Transit Cooperative Research ProgramSponsored by the Federal Transit Administration

RESEARCH RESULTS DIGESTOctober 1998--Number 31

Subject Area: IA Planning and Administration, Responsible Senior Program Officer: Christopher W. JenksVI Public Transit, VII Rail

International Transit Studies ProgramReport on the Fall 1997 Mission

Applications of Intelligent TransportationSystems to Public Transit in Europe

This TCRP digest summarizes the seventh mission performed under TCRP Project J-3, "International TransitStudies Program " The report includes information on the cities visited and the lessons learned and discusses policies

and practices that could be used in the United States. This digest was prepared by Tracy E Dunleavy of the Eno TransportationFoundation, Inc., the contractor for the project, on the basis of reports filed by the mission participants. For information

on prior ITSP missions, consult TCRP Research Results Digests 20, 22, and 27

INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT STUDIESPROGRAM

About the Program

The International Transit Studies Program(ITSP) is part of the Transit Cooperative ResearchProgram (TCRP). ITSP is managed by the EnoTransportation Foundation under contract to theNational Academy of Sciences (NAS). TCRP wasauthorized by the Intermodal Surface TransportationEfficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and reauthorized bythe Transportation Equity Act for the 21st. Century(TEA-21). In May 1992, a memorandum ofagreement outlining TCRP operations was signed bythe NAS, acting through its Transportation ResearchBoard (TRB); the Transit Development Corporation(TDC), which is the education and research arm ofthe American Public Transit Association (APTA);and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). TCRPis funded annually by a grant from the FTA.

ITSP is designed to assist in the professionaldevelopment of transit managers, public officials,planners, and others charged with publictransportation responsibilities in the United States.The program accomplishes this objective byproviding opportunities for participants to learn fromforeign experience, while expanding their network ofdomestic

and international contacts for addressing publictransport problems and issues.

The program arranges study missions in whichteams of public transportation professionals visitexemplary transit operations in other countries. Eachstudy mission focuses on a central theme thatencompasses issues of concern in publictransportation. Cities and transit systems to be visitedare selected on the basis of their ability todemonstrate new ideas or unique approaches tohandling public transportation challenges reflected inthe study mission's theme. Each study team beginswith a briefing before departing on an intensive, 2-week mission. After this stimulating professionalinteraction, study team members return home withideas for possible application in their owncommunities. Team members are encouraged to sharetheir international experience and findings with peersin the public transportation community throughoutthe United States. Study mission experience alsohelps to evaluate current and proposed transitimprovements and can serve to identify potentialpublic transportation research topics.

Study missions normally are conducted in thespring and fall of each year. Study teams consist ofup to 15 individuals, including a senior officialdesignated as the group's spokesperson. Transitagencies are contacted directly and asked to nominatecandidates for participation. Nominees are screened

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARDNATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

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CONTENTS

International Transit Studies Program, 1About the Program, 1About the Report, 3

Applications of Intelligent Transportation Systems to Public Transit in Europe:Mission 7, October 10--October 26, 1997, 3

Introduction, 3

United Kingdom, 4London, 4

Transit Profile, 4Automatic Vehicle Location, 4COUNTDOWN, 5ITS-Based Emergency Services, 5PRESTIGE Contactless Smartcard, 6

Southampton, 6Transit Profile, 6ROMANSE, 6Public Involvement--HEADSTART, 7

France, 8Paris, 8

Transit Profile, 8Automatic Vehicle Location, 9ALTAIR and AIGLE, 9Selected Customer Information Service Project (SUROIT), 9Smartcard Applications, 10Public-Private Partnering, 10

Germany, 11Berlin, 11

Transit Profile, 11Safety and Security, 11Enforcement of Self-Service Fares, 11ITS Applications, 12

Munich, 12Transit Profile, 12Transit-Supportive City Policies, 12ITS Applications, 13Private-Sector Partnering and Support, 13Smart Park-and-Ride Facilities, 13

Lessons Learned, 13Integrate All Transportation Modes, 14Do Not Short-Change Research, 14Encourage Public-Private Partnerships, 14Provide Real-Time Information, 14Use Smartcards to Streamline Service, Increase Revenue, and Benefit Customers, 15Provide Information the Customer Understands, 15Use ITS Technology to Enhance Security for Travelers, 15

APPENDIX A: Mission Participants and Their Titles and Affiliations at the Time of the Mission, 17

by a committee of transit officials, and the TCRP Project J-3 Oversight Panel approves the selection.

Study mission participants are transit managementpersonnel with substantial knowledge and experience intransit activities. Participants must demonstrate potentialfor advancement to higher levels of public transportationresponsibilities. Other selection criteria include currentresponsibilities, career objectives, and the probableprofessional development value of the mission for theparticipant and sponsoring employer. Travel expenses forparticipants are paid through TCRP Project J-3 funding.

For further information about the study missions,contact TCRP (202/334-3089) or the Eno TransportationFoundation (202/879-4700).

About the Report

The following report is an overview of the seventhstudy mission. This report reflects the views of thecontributing participants, who are responsible for the factsand accuracy of the data presented. The report does notnecessarily reflect the views of TCRP, TRB, NAS, APTA,FTA, or the Eno Transportation Foundation.

Appendix A lists the names of the study missionparticipants and their titles and affiliations at the time of themission.

APPLICATIONS OF INTELLIGENTTRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS TO PUBLICTRANSIT IN EUROPE: MISSION 7, OCTOBER 10--OCTOBER 26, 1997

Introduction

The innovative programs implemented in the citiesvisited by the seventh study mission demonstrate thatIntelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology is aneffective mechanism to obtain better use of existinginfrastructures and resources. Many of the same or similartechnologies are being applied in the United States--European experience provides further perspectives. The 2-week mission--with meetings and site visits in London andSouthampton (United Kingdom), Paris (France), and Berlinand Munich (Germany)--examined the latest applications ofITS technology to public transit in major Europeancountries and culminated in technical sessions andinspections organized as part of the Fourth World Congresson Intelligent Transport Systems in Berlin. Although ITSapplications constituted the primary focus of the mission,participants also observed broader European transportationpolicies and management styles (e.g., privatization in theUnited Kingdom, and modal integration in all countriesvisited).

In the United Kingdom, for instance, public transitagencies, which formerly operated transportation systems,have

3been transformed into managers of private sectorcompanies that control the daily operations of thesesystems. These public transit agencies see themselves asoverall mobility managers rather than taking the traditionalview that public transit and automobiles serve separatemarkets and do not benefit from mutual cooperation.

Modal integration was observed in all three countriesvisited. Integration extends beyond the transportationnetwork itself. The information gathered through ITStechnology is supplied to the media, informing motoristsand transit riders how the transportation network isoperating and when a change of mode would best serve thetraveler.

