1. A statewide trip planner for Vermont Public Transit
Flexible
trip planning
A statewide trip planner for Vermont Public Transit

2. Why are we talking about Vermont?
In 2014, Vermont Agency of Transportation moved forward with a statewide Google Transit implementation.
Every agency in the state (10 total) was live in ~6 months
Great move forward, but they encountered a problem…
Google didn’t display all their service!
In 2017, the FTA funded a MOD Sandbox project to help Vermont fix the problem, and the software developed by that project is now available to all, open source.

3. Timetables are tough step 1 step 6 step 5 step 2 step 4 step 3 step 7
(destination)
step 6
(transfer timing point)
step 2
(my house)
step 5
(transfer timing point)
step 3
(transfer point)
step 7
(origination)
step 4
(destination timing point)

4. All you need is GTFS to simplify customer info.
Trip planners are easy: they revolutionized transit.
Replace screenshots with Vermont agency/agencies?
All you need is GTFS to simplify customer info.

5. If you operate fixed route transit.
Google Transit and GTFS are very urban-focused.
They make assumptions about schedules, frequency.
They ignore flexible transit features.
Google and other apps are proprietary software. Changes can only be requested.

6. Google Transit is Awesome
An Open Alternative
Google Transit is Awesome
GTFS – General Transit Feed Specification
- we can build other apps off the same data
OSM – OpenStreetMap
- free, community-managed database of streets
OTP – OpenTripPlanner
- software to generate trip plans

7. Google Transit is Awesome
An Open Alternative
Google Transit is Awesome
Open data (GTFS and OSM) +
Open source software (OTP) =
a “Google Maps” that Vermont agencies have total control over, and can adapt in any way we see fit.

8. Project Phase 1—Finished February 2018
Adapt OTP to read “GTFS-flex” (see gtfsflex.com)
Final trip planner shows all public agency services in Vermont
Scheduled (including hail-and-ride)
On demand (deviations, dial-a-ride)
Agency policies conveyed in trip planner
Work with agencies to refine and customize
Share data, software, lessons with developers and other agencies

9. Current Google trip planner

10. Same trip in OTP

11. Demonstration links Poultney flag stop to Rutland Regional
&date=04%2F16%2F2018&time=10%3A29%20AM&arriveBy=false&maxWalkDistance=804&mode=TRANSIT%2CWALK&numItine raries=3&flagStopBufferSize=50&useReservationServices=true&useEligibilityServices=true&maxPreTransitTime=1800
Rural Sugar Hill Road DAR connection to Rutland
&date=04%2F21%2F2018&time=7%3A29%20AM&arriveBy=false&maxWalkDistance=402&mode=TRANSIT%2CWALK &numItineraries=3&flagStopBufferSize=50&useReservationServices=true&useEligibilityServices=true&maxPreTransitTime=1800
Flag stops South of Rutland to UVM for under $10
&date=04%2F21%2F2018&time=7%3A29%20AM&arriveBy=false&maxWalkDistance=4828&mode=TRANSIT%2CWALK&numItine raries=3&flagStopBufferSize=50&useReservationServices=true&useEligibilityServices=false&maxPreTransitTime=1800
North of Manchester connection to Bennington
&date=04%2F21%2F2018&time=9%3A29%20AM&arriveBy=false&maxWalkDistance=402&mode=TRANSIT%2CWALK& numItineraries=3&flagStopBufferSize=50&useReservationServices=true&useEligibilityServices=false&maxPreTransitTime=1800

12. Project Phase 2—Began March 2018
Collect feedback from users
Google Analytics and user feedback in-app
Define plan for integration into agency websites
Review with agencies and continue to refine
Integrate additional modes
Taxis
Vanpools
Private and intercity
Identify missing landmark names

13. Replicability, demonstrations, and next steps
Current projects in progress
plan.govermont.org
Nashville MTA (integration with DemandTrans)
Denver RTD (Paul’s discussion)
Tools to create GTFS-flex
Hosted OpenTripPlanner services
Clear policies defined
Relatively easy booking

14. Flexible Trip Planning
Adapting OpenTripPlanner to read GTFS-flex
Thomas Craig
General Manager
ext. 4
Get Paul’s title and phone