Automated Vehicle Location Fact Sheet: Human Service Transit

Technology Overview

AVL and real-time communications network.
(Source: Automatic Vehicle Location Successful Transit Applications)

Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems calculate the real-time location of any vehicle equipped with a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver. Data are then transmitted to the transit center with use of radio or cellular communications and can be used immediately for daily operations as well as archived for further analysis.

As a stand-alone technology, an AVL system can be used to determine where vehicles are located and to monitor on-time performance. Combined with other technologies, AVL can deliver many benefits in the areas of fleet management, service planning, traveler information, and cost allocation. Since the greatest benefits are achieved by combining AVL with other Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies, AVL is most appropriate for large human services agencies or brokerages with more than 50 vehicles that plan to implement a comprehensive ITS.

Common Technology Combinations

Daily Operations
Combined with Computer-Aided Dispatch and Scheduling (CADS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), AVL allows vehicles to be rerouted in real time to accommodate schedule changes and to optimize the number of trips provided. Agencies often realize reductions in nonrevenue miles, passenger wait times, and fleet size. With the addition of Mobile Data Terminals (MDT), drivers can be provided with maps and directions for each segment of their route.

More Technology Facts

Safety and Security
Many AVL systems incorporate silent alarms, which allow drivers to covertly alert transit management and police in emergency situations. The vehicle location is displayed on a GIS map to facilitate incident response.

Fare Payment and Cost Allocation
One barrier to coordinated human services transit is the challenge of allocating costs appropriately among agencies. Smart Card Identification (ID) or fare cards integrated with AVL systems allow agencies to be billed on the basis of the number of trips and the distance of each. Data provided by such a system can increase access to travel patterns for systems planning and can streamline reporting.

Is this Technology Right for My Agency?

Adequate Resources

• Capacity for data transmission and storage.
• Staff resources to analyze data and maintain and manage AVL system.

Integration

• Interoperability with existing and planned technologies of all partnering agencies.
• Flexibility to add agencies and vehicles.
• Clearly defined responsibilities among agencies.

Implementation

• Testing technology on a subset of vehicles.
• Contracting for adequate training of all staff.
• Allowing for more time to implement than anticipated.

AVL systems are a core technology only for large human services agencies or brokerages (those with 50 or more vehicles) or medium-sized urban agencies, for which trip lengths are inconsistent and vehicle use is high. Since human services transit has more information about its passengers and their travel patterns than do most types of transit, AVL should be considered only by agencies that can benefit from the efficiencies afforded by real-time scheduling.

Benefits and Costs

Benefits Kansas City achieved reduced incident-response time, from 7-15 to 2-3 minutes, with use of AVL. San Jose reduced paratransit expenditures from $4.88 to $3.72 per passenger trip. London (Ontario) saved $45,000 annually by eliminating manual schedule adherence checking. Sweetwater County, WY, almost doubled ridership without increasing dispatching staff by implementing AVL and CADS. Operating expenses decreased 50% per passenger mile. AVL and CADS allowed St. John's County Council on Aging in Augustine, FL, to reduce its scheduling, dispatching, and billing staff by half. Trips per vehicle hour have increased from 0.5 to 2.5. Collects driver log for use by payroll and passenger information for billing. AVL can be paired with SmartCard Readers for easier, more efficient fare collection. This can make fare payment easier for older or disabled passengers and allow transit to keep on schedule.

GIS maps can be provided to drivers using MDTs to direct them to their next stop. (Photo courtesy of http://www.aitec.it) Costs Product Cost Onboard GPS equipment ranges from $500 to $2,000 per vehicle; complete implementation costs (including control center hardware, installation, and training) range from $ 4,000 to $10,000 per vehicle. Required upgrades to communications systems can add significant costs. Additional ITS applications (CADS, real-time traveler information systems, automatic passenger counters (APC), automatic fare cards (AFC), video surveillance, silent alarms) are not included in these costs. Operations and Maintenance AVL alone provides limited operational savings. It facilitates communications and reporting and can improve systems planning. More significant savings are seen with the addition of CADS, which provides the ability to serve more customers with existing resources. Additional technology specialists are often needed to develop, manage, and maintain ITS systems. Consultants and manufacturers can provide some technical assistance, but in-house staff are more effective for all but the smallest agencies.

Human Services Transit Agency Deployments

Additional Resources

Websites

USDOT ITS Databases

• http://www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov
• http://www.itscosts.its.dot.gov
• http://www.itslessons.its.dot.gov

United We Ride — http://www.unitedweride.gov/
Mobility Services for All Americans — http://www.its.dot.gov/msaa/index.htm