Transit agencies in the cities visited strive to treatevery individual who travels as a customer of the transitsystem--transit user and nontransit user alike. When roadcongestion occurs or major events take place, diversion ofmotorists to transit is encouraged through the use ofvariable message and changeable direction signs. Investingin and shifting riders to public transit is not viewed asshortchanging the road network or unnecessarily divertingtransportation funds to public transit. Rather, investment inpublic transit is viewed as valuable because it helpsmaintain ease of mobility throughout the urban region.

The development of traffic management in thecommunities the mission visited evolved from therecognition that multiple modes of transportation arerequired to manage anticipated population and vehicle usegrowth. There is clear recognition that anticipatedcongestion problems can not be addressed by simplybuilding more transportation infrastructure, which would beexpensive and not environmentally friendly. ITStechnologies are viewed as tools to integrate all modes oftransportation so as to maximize use of the existinginfrastructure to move people.

Public transportation agencies within the Europeancommunity are significant public policy stakeholders andare involved in most aspects of community development.Procurement practices allow the various systems to identifyand select project partners to implement ITS projectsquickly. These transit systems focus resources on researchto define consumer needs in order to involve the public asactive partners in the development of their overall mobilityplans.

Specific examples of these intermodal policies wereobserved in all of the cities visited. In London andSouthampton, real-time bus tracking and passengerinformation systems are operational, as well as motorvehicle traffic control and incident detection. TheCOUNTDOWN and STOPWATCH systems in the UnitedKingdom indicate that providing comprehensive real-timecustomer information systems is critical in increasing theattractiveness of public transit systems. Information basedon static data (e.g., timetables) is not useful in the event ofdisruptions, but dynamic information, updated in real-time,improves public perception of the reliability of mass transitand removes a major objection to using publictransportation. Paris METRO riders benefit from ALTAIR(a real-time information system comparable toSTOPWATCH), from a

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contactless smartcard fare payment program, and from anITS-based security system. Parisian motorists benefit froman advanced traffic control system. All travelers benefitfrom passenger information systems.

In Berlin, ITS applications include computer-aidedtraffic control and dynamic parking guidance systems,along with ITS-based transit fleet management and routeguidance techniques. Munich travelers benefit from a park-and-ride management system and ITS demonstrationprojects supported by BMW, the auto manufacturer basedin Munich.

UNITED KINGDOM

London

Transit Profile

The public transportation systems in London aremanaged by London Transport (LT) which is controlled bya government-appointed Board. LT's mandate is to plan andthen provide or procure services to meet the current andfuture public transport needs of the city. The systems undercontrol of LT are as follows.

• London Underground (Metro). This 237-mile-longmetro rail system is the oldest in the world. Thesystem carries 2.5 million passengers per day and hasa farebox recovery ratio of 120 percent beforedepreciation and debt service. The system, however,has significant capital needs in order to maintain andmodernize its infrastructure. The capital needs rangefrom refurbishing and buying new cars to thecompletion of a 10-mile extension of the Jubilee Lineto making the system more accessible to individualswith disabilities. The system operates with 3,922 railcars with 261 stations; 165 six-car trains are on order.

Funding for many of the capital needs is beingaddressed with innovative partnership arrangementswith the private sector under the government's "PrivateFinance Initiatives." These initiatives includefinancing arrangements, such as leases, and privatefinancing, which includes construction andmaintenance of rail cars under long-term servicecontracts.

• London Transport Buses (LTB). London's bustransportation services were privatized in 1994, andLTB was set up as a separate company. In 1994, thepublicly owned London Buses were sold to 32 privateoperators for a total of $356 million. LTB carries3,700 million passengers per day on some 6,500 busesserving more than 700 routes. With higher fares andtighter financial controls (which included reducedwages and increased work hours), the private carriershelped to reduce the operating deficit by one-third.LTB is responsible for planning routes and fares,procuring services from private bus operators, andensuring that bus operators fulfill

their contracts. LTB is also responsible for theprovision and control of all bus terminals, bus stands,bus stops, and bus shelters. Last year, LTB reported anoperating cost recovery ratio of 85.5 percent.

• Suburban Rail. Suburban rail operations serving theLondon region are provided by several privateoperating companies. In addition to these companies,several light rail projects are underway.

The Cross Rail project, still in its planning stages,is a new rail line that will link certain northern,eastern, and western lines to central London, toHeathrow Airport, and to high-speed international railservice that uses the "Chunnel." Virtual realitysoftware is being used to design the project. Three-dimensional simulation and rendering allow engineersto simulate station use, resolve overloading issues, testevacuation plans, verify drawings, assist in training,and communicate station design to the community andintended passengers.

British rail systems had also been privatized withone central organization--Rail Track--owning theinfrastructure, including the track and signalingsystem. The private operators have long-leasefranchises. They are also held to certain performancestandards, which include timeliness and safety.Operators are subject to monetary penalties fornoncompliance.

Rail Track is the newly privatized operation thatowns and operates the infrastructure of the UnitedKingdom's rail system. Rail Track operates the rails,signals, crossings, tunnels, stations, and bridges. Therolling stock is operated by 25 operating companies,which have long-lease franchises, and the operationsare subsidized; these subsidies will decrease over time.In addition, six maintenance businesses and seventrack renewal contractors are involved in thisoperation. Our contact, Professor Brian Mellitt,reported that Rail Track is engaged in a 10-year majorinvestment program that will include many ITSapplications and a general transformation of thesystem to make it safer and more accountable formeeting certain performance and financial objectives.

Automatic Vehicle Location

An automatic vehicle location (AVL) system, whichenables LTB to know where any bus is at any given time, iscentral to London's Intelligent Transportation Network.With AVL in place, many other opportunities for serviceare possible, including giving buses priority at traffic lightsand having on-bus signs to provide passengers with detailsof the next stop.

London Transport uses a sign post or beacon systemwith 10 beacons along each route. London Transportadopted this system rather than the more current GPSsystems because of initial GPS tracking difficulties in areaswith high buildings and covered stations.

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COUNTDOWN

COUNTDOWN is London's real-time passengerinformation system. COUNTDOWN uses screens at busstops to inform passengers when the next bus will arrive.The AVL system provides operators and LTB with real-time information on the position of buses and their progressalong the route. Operators use this information to helpcontrol the route (i.e., by minimizing gaps and bunching)and to improve service delivery to passengers on the route.

The first significant COUNTDOWN network wasimplemented in west London and was developed inpartnership with CentreWest. Subsequently,COUNTDOWN was introduced on the "Nag's Head"network in north London. LTB is installing on-bus AVLequipment--and with it, COUNTDOWN--in other parts ofLondon. The intention is for AVL to be installed fleetwideby late 1999. In 1997, COUNTDOWN will be introducedin Lambeth and Kingston--both areas of intensive bus use.According to current plans, COUNTDOWN will takebetween 7 and 10 years to complete at 4,000 bus stops(one-fourth of all bus stops in Greater London).

