMS and HAR are over 30 years old, and Highway Advisory Telephone systems have<br />
been available prior to the new gener<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> 511 systems. While the trend is certainly<br />
towards mobile devices, it is difficult to predict exactly how this will evolve in the <strong>com</strong>ing<br />
years. The US Department <strong>of</strong> Transport<strong>at</strong>ion also coordin<strong>at</strong>es the n<strong>at</strong>ional IntelliDrive<br />
initi<strong>at</strong>ive. As the former Vehicle Infrastructure Integr<strong>at</strong>ion effort, this project is intended<br />
to develop standards and applic<strong>at</strong>ions for intelligent vehicles th<strong>at</strong> would receive<br />
<strong>inform<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> throughout the transport<strong>at</strong>ion network. While this will eventually result in<br />
new applic<strong>at</strong>ions, these are likely several years after deployment <strong>of</strong> this <strong>parking</strong> system.<br />
Wh<strong>at</strong> can be determined is the level <strong>of</strong> effort th<strong>at</strong> <strong>WMATA</strong> will put into informing its<br />
users. <strong>WMATA</strong> has dedic<strong>at</strong>ed significant amounts <strong>of</strong> money and effort to cre<strong>at</strong>e an<br />
effective, inform<strong>at</strong>ive web site th<strong>at</strong> also allows <strong>inform<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> to be sent to mobile devices.<br />
There also is a <strong>com</strong>mitment to use DMS for specific projects (such as this smart <strong>parking</strong><br />
Page 5-8 June 2009
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