Meeting_Body
SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: BLUE AND GREEN LINES TRANSIT PASSENGER INFORMATION SYSTEM
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE response to Motion #49 by Directors Ridley-Thomas, Dupont-Walker and Kuehl for additional information regarding Metro’s Transit Passenger Information System.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro Rail stations have a combination of passenger information systems that were installed during construction and upgraded in the intervening years to provide customer information. The Transit Passenger Information System (TPIS) is primarily used in the underground stations on the Red (all stations), Gold (three stations) and Blue (7th/Metro Center) Lines.
The TPIS improvement project was originally intended to improve the safety along the Metro Blue and Green Lines. Initial funding was allocated to upgrade the notification systems by installing TPIS Full Color Light Emitter Diode (LED) monitors at all stations. Funding became available to replace up to 300 deteriorating monitors on the Red Line system. With the completion of the current system’s upgrades, the passenger information displays will be consistent with the new rail lines. The current project schedule estimates that the improvements will not be complete until January 2018. This report identifies opportunities to expedite the completion of the TPIS improvement project, presents findings of the reliability of the count-down clocks throughout the system.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The primary function of the TPIS is to provide customers with information on the time prediction for the next train, emergencies and PSA’s. The system upgrades will allow for the Rail Operations Control to deliver emergency notifications and alert passengers to system delays throughout the rail system. On September 2015, the Board of Directors approved an Amendment that authorized the funding of Capital Project 212010 - Blue & Green Lines TPIS.
Findings
Staff conducted a thorough assessment of the reliability of the count-down clocks by running a prediction real time accuracy report in the NextBus system. The results determined that the information provided through the NextBus system is accurate whenever the rail service is operating close to a normal schedule, but not during service disruptions. Also, there is currently no ability to detect monitor failures remotely. A review of all monitors is currently being done daily by staff through a visual assessment. Failed monitors are reported to the Rail Communications Department and logged into the maintenance database. An incident report is created with each failed monitor and technical staff are dispatched to diagnose the problem.
Monitor replacements are scheduled during non-peak or non-revenue hours. Repairs are scheduled as failures are reported and the response time depends on workload, work force, and parts availability. To improve the current system review, labels have been added to the monitors for ease of reporting by Metro staff and customers. Operations is currently evaluating options to enable monitors to self-communicate failures.
The full TPIS installation will commence upon the delivery of monitors in January 2016. To expedite the completion of the installation project, staff has begun installing monitors that were already in stock at the Rosa Parks/Willowbrook Station.
The TPIS monitors will be installed at (21) Blue Line and (14) Green Line Stations. Each Blue and Green Line stations will have (8) monitors installed. The existing cabling infrastructure will be replaced with new fiber optic communications cabling. As a result, the estimated timeline for the TPIS equipment has been expedited to 18 months instead of the original forecast of 24 months.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Delivery of the TPIS monitors is expected in January 2016. Staff will begin installation upon the delivery of monitors. The TPIS monitors will be installed at (21) Blue Line and (14) Green Line Stations. Each Blue and Green Line stations will have (8) monitors installed.
Staff will continue to track the installation of the monitors, the TPIS system’s reliability and the effectiveness of creating a better customer experience.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Motion - Blue and Green Lines Transit Passenger Information System
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Roger Largaespada, Wayside Systems Manager, (213) 613-2115
Christopher Reyes, Transportation Planning Manager III, Operations
(213) 922-4808
Nareh Nazary, Transportation Planner I, Operations (213) 922-4163
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James T. Gallagher, Chief Operations Officer (213) 922-4424