Given that London has privatized its bus operations,deployment of COUNTDOWN required coordinators tostrictly lay out requirements with each private carrier. Inaddition, standard terms and conditions spelling outperformance requirements and recognized standards wereconsidered essential and were implemented.

One of the benefits of providing real-time informationis that travelers on buses that featured the COUNTDOWNsystem generally became more positive about traveling bybus. They reported feeling safer and more relaxed andreported using the time they had while waiting for the busto visit nearby shops, thereby resulting in improvedbusiness adjacent to the stops. COUNTDOWN changedpassenger perceptions of the quality of the bus service eventhough the service had not changed significantly. Forexample, most passengers thought they waited less time fortheir bus after the introduction of COUNTDOWN, and 64percent thought that the service was more reliable. Tellingthe customer when the bus will arrive rather than what timeit is scheduled to arrive (posted schedules) resulted in theperception that there was an improvement in servicereliability. Perhaps even more significant is that customersthought that the bus came more often. Providing real-timeinformation may be the most effective way to satisfy someof the demand for service. A preliminary estimate indicatesactual patronage increased by 2.5 percent.

The systems being installed to enhance real-timearrival information also enhance security. Voice call boxesat bus stops that provide schedule information alsofacilitate emergency response. Leased telephone lines andfiber-optic communications infrastructure being installed atbus stops can support closed circuit television for securityenhancements at these stops.

ITS-Based Emergency Services

ITS technologies play a major role in system security.London Transport's Network Control Center is responsiblefor command, control, and coordination of overallemergency services related to the London Underground.The center is designed to receive information from allsystem security devices throughout the Underground. Thecenter links to other emergency service providers throughleased telephone lines and a dedicated ring-down systemthat facilitates communication during emergencies. Thecenter links and jointly houses the British Transport Policeand the Transport Police communication staffs.

The coordinated emergency management roomestablished at London Transport brings together decisionmakers and provides them with timely information torender appropriate emergency management decisions.Communication links are established with fire, police,utilities, and other emergency service providers (see Figure1). Pager technology is incorporated into center operationsto ensure that crisis management team members and seniormanagement personnel are kept abreast of all pertinentinformation during emergency operations.

The bus emergency operations center at LondonTransport also links to the communications center of theLondon Metropolitan Police. This center uses the CCTVtechnology managed by the police to address busoperations issues on the street. It is extremely important tolink transit operations with the Metropolitan Police systemso that police can assist transit operations duringemergencies and when services require rerouting becauseof a system disruption. As a result, London Transport usesthe technology to assist in responding

Figure 1. Fire alarm, emergency alarm, andinformation in the London Underground

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to emergencies on their buses or for operational benefitwithout having to directly fund the infrastructure.

PRESTIGE Contactless Smartcard

PRESTIGE is London's trial of contactless smartcardsfor its fare collection system for the London Undergroundand buses. Although the term "smartcard" technically refersto a card that has an on-board microprocessor and built-inlogic, it has come to be used to describe automated cardtechnologies ranging from disposable prepaid memorycards to reloadable multi-application microprocessor cards.There are two basic types of smartcards: contact andcontactless. Contactless smartcards are the preferredmedium for use in transportation systems. Data aretransmitted from the chip to the reader via radio frequencywaves, removing the need for direct contact between thereader and the card. Also known as proximity cards, theyrepresent the ultimate in reliability because there are nomoving parts or contacts.

Depending on its processing capabilities, a singlesmartcard may be able to serve several different functions(e.g., providing access to a bank account, carrying medicalinformation, storing loyalty program records, and holdingtransit fare value). A smartcard may also have a single"electronic purse" that can be used at participatingmerchants and on the local transit system.

London Transport has had a systemwide bus andUnderground ticketing system since the Travelcard wasintroduced in 1983. With advances in technology in theinterim, LT is initiating development of a new, moresophisticated bus and Underground revenue collectionsystem. By using smartcard technology, LT hopes to gainimproved information about customers and their travelpatterns, reduce fraud, and improve the ability to introducenew fare and ticketing policies. LT also hopes to reducecongestion caused by waiting for fare collection. One-thirdof fares are paid for in cash, one-third by use of passes, andone-third by farecard.

The PRESTIGE project is being taken forward underthe government's Private Finance Initiative (PFI), whichwas launched in 1992 to attract private sector investment inpublic sector projects. This partnership allows quickerimplementation of projects traditionally pursued throughgovernmental capital expenditure.

Southampton

Transit Profile

The Southampton metropolitan area (population214,000) is served by two competing bus companies(formerly city-owned), a local electric train, which providesa link to Southampton airport at Eastleigh, and a ferry toHythe. Southampton CityBus, constituted as a separatecompany 10 years ago, operates 135 vehicles over 35routes and

carries about 17 million passengers, annually. CityBus wassold to its employees in 1993 and is held through anemployee share ownership plan. Solent Blue Lines, anotherprivate bus company formed in 1987, competes withCityBus on 18 routes with a fleet of 107 vehicles (ridershipfigures are not available).

In Southampton, as part of their overall mobilitymanagement philosophy, center city parking is extremelylimited. Through land-use planning, city officials not onlyencouraged, but developed bus operations to transportvisitors throughout the city center.

ROMANSE

The United Kingdom's government forecasts a 100percent increase in road traffic by 2020. Using onlytraditional construction technologies and road managementstrategies, it was thought such an increase could provedisastrous. Based in Southampton, ROMANSE was startedas a European pilot project in May 1992 to develop aflexible solution to increasing congestion. The acronymstands for ROad MANagement System for Europe. Theproject is a partnership of public and private sector entitiesled by the Hampshire County Council with partial fundingfrom the European Union (EU).

In order to coordinate the different elements ofROMANSE and to collect, collate, and disseminateinformation, the project is constructed around a Traffic andTravel Information Centre (TTIC). This consists ofnumerous components performing varied functions, withthe ROMANSE Central Processor (RCP) providing thephysical and logical connections between them. A centraldatabase allows operators to view or coordinate data. Theserefined data are then used to formulate transportmanagement strategies and to provide up-to-the-minuteinformation to the public.

The Strategic Information System (SIS) provides anoverview of the transport environment in the form of aclear, digital map display. Integrated layers of transport-related data give comprehensive geographic and statisticalinformation. Traffic and travel information from theROMANSE system is displayed live on the SIS and storedin the system's database. Such data, combined withhistorical data, are used to plan future transportmanagement strategies.

The largest part of the ROMANSE project has beenthe development of STOPWATCH. This is a publictransport information system that gives real-time busservice information to passengers waiting at bus stops (seeFigure 2). STOPWATCH uses AVL technology to locatebuses on the road network and then display estimatedarrival times on electronic signs at stops downstream of thebuses. In 1995, "talking" bus stops were introduced to theSTOPWATCH system. A digitally recorded voice gives thesame information as the electronic signs and can beactivated at bus stops by individual travelers.

