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WMATA Real-Time Parking Information Feasibility Study Chapter 5: OPTIONS AND PREFERRED SYSTEM FOR WMATA Trafficland Trafficland (http://www.trafficland.com) is a vendor that provides traffic camera services to a number of state departments of transportation (DOTs), including VDOT. Trafficland video streams are available on both the trafficland.com web site and the 511 Virginia website. The site offers mostly video camera links, but does not offer additional information such as travel times. Should the vendor decide to include real time parking information, it could integrate a subscription to the WMATA data feed into general information and user-customized pages. GPS and Navigation Information Vendors A number of GPS and satellite radio operators offer additional service packages that include traffic information. The services can integrate traffic information into GPS directions, enabling users to identify faster routes by incorporating real-time traffic information. Two examples are as follows: • MSN Direct offers service with info such as traffic incidents, speed, weather, gas prices, movie times, local events, news, stock quotes, etc. Prices for the service range from $50 per year to $130 for the device’s lifetime. • Clear Channel offers traffic data via FM radio transmissions. The price for the service is $60 per year, but is included in the purchase price of some GPS models. WMATA Relationship with Value Added Resellers In all of these applications, WMATA can make the data available in real time with a negotiated agreement. This would allow for the establishing of a formal communication means between WMATA and the private interest. It will be assumed that the private sector will be responsible for taking the data in the format provided by WMATA, and manipulating and adding value at no cost to WMATA. Potential New Applications Many of the means of communicating with the public have been around for decades. DMS and HAR are over 30 years old, and Highway Advisory Telephone systems have been available prior to the new generation of 511 systems. While the trend is certainly towards mobile devices, it is difficult to predict exactly how this will evolve in the coming years. The US Department of Transportation also coordinates the national IntelliDrive initiative. As the former Vehicle Infrastructure Integration effort, this project is intended to develop standards and applications for intelligent vehicles that would receive information throughout the transportation network. While this will eventually result in new applications, these are likely several years after deployment of this parking system. What can be determined is the level of effort that WMATA will put into informing its users. WMATA has dedicated significant amounts of money and effort to create an effective, informative web site that also allows information to be sent to mobile devices. There also is a commitment to use DMS for specific projects (such as this smart parking Page 5-8 June 2009
WMATA Real-Time Parking Information Feasibility Study Chapter 5: OPTIONS AND PREFERRED SYSTEM FOR WMATA system). However, in most cases WMATA will make the information available to private users and resellers, but will allow them to decide the technology and method for final delivery to the user. The following are a series of additional means that could be used to improve information and use of the smart park system. Traveler Information Service Radio (TIS/HAR) Europe already uses a significant amount of FM sideband for various purposes. It would be possible for WMATA to procure low power radio stations and broadcast messages to its users over standard radio stations or through sideband. Broadcasts could be as simple as one of these messages: • Facility is open with spaces available • Facility is nearly full and will close in X minutes • Facility is full/closed; nearest facility with available parking is Licenses are typically very expensive, especially in crowded markets such as D.C. It may still be better to work with third party vendors to allow them to take the risk and assume any potential liabilities (as well as rewards) related to this application. EZ Pass Integration The majority of the current parking facilities require the use of a SmarTrip card for parking fees. The requirement that a SmarTrip card be used to exit the garage makes the use of the facilities expensive and somewhat confusing for the occasional Metrorail users and visitors from out of town, users who are most likely to use the facilities during off-peak hours. While credit cards are accepted for parking payment at certain locations, the widespread use of EZ-Pass transponders for toll payment may suggest an additional method of payment. Although mostly used for toll roads, bridges, and tunnels, EZ-Pass is also now being used for parking payment at certain airports in New York and New Jersey. For most of those facilities, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was able to expand its existing toll collection operation to incorporate parking payment. Joining the EZ-Pass consortium would potentially be costly for WMATA, and would possibly require Board approval. For this reason, EZ-Pass payment is likely best pursued in conjunction with VDOT, a current member of the EZ-Pass consortium. A full integration of EZ-Pass payment into the current WMATA payment system is beyond the scope of the current study. If implemented, EZ-Pass payment would require only minimal coordination with the parking information system, but may require significant integration of WMATA accounting and financial systems with the EZ-Pass consortium. Additionally, the cost of the equipment to read the EZ-Pass transponders remains fairly expensive. However, the ability to track a unique transponder’s entrance and exit movements would potentially increase the system’s accuracy. As currently configured, EZ-Pass transponders are not capable of displaying information, and would not be useable for alerting travelers of parking conditions prior to approaching a facility. Page 5-9 June 2009
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