Tri-Rail Uses MapObjects and GPS Technology To Inform Passengers

The Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority in South Florida has contracted with GeoFocus, Inc. (Gainesville, Florida), to improve communication by using MapObjects software and GPS technology to better inform its passengers of its trains' schedule performance. Tri-Rail is a commuter train system in South Florida running a 72-mile line between Miami Airport Station and Mangonia Park. In recent years, Tri-Rail had seen some decline in ridership. One of the contributing problems was that the trains were not consistently on time, thereby giving passengers little confidence in the schedule. Tri-Rail needed a better system of informing its passengers of the real-time status of its trains. Gil Roberts, Tri-Rail's executive director, states, "We found that people don't mind train delays as much, as long as they are kept informed."

The solution to the problem was a tracking system consisting of GPS receivers connected to special tracking computers tied to wireless modems on every Tri-Rail train. The trains then broadcast their positional data to a master base station that uses a MapObjects application. All trains will be simultaneously tracked at the master base station terminal. The system will in turn be connected to the message boards at the rail stations for passengers to be kept informed as to each train's status. The Train-Trac system has been designed and will be installed by GeoFocus.

A unique feature of the GeoFocus-built train tracking system is that communication between the train and the base station is two way. This two-way communication will allow it to augment the current safety system in place.

GeoFocus plans to use the following system to complete the project. A ruggedized fully weatherproof GPS tracking computer built by GeoFocus will be mounted on each train. The GPS signal acquired will be sent to an integral wireless modem. The signal will be broadcast over the wireless network to a master base station.

To the Message Board Via MapObjects

Using a MapObjects application, the master base station will display the status of trains in real time. Location, time, speed, and train number will all be displayed at the master base station for each train. Taking this positional information, the system will then use the train schedule to calculate the relative performance of each train to published schedules. It will then be known, for example, that train P601 is exactly six minutes behind its scheduled arrival time at the Miami Airport Station. This information will then be displayed at each customer service representative's computer terminal.

A MapObjects LT application will then be used at each of the respective terminals to display the progress of each train on the line. The message board information will be disseminated separately from the master base station to the station platform message boards throughout the 72-mile corridor. The interface from the master base station to the message boards at each rail station will provide passengers with automatically updated information of their train's arrival time.

The automated message board capability of the Train-Trac system will reduce existing message board updating costs by as much as 60 percent. Currently all message board information is entered manually and must be continually updated. Future plans are in the works to use the new MapObjects Internet Map Server to provide access to train information on the Web. Passengers will then be able to dial in and see the progress of their train and leave home at the appropriate time.

An additional improvement to passenger information will be the interface of the system to an automated audio update system for disabled passengers. This improvement will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

There are several additional benefits of the system and many are still to be uncovered. The system will be used to augment existing train crew communications. "It will be used most strongly in the area of customer information," says Gil Roberts. The system will, however, expand the current train data logging capabilities and allow for additional train control flexibility in the future. Every day's tracking information will be logged and used to improve the scheduling of trains.

The Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority expects this new system to provide riders with accurate and timely information. GeoFocus is an ESRI Business Partner specializing in GIS consulting services and MapObjects development as well as producing electronic spatial data collection equipment. For more information, please contact Dwain Jenkins, GeoFocus, Inc. (tel.: 352-336-8444; Web: www.gfocus.com).

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