The only major technical difference betweenCOUNTDOWN

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Figure 2. Real-time bus arrival information providedby STOPWATCH in Southampton, England. (Photo by PaulCarter.)

and STOPWATCH is that STOPWATCH supports the useof Global Positioning System (GPS) technology as well assign post technology to track buses. Only sign posttechnology is used in COUNTDOWN. STOPWATCH usesboth LED and LCD displays so that both technologies canbe compared.

TRIPlanner, a service provided by free-standingcomputer terminals with user-friendly touchscreens,provides upto-date trip-planning information in and aroundSouthampton (see Figure 3). TRIPlanner provides quickand easy information on public transport routes and timesand on road conditions; a printout is available if desired. ByDecember 1996, 10 units were operating in three languages(French, German, and English) at public sites inSouthampton By late 1996, taxi and tourist information(including maps and telephone numbers and addresses ofhotels, taxi stops, and places of interest) was added to thedatabase.

Figure 3. TRIPlanner kiosk in Southampton, England.

TRIPlanner terminals are constantly being refined and newfeatures are developed in response to comments fromTRIPlanner users.

Public Involvement--HEADSTART

The mobility manager concept is being developed byROMANSE managers through an open and thoroughpublic involvement program called HEADSTART. Thisoverall traffic management/mobility manager conceptincludes a determination of various transportation modes tobe used as a part of the community's transportationstrategy. This strategy includes principles relating to landuse planning, steps designed to encourage greater use andacceptance of bus transportation, use of alternative fueledvehicles to help in the reduction of air pollutants,encouragement of telecommuting to assist in overall trafficflow management, encouragement of increased use ofbicycles, and the determination to build only thoseroadways fundamental to the accomplishment of the overallmobility strategy developed by the community.

Highlighting how valuable this integration can be isthe ability of commuters to view information about parkingavailability and congestion during commutes and to divertto a park-and-ride lot and take public transportation, if it isappropriate (see Figures 4 and 5).

Figure 4. Parking-availability sign in SouthamptonCity Centre. (Photo by Paul Carter.)

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Figure 5. St. Catherine's Park-and-Ride lot inWinchester. A self-service parking ticket dispenser ismounted on the sign. Motorists must display the ticket onthe dashboard.

Rather than relying solely on public relations efforts,the ROMANSE program also uses visual displays on airquality which reflect how much people drive their carsversus taking public transportation that day. This display isone way the transit initiative integrates technology withpublic awareness programs.

Bus passengers in Southampton were surveyed to findout their opinions of the system and how they use it. Theresults confirmed many of the same conclusions made inthe COUNTDOWN project regarding perceptions aboutreduced wait times and increased service reliability. Inaddition, the study revealed some differences in the wayvarious groups of passengers viewed the system and howuseful they found it.

Perhaps the biggest difference in opinion was betweenage groups. Younger passengers tended to use the systemmore, be more knowledgeable about it, and found it moreuseful. They were the most likely to change their plansbased on the information displayed. If the wait time is toolong, they might take a different bus, walk, or go get a cupof coffee. New or infrequent bus users were also very likelyto use the displays and viewed them favorably. People whouse the bus more frequently, especially for regular worktrips, were familiar with the system and looked at it, butfrequently relied on their experience and knowledge of theservice to make travel decisions. The group least familiarwith the system and who found it least useful were theelderly, who tended to use their printed timetables andoften were not even aware of the displays. All groupsstrongly favored LED displays over the LCD displays.

Because of the popularity of the system with young,new, and infrequent riders, the displays may be a cost-effective way to increase ridership and attract new riders totransit. Southampton reports ridership gains of about 5percent on the lines that were studied.

FRANCE

Paris

Transit Profile

The Syndicat des Transports Parisiens (STP) isresponsible for overall transit policy and fare-setting,coordinating urban and regional transport in the GreaterParis metropolitan region, known as the Ile de France(population 11 million). With representation from thenational government and the regional authorities, the STPbrings together the operations of the Paris Transit Authority(RATP), the National Railway (SNCF) operating in theParis region, the regional metro (RER) for which the RATPand the SNCF are jointly responsible, as well as private busoperators. The STP is responsible for authorizing majorprojects, such as RER expansion, the electrification ofsuburban railroads, and the renewal of the bus fleet, alongwith overseeing service levels and setting fare levels.Suburb-to-suburb links are a current priority. The STP alsoadministers a range of contractual agreements with privatebus operators. A traffic master plan for strategicdevelopment through 2015, when the region will accountfor some 28 million daily journeys, is under discussion.

The Regie Autonome des Transports Parisiens(RATP), one of the largest public transit organizations inthe world, operates more than 4,000 metro and commuterrail (RER) railcars over a 196-mile network with acombined total of 453 stations. The RATP is alsoresponsible for nearly 4,000 city and suburban busesoperating on 241 routes covering some 1,600 miles withmore than 7,000 bus stops. There is also a tram and a shortfunicular railway. The operating budget of the RATP is onthe order of $4 billion annually, and the system employs38,000. Major current RATP projects involving ITStechnology include the Meteor, a driverless Metro line, andcontinued expansion of links between existing lines.

The Meteor is a driverless, 4.6-mile, seven-stationmetro line, running on rubber tires that will connect eightmetro and four RER routes. The advanced design MF89six-car trainsets that will be used on the Meteor line havesteerable axles with independent wheels and full-widthgangways between cars. To date, 665 MF89 units havebeen ordered and will eventually replace the entire agingmetro fleet. In the long run, RATP plans that the entireurban metro network will be converted to driverlessoperation.

Interconnection and intermodal projects involving thecontinued expansion of links between RATP, RER, andSNCF lines as well as the building of intermodal terminalswithin the Paris region (e.g., Bobigny/Pablo Picasso;Charles De Gaulle airport) are also underway.

The RATP is also planning to build a main network ofsome 120 miles of exclusive public transport rights-of-way,fully integrated with the existing rail system. The aim is toreduce congestion and improve service quality without the

expense of new heavy rail infrastructure. Some of thesealignments may be converted to light rail and guided busoperations in the future.

Creation and expansion of exclusive bus lanes, signalpreemption at intersections, and zone passes to reduce bustravel time are being emphasized. Passenger figures for thebus fleet have been declining in recent years--about 800million trips annually at present. To bolster bus ridership,more than 300 miles of bus priority lanes have beendesignated to date in the Paris region. Most passengers usezonal passes.

Automatic Vehicle Location

RATP employs GPS technology for the AVL systemwith a sign post backup in case of GPS failure. On surfacestreets, several bus routes have real-time electronicinformation boards in shelters and at some stops. One ofthe unique features of this system is that of real-timemonitors in the drivers' cabs which inform the drivers aboutspacing with buses in front and behind. This allowsoperators to do a great deal of vehicle-spacing managementto avoid bunching--without the assistance of a streetsupervisor.

