accessible transportation data & technologies #sxsw13

?

??

??

?

?

? ?

?

?

?

?

??

?

?

??

?

?

?

Accessible Transportation Data & Technologies

Bill Curtis-DavidsonIBM Worldwide Human Ability & Accessibility Center12 March 2013

#sxsw13 #coolUSDOT @BCurtisDavidson

Many people need accessible transportation information

Persons who have mobility impairments

Persons with disabilities (PWDs)

Blind people and persons with low vision

Deaf people and persons who are hard of hearing

Outside light

Ambient Noise One Hand

Eyes Busy

Aging Eyes

Public PlacesBumpy Road

People with situational impairments

Stroller

Example accessible transport questions

Impairment Example Questions

Vision • Do rail stations, bus stops + transit vehicles include functioning audio announcements, tactile signage, etc.?

• Can the touch-screen ticketing system be used without vision?

Hearing • Do subway stations, bus stops + transit vehicles include functioning visual signage?

• Are induction loops provided for people who are hard of hearing?

Mobility • Which subway stations (and which entrances) are wheelchair accessible (step-free, elevators)?

• Where are the station elevators + are they currently operating?

• What are the wheelchair + stroller access features of transit vehicles + are they currently operating?

Having accessible transportation infrastructure and services is wonderful…

Key Point

… but without accessible transportation real-time information, PWDs + situational impairments cannot always use the infrastructure + services.

Accessible transportation data comes from many sources

GeoAccess.org – Data-Enabled Travel

Fixed Route Public Transit

Public Paratransit

Private Transportation

POIs / Environment Info

Static Data from Authorities

• GTFS Feed• Accessible Stations/

Stops (entrances)• Accessible Vehicles • Contacts / help

• Agency info• Service areas • Fixed routes/stops

(if applicable)• Fares/reservations• Contacts / help

• Community based transport

• Rideshares/ carpools

• Accessible taxis• Access info for

private air, rail, bus, ferry stops/vehicles

• Wheelchair rentals

• Accessibility info for POIs

• Accessible municipal infrastructure

Real-Time Data from Authorities

• Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)

• Elevators/escalators• Wheelchair lift status• Vehicle fullness• Congestion/traffic• Predicted arrival

• Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)

• Vehicle fullness• Congestion/traffic• Predicted arrival• Service alerts• Reservation

• Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)

• Vehicle fullness• Congestion/traffic• Predicted arrival• Service alerts• Reservation

• Real-time info for Accessible Municipal infrastructure (e.g. closings)

Crowd Sourced Data

• Vehicle fullness • Vehicle issues• Station/stop issues• Service issues• Ratings / reviews

• Vehicle fullness • Vehicle issues• Station/stop issues• Service issues• Ratings / reviews

• Vehicle fullness • Vehicle issues• Station/stop issues• Service issues• Ratings / reviews

• New or edited POIs• POI ratings/reviews• User generated

tags for municipal infrastructure

SOURCE: “Data-Enabled Travel: How Geo-Data Can Support Inclusive Transportation, Tourism, and Navigation through Communities”, GeoAccess Challenge Team, March 2011 (GeoAccess.org)

Example: New York City

Public TransitNYC Transit Bus &

Subway, LIRR, Metro North Railroad

ADA Compliance StatusAccessible

Entrances/ExitsReal-Time Service,

Elevator + Escalator Status

Metro Transit Authority

Private Transportation & Taxis

For-Hire Vehicles (black cars, luxury limos)

Taxi Stands

Taxi & Limo Commission

POI Accessibility:HotelsMuseumsRestaurantsMuch more…

Mayor's Office Disabilities

Private TransportationRentals (e.g. car, van,

wheelchair) Transfers (e.g. airport,

helicopter, ferry, rail/bus)

Effective provision of accessible transport information requires collaboration…

Key Point

… between public transportation authorities, private transport providers, city government officials, and with support of local disability groups.

Technologies to aggregate and provide accessible transport info

Transport App Development

Data collection + aggregation tools

Open Data Files

Machine Generated

Streams Apps

IBM “AccessMyNYC” Demo Mobile App

HTML5 mobile web app IBM Centennial THINK

Exhibit in NYC Led by IBM Human Ability

& Accessibility Center App conformed to WCAG

2.0 & MWBP 1.0 standards

Cooperation w/ NYC Gov Data from NYC Disability

Office, MTA, TLC Helped people get info on

accessible transport and POIs, plan routes

Social ratings and Twitter® integration

Built on IBM Middleware with custom web services

Accessible Transport

Subway EntranceExits

Accessible Routes

Accessible POIs

IBM “AccessMyNYC” Demo Mobile App

Transit/Walk Routes Accessible POIsHome / Menu Accessible Transport

Technologies are available to collect, aggregate + stream accessible transport data

Key Point

… and to provide that information to people in accessible mobile native, web and hybrid apps.

Summary

Accessible transport data, mobile tech + infrastructure are converging

Smarter City authorities + app developers should leverage to innovate the user experience and improve urban transportation and services.

Summary

Create, collect, aggregate data.Build accessible mobile apps.Improve Smarter Cities.

Thank You

Bill Curtis-Davidson (wacurtis@us.ibm.com) IBM Worldwide Human Ability & Accessibility Center

#sxsw13 #coolUSDOT @BCurtisDavidson