Metro - File #: 2024-0502

• File #: 2024-0502
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 7/22/2024
• In control: Executive Management Committee
• On agenda: 10/24/2024
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE an update on the Metro Transit Watch app in response to Motion 46 (Attachment A).
• Sponsors: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• Indexes: Accessibility, Ara Najarian, Board approved a Motion, Cleanliness (Graffiti Abatement), Graffiti, Informational Report, James Butts, Janice Hahn, Kathryn Barger, Katy Yaroslavsky, Key Performance Indicator, Lindsey Horvath, Maintenance, Maintenance practices, Metro Transit Ambassadors, Motion / Motion Response, Outreach, Research, Safety, Safety and security, Security, Surveys, System safety, Translations, Video

Meeting_Body

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITEE

OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE

OCTOBER 24, 2024

Subject

SUBJECT:                     METRO TRANSIT WATCH APP UPDATE

Action

ACTION:                     RECEIVE AND FILE

Heading

RECOMMENDATION

Title

RECEIVE AND FILE an update on the Metro Transit Watch app in response to Motion 46 (Attachment A).

Issue
ISSUE

At its July 2024 meeting, the Board approved Motion 46 by Directors Hahn, Barger, Horvath, Najarian, Butts, and Yaroslavsky, directing staff to report back in October 2024 on efforts to improve and/or replace the Metro Transit Watch App, including ways to: increase awareness of and access to the app on Metro buses and trains, improve user-friendliness for a more intuitive app; and elevate elements of the app relating to rider experience like cleanliness, graffiti, and other concerns that extend beyond public safety.

Background

BACKGROUND

Many large cities nationwide, including Los Angeles, are confronting an increase in the severity and frequency of transit crimes experienced by customers and employees compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Available for all smartphone devices, the Transit Watch application is a critical component of Metro’s efforts to enhance the system’s safety and security. It provides passengers with an accessible and direct line of communication to report security incidents, suspicious activities, safety concerns, and maintenance issues directly to Metro. The app is also the tool Metro’s transit ambassadors use to report issues on the system, which means operations, maintenance and safety departments can see the majority of issues reporting in one place, which means they can dispatch the necessary staff to address the issue more quickly. The reporting process is comprehensive, allowing users to report incidents categorically, provide descriptions, specify locations, and timestamp reports. Additionally, users have the option to securely attach photos and provide personal information that can be used to obtain additional incident details. Users can also receive push notifications with critical alerts from Metro, informing them about important updates, such as service interruption, elevator/escalator outages, and safety information. Finally, the app allows users to set up an account to view the status of their reports and access their submission history, though users are also able to submit reports anonymously.

Since its inception, Transit Watch app usage has increased significantly. 

Discussion
DISCUSSION

Responding to customer feedback, Metro’s staff has been working on the development of a new version of the Transit Watch mobile application. This includes completely overhauling the back-end code, redesigning the user interface, improving existing features, and introducing several new ones to address the specific needs of Metro and its riders. The product of this significant undertaking, which began at the beginning of 2023, is an easy-to-use mobile application for the riding public and a multifunctional back-end desktop application used by Metro staff to track and resolve reports on a 24-hour basis, verifying reported issues, and taking steps to resolve them swiftly.

TRANSIT WATCH 3.0

The development process of Transit Watch (TW) 3.0 entailed a comprehensive and multifaceted endeavor. Staff worked diligently to develop an app that is more useful and accessible to users and an administrative solution that leveraged the valuable information provided in the reports.

Development

End-user input played an important role in shaping the new version of the TW app. In July 2023, Metro’s Customer Experience team presented the findings from moderated interviews with Metro riders, eight who are app users as well as ten who are non-users. This research provided valuable insights into understanding the needs and preferences of the app's target audience, helping to refine the UI and prioritize features. For instance, feedback from this research led to the implementation of real-time translation services and a streamlined reporting process. These insights reinforced the app’s user-centric redesign and met the specific needs of Metro's diverse ridership.

Special functionalities have been tailored for Metro Ambassadors, security officers, and field personnel, allowing for more targeted and effective reporting.

Outreach & Workshops

Internal outreach and workshops were integral to the app's rollout. SSLE and ITS staff moderated several workshops for different user groups, including Data Analytics, Ambassador Program, Maintenance & Engineering (M&E), Customer Experience, Office of Civil Rights, Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC), Security Operations Center (SOC), and Contract Security. These sessions provided an opportunity to gather specific changes to the look and feel of the app more importantly to its functionality. Metro collaborated with these groups to develop a registry of proposed changes and functionalities to expand the utility of the app and accessibility to users or to tailor the administrative functions to the needs of the user groups.

Improvements & Changes

Ultimately, the result of the various efforts undertaken by the project team led to the development, testing, and implementation of key features, among them:

End-User Mobile App

•                     More intuitive and modern user interface, making it easier to report incidents quickly

•                     Enhanced interface also accommodates the Top 14 languages most spoken in the Region allowing broader inclusivity and accessibility

•                     Optional “Share Location” feature identifies users’ specific location on the Metro system, whether it be at a station, bus stop, train or bus, enabling faster reporting and response times

•                     Expanded media capability allows users to upload videos in addition to photos

•                     In-app messaging allows users to communicate with Metro Security in real-time, 24/7, without ever leaving the app

Administrator-End Platform

•                     Data Analytics for real-time incident trends

•                     Customizable Reports for information dissemination across functional groups and tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

•                     Enhanced and more intuitive Data Dashboard visualizes overall operational performance and incident management stats

•                     Direct Maintenance & Engineering Helpdesk Integration to streamline maintenance and custodial service tickets for review and resolution

•                     Customized User-Group Functionality for assigning roles and responsibilities to different incident management and reporting Functions

User Interface

The redesign of the TW App marks a significant improvement in the user interface (UI). The UI is now sleek, intuitive and user-friendly, accommodating a diverse user base with varying levels of technological proficiency, styled in a modern and dynamic design.