ALTAIR and AIGLE

In Paris, two projects are being deployed that trackbuses and use the information to improve operations. Thefirst, ALTAIR, uses several technologies to providepassengers with real-time bus arrival information. Thesecond project, known as AIGLE, provides location andaudio/video information from inside the bus to securityofficers during emergencies.

The primary differences between ALTAIR and itsBritish cousins are its greater reliance on advancedtechnology and its higher level of integration with othersystems. ALTAIR uses GPS, map matching, and advanceddead-reckoning technologies in combination to locatevehicles. An interesting technical feature of the ALTAIRsystem is its use of wireless data communications andbattery-powered display units. The combination reduces thecost per unit because there is no need to provide power orland-based communications to each site. As a result, thedisplay units can be placed anywhere there is room toattach them to a shelter or pole.

On-street displays provide bus arrival information inmuch the same way as the other projects (see Figure 6).Real-time bus information is also available on a touch-tonetelephone and there are plans to make it available throughthe Internet and through the Minitel, a widely distributedsystem of small computers connected to the phone system.The information is used on board buses to display the traveltime to major destinations and make Next Stopannouncements. The system also informs drivers of thetime interval between their buses and the buses ahead andbehind--this

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Figure 6. ALTAIR bus arrival information display in abus shelter in Paris.

helps the drivers maintain optimum spacing between buses.The system provides the service controllers with well-organized information on bus spacing so that they canassist the drivers in maintaining optimum service.

The evaluation information available on the ALTAIRproject focuses on the accuracy of the information and howwell the project components function rather than on thecustomer's perception of the system or what it hasaccomplished. The evaluation material available indicatesthat the system performs well. ALTAIR has performed sowell, the bus operating agency for the Paris region, RATP,has decided to extend it in phases to the entire 4,000-busfleet.

Selected Customer Information Service Project (SUROIT)

The objective of SUROIT is to give access toinformation on the transport supply in the Paris region. TheParis region transport system has 18,000 RATP bus stopsand 560 stations. Passengers want to know their traveloptions and associated trip times. The information must beaccessible from where they plan their trips--often the user'shome.

Since February 1993, agents of the RATP telephoneinquiry center have been using this advanced technology toanswer passengers' questions. Using the keyboard, theagents key the departure and arrival addresses requested.The system proposes alternative means of transportation,routes, and trip times. The screen displays the itinerary ofthe journey and detail of the route. Home users can alsoaccess SUROIT through French Minitel.

Telephone access information is also being used inconjunction with ALTAIR. In addition to real-timeinformation at the bus stop, the home user can obtain thesame real-time information by entering the bus stop numberon the telephone Plans call for expanding the system totelevisions and home computers.

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Smartcard Applications

Phasing in a contactless smartcard for the entiresystem, a pilot project involving RATP staff, is underway.Magnetic-striped fare media have been experiencing a highdegree of counterfeiting at the systems visited. Expandingthe use of smartcards is a method to control this problem.Proponents of smartcards hope that their use will expandthe transit ridership base if smartcards offered by the transitsystem are linked with banks, telephone systems, and otherservice providers

Planners are also testing a hybrid or combination cardthat combines contact and contactless features to expandutility. This medium involves the integration of contact andcontactless capabilities through the use of a contact cardinserted into a contactless "sleeve" or "transponder" (seeFigures 7 and 8).

Use of card security technology lessens the potentialfor counterfeiting. In addition, the Paris Metro smartcardhas been developed to include a personal security feature.The card includes a radio frequency computer-based chipthat identifies a card's location in a Paris Metro station,should the card be activated. This notification is relayed toa communications center at the respective station and isalso transmitted to the appropriate police/securitycommunications center to facilitate an appropriateresponse. No data are yet available regarding the use of thispersonal security feature.

Discussions of the security feature of the smartcardsuggested that the lack of a dedicated response to thisnotification would make evaluation of its effectivenessdifficult. However, even without a dedicated response,information was developed about where security problemswere occurring on this system. Application of the personalsecurity feature of smartcard technology could enhancesystem security through potential deterrence and throughenhanced passenger comfort.

Figure 7. Contactless smartcard in a sleevetransponder at a turnstile in the Paris Metro.

Figure 8. Contactless smartcard reader on a bus inParis. Next to the reader is a traditional ticket validator.

Smartcard technology has numerous applications inthe United States as well, many of which are being studiedby U.S. transit agencies. A "smartcard" can be used for farecollection as well as receiving other government services.The card can be used to access the library, pay tolls, oreven provide access to parking lots. Perhaps the card couldstore enough information so that premium parking spacescould be given to those users who have maximized theiruse of transit for home-to-work commuting, but choose todrive to a sporting or cultural event held at a location noteasily accessible to public transit. The cards could beprogrammed to give substantial discounts to riders whosetransit trip originated in the most heavily populated areas ofa community. This could attract new riders and reducecongestion considerably in these areas.

Public-Private Partnering

RATP maintains its own research and developmentorganization, which develops, customizes, and integratesapplications. RATP uses European Commission grants andits partnerships with other cities to share its developmentcosts. As part of the development of a smartcard standard,RATP, through a private sector partner, granted licenses forits contactless smartcard architecture to companies in othercountries. The users of the system formed the ContactLessUsers Board (CLUB), a nonprofit organization created topromote standards and technology development forcontactless payment systems. The current members ofCLUB are Paris, Konstanz, Lisbon, and Venice.

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The National Center of Traffic Information (CNIR),founded in 1968, incorporates three French ministries--theMinistry of Defense (Gendarmerie), the Home Office(Police), and the Ministry for Transport--to inform roadusers about conditions throughout France and optimize theuse of the national road network. Seven regional centersback up the National Center that has headquarters at aFrench military base near Paris. Other partners include theFrench weather service, motorway companies, andautomobile associations.

The CNIR brings together all information gathered bythe regional centers concerning the state of the roadnetwork, weather conditions, major migrations because ofholidays, accidents, and other events. Travelers can accessthis information through special telephone numbers,national radio and television station updates, and theInternet.

GERMANY

Berlin

Transit Profile

The Berlin municipal transit authority (BVG), part ofa newly organized regional transit authority (VBB),provides metro, light rail, bus, and ferry services. Regionalcommuter service (the S Bahn) is provided by a subsidiaryof the privatized German National Railway (DB), whichoperates regional routes serving the outer suburbs tocomplement the S Bahn. The overriding priority in recentyears has been to integrate, modernize, and expand themunicipal and regional networks that were torn apart afterthe city was divided by the Berlin Wall in the 1960s and, ineffect, became part of two different countries.

The Berlin Metro (U Bahn), which opened in 1902,accounts for about 450 million passenger trips a year over anine-line network of nearly 90 miles with 3-minuteheadways during peak periods. The system has a rollingstock of more than 1,550 cars, includes 168 stations, and isfully integrated with the bus and S Bahn networks. Underits modernization program, 130 trainsets are on order fromAdtranz and automatic train operation is being introducedas part of a move to raise capacity, improve customerservice, and reduce operating costs.

The commuter rail S Bahn system provides serviceover a 180-mile network composed of 13 routes with 146stations. The rolling stock includes 1,486 cars. Peak-periodheadways are down to 2 minutes, and fares are fullyintegrated with the other modes. Most of the S Bahn linesthat were disrupted for decades by the division of the cityhave been rebuilt and reopened; by the year 2002, all linesthat were in operation in 1961 will have been restored.Next to the U Bahn, the S Bahn system has the highestridership--most recently 250 million passengers annually.

The tramway fleet, which operated mainly in theeastern

part of the city, is being extended and modernized withplans on the drawing board including links to new andreopened U Bahn and S Bahn stations in the city center.The rolling stock is approximately 760 cars--most of itmodernized Czech Tatra models with German AEG andAdtranz units now being phased in. Passenger totals, whichhave shown a slight decline in recent years, now stand at146 million annually. The 27-line network has a routelength of 111 miles and 359 stops. Besides its expansioninto the western part of the city, a total modernization ofthe existing network is in progress, including renewal oftracks and catenaries.

The bus fleet of 1,867 vehicles--more than a thousandof which are double-deckers, is primarily used by farecardpassengers. Among the 403 million annual passenger trips(down from 455 million in 1993), only about 13 percent aremade by single-ticket holders. The Berlin bus networkaccounts for 157 routes over 784 miles--46 miles of whichare on bus priority lanes. In the city center, there are plansto expand these priority lanes to roughly 100 miles. Fullfare integration with U Bahn and S Bahn services is ineffect and multimodal passes are available. Lift or ramp-equipped buses are in operation on 39 routes,complementing the demand-responsive Telebus van serviceoperated by the city's human services department fortravelers who use wheelchairs. A rechargeable smartcard(electronic purse) is on trial in a demonstration projectedfunded by the Federal Ministry for Research andTechnology.

A portion of the bus network is now being contractedout to private operators. Taxi companies provide subsidizedservice under contract on the night routes. Long-termplanning envisions the reduction of the double-decker fleetto 40 percent of the total. These remaining double-deckerbuses will be for use only in the inner city.

Safety and Security

Berlin has developed an effective information andsafety system for the U Bahn network. The system usesbrightly colored pylons marked with the letters SOS.Customers can obtain information by pushing a button onthese pylons and connecting with a customer informationagent at a central location (see Figure 9). If a customer hasan emergency situation, they can press an alarm button onthe pylon and the command center is notified. Closedcircuit television cameras in the station are automaticallyadjusted to the area where the alarm came from so that thecommand center can view the scene and dispatch theappropriate personnel.

Enforcement of Self-Service Fares

Fare enforcement in the United States consistsprimarily of "pay-as-you-enter" systems on buses. Subwaysgenerally use a combination of ticket/token booths andfaregates

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Figure 9. Bilingual SOS pylon in the Berlin S Bahn.

to ensure proper fare collection. European systems,especially in Germany and Switzerland have adopted"Proof of Payment" (POP) fare collection systems whereroving fare inspectors check passengers for proof that theyhave paid the proper fare in the form of a ticket, pass, ortransfer. The POP system has been introduced in North

America with the renaissance of light rail. Transitoperations in Edmonton, Calgary, San Diego, Portland, andSacramento all introduced POP with the opening of LRT Itis generally regarded as successful, with evasion ratesbeing held to between 1 percent and 3 percent

There is an almost total lack of inspection on thesystem in Berlin. Mission members heard comments fromcitizens that "only tourists buy tickets." In Munich, theother German city visited, there was a perception that fareinspections occurred regularly, with officers often in plainsight throughout the system.

ITS Applications

In Berlin, variable message signs are used to informmotorists of the expected travel time to destinations aheadon the autobahn (freeway). However, because Berlin is stillmaking societal and economic adjustments in response tothe reunification of Germany, technological advancement isnot a top priority. Because the necessity for public transit isobvious and the number of people who have privatevehicles is more limited, there is less focus on developingbetter systems to expand the customer base

Munich

Transit Profile

Public transport in the Munich metropolitan area(population 2.4 million) is coordinated by the regionaltransit authority (MVV) and actually managed by themunicipal public utility (Stadtwerke Muenchen), whichoperates a bus, metro, and light rail fleet that collectivelyaccounts for some 530 million passenger trips a year with afarebox recovery of approximately 51 percent. The busfleet of 75 lines, with a route length of 276 miles and 160million passengers in 1996, consists of 487 vehicles, ofwhich about 40 percent are operated under contract byprivate carriers; the Metro (U Bahn), with its six lines, 78stations, and 44-mile network, had nearly 280 million ridersin 1996. There is also an eight-line light rail (tramway)network that operates eight lines over 43 track miles andwas used by 73 million passengers in 1996 The transitnetworks feature full fare integration. All-night bus andtram services were introduced in 1994.

Transit-Supportive City Policies

Munich's city administration has been a strongadvocate of public transit and a promoter of the regionaltransit association. It has gone so far as to ban all on-streetparking in the downtown area except for residents and haseliminated curbside parking meters. Permission to buildnew offices in the central business district is given only oncondition

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that no parking will be provided. Innovative public transitmarketing initiatives include the subsidized annual "job-ticket" negotiated with public and private employersincluding the city of Munich, and the negotiation of "combitickets" which allow transit use by ticket holders to a majorcultural or entertainment attraction without extra charge,the ticket itself serving as a transit pass. Organizerscompensate MVV with a fixed fee. Another transitincentive is an annual "green card" that is available for theprice of 10 monthly passes.

ITS Applications

Munich has developed an all-modes fully integratedITS application known as COMFORT. The purpose ofCOMFORT is to provide information to better manage theuse of the entire transportation network. Variable messagesigns suggest to road travelers that they use U Bahn park-and-ride facilities because of congestion ahead Variablemessages signs and changeable directional signs canindicate the best route for travelers to use to avoid roadcongestion and delays The latter effort usually results in ashift of about 20 percent of travelers to the preferred route.

In Munich, variable speed limits are displayed thatchange according to traffic and weather conditions. Signsalso direct motorists to the nearest park-and-ride lot and tellhow many parking spaces are available and when the nexttrain is due. The center of the city has been blocked off as avery successful pedestrian area that is full of thriving retailestablishments and restaurants.

Private-Sector Partnering and Support

Europeans have a positive attitude toward publictransit. One of the most striking aspects of the visit toMunich was a discussion with the chief engineer at BMW.He noted that his business card had the nearest U Bahnstation listed on it so that colleagues could reach his officeeasily. It was intriguing for study participants to discuss therole of public transit with an automobile manufacturer andfind common ground.