The app’s language settings are accessible through the push of a button from the home screen, as is the ability to call Metro Security or 911 directly. The design team focused on ensuring that all essential functions, such as incident reporting, location-based services, real-time communication, and image and video sharing, are easy to locate and navigate. The layout also highlights the primary reporting functions of the app and gives users choices to address their safety and maintenance concerns through appropriate channels. This greatly streamlines the reporting functionality of the app and helps to promote quick and accurate data and information gathering.

New Features

In addition to the multilingual interface, accessibility features were improved to accommodate font enlargement and easier navigation between panes.

Transit Watch 3.0 introduces several innovative features, including: 

•                     In-app messaging, which allows users to send pictures and videos and chat with Metro staff directly through the app. Previously, this feature required a user to provide a phone number to communicate through text messages.

•                     Real-time translation functionality from inbound and outbound messages to accommodate Limited English Proficiency users.

•                     Improved reporting capabilities by streamlining information gathering and allowing users to opt-in to share geolocation and integrating mapping throughout the desktop application. Access to user location enables the integration of Metro's real-time vehicle positioning systems for both buses and trains, and proximity to bus stops and rail stations, so the user can easily select the location from where they are reporting.

•                     An integration effort to allow maintenance and custodial issues to be automatically routed to the Maintenance and Engineering (M&E) Help Desk. This ensures the appropriate group addresses the service tickets generated by the report, with advanced functionality for workflows and incident confirmation.

•                     Improved real-time reporting and statistical analysis on the desktop application, which helps Metro respond to issues more efficiently.

•                     New data analysis features to help identify trends, issue heatmaps, and geolocated report tracking.

Upcoming functionalities of the app include integration with Genetec, Metro’s new, enterprise-wide video management system, enabling localized CCTV awareness to make security monitoring more efficient.

A beta release of the updated app was made available on October 2 to the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) and Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC), and up to 5,000 users at a time, accompanied by a feedback survey to solicit comments on the new version.  Based on feedback, modifications will be made, and a full launch is tentatively before the end of the month.

Marketing Plan

Staff developed a comprehensive marketing communications plan to promote Transit Watch 3.0, encourage its adoption among Metro riders, and clearly articulate the ways in which Transit Watch can be used to report safety, cleanliness, and maintenance incidents. The marketing plan includes digital campaigns, social media promotions, and on-board posters to raise awareness about the app's new features and benefits.

Metro will also leverage its existing communication channels, such as onboard announcements and station displays, to inform passengers about the app and how to download it. Additionally, Metro will promote the app during outreach events, where representatives can demonstrate the app's capabilities and assist with downloads and installation. This proactive approach will familiarize users with the app and ensure a successful adoption of the new app's features.

Equity_Platform

EQUITY PLATFORM

The Transit Watch application has been a platform for riders to report any security incidents, suspicious activities, safety concerns, and maintenance issues directly to Metro. While the current version of Transit Watch serves its intended purpose as a security tool, staff have been aware of ongoing issues with the user interface and accessibility. With this feedback in mind, Transit Watch 3.0 is in development with new and improved features. Real-time translations and a multilingual interface in the 14 most spoken languages will make this application much more accessible to non-English speakers and compliant with Title VI. The access to user location function may raise concerns about privacy and tracking but Metro will abide by the applicable privacy laws by including appropriate disclosures about the use, retention, and deletion of user data. All these new features benefit riders, particularly individuals in Equity-Focused Communities who rely on public transit to access their daily needs, by providing them with an improved, user-friendly platform to report security and cleanliness issues.  

During the development process, staff consulted the Metro’s Office of Civil Rights and Accessibility Advisory Committee to gather input on suggested changes. Moreover, as this new version is rolled out to the public, there will be several marketing and outreach efforts to promote its adoption among Metro riders. Staff will ensure these efforts are visible throughout the areas that Metro serves and be in multiple languages. User beta testing commenced on September 27, 2024, and included Metro Staff, 20 percent of the overall user base, as well as the AAC and PSAC.

Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals

IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS

This recommendation supports Strategic Plan Goals #2.1: Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system; Metro is committed to improving security and #5.6: Provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy governance within the Metro organization; Metro will foster and maintain a strong safety culture.

Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS

The anticipated full launch date for Transit Watch App 3.0 is the end of the month. The staff working on Transit Watch will continue to improve the mobile app based on planned improvements and customer feedback. The following key performance indicators (KPIs) will continue to be monitored by staff:

•                     Total monthly incident report submissions

•                     Total monthly downloads of Transit Watch App

•                     Customer satisfaction with the Transit Watch App (as answered in a post-report feedback survey)

Staff continue to collaborate with Metro’s mobile app consolidation working group as it finalizes its recommendations and next steps.

Attachments

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A - Board Motion 46

Attachment B - Key Functions and History of Transit Watch

Prepared_by

Prepared by: Robert Gummer, Deputy Chief, System Security and Law

Enforcement Officer, (213) 922-4513

Aldon Bordenave, Deputy Executive Officer, System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-4507

Nicholas Kappos, Director, Physical Security, (213) 922-2590

Reviewed_By

Reviewed by: Kenneth Hernandez, Interim Chief Safety Officer, (213) 922-2290

Jennifer Vides, Chief Customer Experience Officer, (213) 940-4060