BMW is one of the major participants in thedevelopment of COMFORT. According to BMWexecutives, travel congestion is not good for the automobileindustry. If traveling by car becomes too inconvenient, thiswill affect BMW's ability to sell cars BMW personnelsupport public transportation and believe that, by balancingtravel among all modes, the road network will be availablefor trips that must be made by car.

Smart Park-and-Ride Facilities

An important point in solving parking space problemsis to reduce the flow of individual transport into the inner

city. The prerequisite for convincing at least somemotorists to change to public transport is to providefacilities with a high standard of efficiency, convenience,and safety. Another important feature is providing themotorist with detailed real-time information on park-and-ride facilities.

Not all motorists are able or willing to leave their carsat home when driving from the outskirts into the citycenter--park-and-ride facilities offer a good solution to thischallenge. BMW is promoting a new policy to make park-and-ride facilities attractive so that they become moreconvenient. The objective is to convince everyone--not justcommuters--to use park-and-ride facilities.

There are many standard considerations in designingan appealing park-and-ride facility The facility should be asclose as possible to public transport and should havecovered passways. The facility itself should be designed asan attractive business and service center allowing people toshop on their way or use various services. Low fares,combined park-and-ride tickets, short travel times, andbrief intervals between trains are needed, as well as directpublic transport connections

Static information on the facilities location, cost, andoperating times, along with real-time information on theavailability of parking spaces, and the public transportsystem, need to be provided. Information of this kind willpromote the use of the public transport system. Pretripinformation can be supplied through the Internet. On-tripinformation can be made available either by variablemessage signs at the roadside or individually within the carthrough a service provider and mobile phone.

A new service, Personal Travel Assistant (PTA), isbeing used to promote the park-and-ride facilities inMunich. PTA can be used to receive information on amobile or "smart" phone. PTA offers all the information foroptimum travel and the most suitable means of transport.PTA offers public transport, railway, and airline timetables;enables bookings to be made electronically; and providesinformation on parking availability.

LESSONS LEARNED

European government and transit officials tend to takea broader view of the role of public transportation than dotheir counterparts in the United States. Rather thandeveloping technology to enhance overall transitoperations, Europeans work to enhance mobilitythroughout all modes in their communities. A similar shiftin perspective would be very helpful in improving publictransportation in the United States. In the United States, wemight begin to look at ourselves not as only publictransportation managers, but as mobility managers.

If policy-makers in the United States are to take thebest from the European model of using ITS technology toimprove public transit the key lessons to be learned are asfollows.

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• Integrate all transportation modes,• Do not short-change pre- and post-launch research on

new programs;• Encourage public-private partnerships;• Provide travelers with real-time information to

eliminate uncertainty about waiting time;• Use smartcards to streamline service, increase

revenue, and benefit customers;• Provide information that customers can understand;• Use ITS technology to enhance security for travelers.

Each of these lessons is discussed below.

Integrate All Transportation Modes

Transportation networks operate best as integratedsystems--both in their use and in the collection anddissemination of information. The newest United Statesacronym for intelligent transportation technologies is ITI,Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure. In its simplestform, ITI implies that transportation modes should notcompete with one another but that the entire transportationsystem (all modes) should be seen as a network system thatworks together. Information on all types of transportationmodes and a network that shares data to provide thatinformation are necessary.

Europe's adaptation of this concept is apparent inmany of its customer information systems. The ROMANSEproject in Southampton includes traffic movement andcongestion, public transport, and parking information. Theproject collects, collates, and disseminates information tolocal radio, information display units, TRIPlanners,variable message signs, and electronic displays at bus stops.The ROMANSE TRIPlanner provides details aboutjourneys by both public and private transport and enablesthe user to make informed decisions on how to travel. TheRATP SUROIT project gives extensive information on thetransport supply in Paris, including public transport,transport networks, parking lots, and taxi stations. TheBMW park-and-ride lots in Munich combine private cartransport with public transport options.

The European experience suggests that it wouldbenefit the United States to continue working toward theintegration of ITIs, in order to meet the transportation needsof the next century and beyond. Transportation systemsalso benefit from broadening their collaboration to includeentities outside the transportation field to build aninfrastructure of data sharing. The greatest benefit isobtained when ITI emphasizes the movement of peoplerather than the mode of transportation.

Public transit must link transit information systems tothose of other modes of transportation. Vehicles in thefuture will have state-of-the art communications systems.Drivers and passengers will be global communicators.Transit systems must be equipped with appropriatetechnology in order to remain a competitive travel option.

Do Not Short-Change Research

It is important to conduct research on ITS if thebenefits of ITS are to be fully achieved. Europe has done anexceptional job of pre- through post-research onimplemented ITS technologies. Extensive post-researchwas performed on the implementation of theCOUNTDOWN project London Transport Busesconducted extensive pre-launch research to identify theinformation passengers wanted on the COUNTDOWNsystem. RATP also conducted pre-launch studies to identifyhow to best support their AVL system, ALTAIR RATPconducted comprehensive post-research on the AVLsystem in terms of reliability, accuracy, and passengeracceptance.

Continued research is needed in the United States todemonstrate the benefits of ITS to the transit industry, toprovide decision-makers with tools to formulate future ITSmanagement strategies, and to guarantee that ITS systemsmeet the needs of customers.

Encourage Public-Private Partnerships

Public-private partnerships are vital to theadvancement of ITS technologies There are numerouspublic-private sector investments being carried out in theEuropean Economic Community. The United Kingdom hasa Private Finance Initiative (PFI). This requires that asuitable amount of risk be transferred to the private sector,that competition is sought, and that value for money spentis achieved The PFI is intended to attract private sector topublic sector projects, thereby creating partnershipsbetween the private and public sectors and allowing earlyimplementation of projects traditionally pursued undercapital expenditure but delayed because of lack of funds.RATP participates in various public-private sectorinvestments, including partnerships with private sectorcompanies on the development of a universal contactlesssmartcard. The city of Munich is also very involved inpublic-private consortiums.

Although public-private sector investments areencouraged in the United States, standards and opensystems must be further developed before the ITStechnologies can reach their potential.

Provide Real-Time Information

Providing comprehensive real-time information to thecustomer is essential to providing exceptional customerservice. Passengers want real-time information on the nextbus or train, even when the scheduled headway is as littleas 2 minutes during peak hours. Real-time informationeliminates one of the principal deterrents to using publictransit-the uncertainty of waiting time. Despiterescheduling of routes and enhanced bus priorities, trafficdensity will inevitably result in occasional andunpredictable delay. Most people

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who do not use a bus regularly will say that this uncertaintyis one of the main reasons they prefer to use their cars. Thepeople who already use public transit want this type ofinformation as well. Customers want opportunities andchoices If customers know that the bus has been delayed,they can run errands at nearby shops or choose anothermeans of transportation.

The London Transport Buses did extensive researchon their COUNTDOWN project, and the results emphasizethe importance of real-time information on public transport.About 70 percent of passengers refer to the display whenthey arrive at the stop, and 90 percent look at the sign whilethey wait. About 60 percent say they look at the sign atleast once a minute. Approximately 65 percent of thepassengers felt that they had waited less time and 83percent stated that time seemed to pass more quickly whenthey knew how long their wait would be. The display alsomade waiting more acceptable for passengers (89 percent),and 68 percent of the passengers said they now had ahigher opinion of bus travel. Sixty-four percent ofpassengers thought that the service was more reliable,although service reliability had not changed.

Use Smartcards to Streamline Service, IncreaseRevenue, and Benefit Customers

In the move toward a cashless society, transportationproviders can either be leaders or followers with respect toimplementation of new technology. Innovations, such assmartcards, offer advantages that will benefit customers.Smartcards bring us closer to the creation of a seamlesstransportation network that will provide customers withconveniences in purchase of fare media and use of thesystem. Transportation providers need to be key players inthe development of smartcards, their implementation, andtheir expansion.

Universal standards are needed that would allowcustomers to carry one card that meets basic financial needs(e.g., banking) and can be used for transportation, publictelephones, and parking. Although assistance from theprivate sector would facilitate implementation of smartcardprojects, its absence should not prevent transit providersfrom implementing such technology on their own.

Slowness of adoption in the United States of smartcardtechnology results from many factors: smartcards, knownas the most counterfeit-proof card technology in use today,are more popular in Europe because they are much morenecessary in places where telephone and computerinfrastructure is not as well developed. Until recentlyonline transaction verification was not widely available inEurope because of higher telecommunication costs. Thus,Europeans required smartcards for fraud reduction. In theUnited States, banks and credit card associations investedheavily in creating online verification systems for creditcards that function well with magnetic-stripe technology.

In Europe, adoption of technology is facilitated bybusiness conglomerates, which are able to dictate policydecisions. For example, France Telecom, a monopoly, wasable to simply mandate that its pay phones would onlyaccept stored-value smartcards for payment. Consequently,more than 120 million memory-only cards per year areused in France; this constitutes 10 percent of worlddemand. In the United States, the presence of manycompeting telephone operators makes it impossible for anyone company to mandate the use of smartcard technology.

Another reason smartcards have not been easilyadopted in the United States is the cultural differencebetween bankers in Europe and in the United States--European banks are the main sponsors of smartcard trials inEurope European banks view themselves as socialinstitutions. Consequently, when the opportunity arises totest new technology, the business case is usually not the topconsideration. In contrast, the business case typically rulesin the United States. U.S. businesses do not recognize thebusiness case for smartcards because businesses believetheir biggest vulnerability, fraud costs, is under control--and businesses do not see a need to replace magnetic-stripetechnology with a smartcard system

Banks do not see transportation, in general, as anappropriate area to use smartcards. Only in urban areas(e.g., New York City, Chicago, and Washington, DC) dothey see any potential. Transportation providers need toestablish partnerships with the private sector to implementsmartcard technology.

Provide Information the Customer Understands

The information provided to the customer should beconcise, easy to understand, and useful. Althoughinformation may be disseminated through sophisticated ITStechnology, the message itself should be clear. Passengersshould not be bombarded with useless or obscureinformation. One of the problems identified in theCOUNTDOWN project was that some messages sent bythe dispatcher were confusing to the passengers.ROMANSE's Vehicle Message Sign system uses messagesselected from a menu approved by the Department ofTransport. These messages are designed to be informativeand quick and easy to read. This menu option should beavailable in ITS technologies or for a sign with anonintelligent display. Customer information systemsshould always provide the information in a manner that ishelpful to the customer.

Use ITS Technology to Enhance Security for Travelers

The use of ITS technologies presents an opportunity tobroaden the partnerships between local police, transitoperators, and the private sector. In Paris, vehicle locationcommunications with transit security and the municipalpolice is shared. In Munich, integrated public trafficmanagement

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with transit and the police is in operation. These examplesdemonstrate how a system can be leveraged to serveexpanded needs. Using public funds and public systemswill allow communities to meet the mobility and overallquality of life issues that confront them today and in thefuture.

Mobility management plays, and will continue to play,a fundamental role in the livability and economic vitality ofour communities. As such, transit providers should ensurethat public transit systems are safe and secure for those whodepend on these services and for those who choose to usethese services. Transit providers should ensure that allmultidisciplinary stakeholders are included in thedevelopment of mobility systems.

European security practices are more proactive thanthose in the United States. This is a result of terrorist actson systems in Europe. Buses and the Underground inLondon, as well as the Metro in Paris have been targets ofterrorist activity, resulting in numerous injuries andfatalities. In the United States, it is quite possible to ridelarge systems without seeing a police officer or sheriffsdeputy. In London and Paris, it is very common to see largegroups of heavily armed officers patrolling the stations andtrains. Bomb-sniffing dogs and their handlers regularlypatrol subway stations. As a last example, the EUROSTARhigh-speed rail service between the United Kingdom andFrance has security measures in place that rival airportsecurity in the United States.

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APPENDIX AMISSION PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR TITLES AND AFFILIATIONS AT THE TIME OF THE MISSION

Mission 7--October 10-26, 1997: Application of Intelligent Transportation Systems to Public Transit in Europe(London, Southampton, Paris, Berlin, Munich)

Participants

Louis J. Gambaccini (Team Leader) Thomas C. Lambert(former General Manager of SEPTA) Assistant General Manager and Chief of PoliceDistinguished Transportation Fellow Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris CountyEdward Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy Houston, TXRutgers UniversityNew Brunswick, NJ Paul J. Larrousse

Transit General ManagerCameron Beach Madison Metro Transit SystemChief Operating Officer Madison, WISacramento Regional Transit DistrictSacramento, CA Nancy R. Neuerburg

Manager, Management Information and TechnologyAdrienne Brooks-Taylor King County Department of TransportationDirector of Passenger Services & Marketing Seattle, WASouthern California Regional Rail Authority - MetrolinkLos Angeles, CA Atefeh Riazi

Vice President & CIOJoel Golub MTA New York City TransitChief Information Officer Brooklyn, NYNew Jersey TransitNewark, NJ Jack L. Stephens, Jr.

Executive Vice President of Customer ServiceClaudia L. Hussein Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit AuthorityDirector of Finance Atlanta, GAPort Authority of Allegheny CountyPittsburgh, PA Suzanna Tellechea

Transit Project PlannerJohn M. Inglish City of Winston-SalemAssistant General Manager Winston-Salem, NCUtah Transit AuthoritySalt Lake City, UT Ken Turner

Manager, Operations Information and AnalysisWalter Kulyk Tri-County Transportation District of OregonDirector, Office of Mobility and Innovation Portland, ORFederal Transit AdministrationWashington, DC Tracy Dunleavy

Program ManagerEno Transportation FoundationWashington, DC