MetroRapid Transit Signal Priority—Using Technology to Improve Service Quality

MetroRapid Transit Signal Priority—Using

Technology to Improve Service Quality

UT CTR Annual Symposium– March 2, 2015

Todd Hemingson, AICP

Capital Metro, VP Strategic Planning & Development

Austin, Texas

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MetroRapid

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MetroRapid Purpose:• Provide high-quality, faster,

more frequent and reliable transit mode for major travel corridors

Benefits:• Improved transit time,

reliability, convenience• Improved transit visibility• Attract new riders• Increases efficiency of transit

service

MetroRapid To Date

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• More than 1,000,000 trips provided to date

• Almost 10,000 trips per weekday

But…

• On-time performance below target

• Travel times longer than expected

MetroRapid and Transit Signal Priority (TSP)

• During project design, Capital Metro sought to include as many elements of Bus Rapid Transit as possible, including TSP

• Coordination with City of Austin required for TSP

• Multiyear effort

– Citywide upgrade from optical system to centralized system using GPS

– Interagency agreements to jointly fund

– Testing and deployment ahead of MetroRapid launch

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Where is TSP used in Austin?

• Along four major transit corridors where MetroRapid service operates

– North Lamar

– South Congress

– Burnet Road

– South Lamar

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What is Transit Signal Priority?

• TSP is an operational strategy that facilitates the movement of transit vehicles through traffic-signal controlled intersections.

• Objectives of TSP include:

– improved schedule adherence

– improved transit travel time efficiency

– minimizing impacts to normal traffic operations

• It is NOT signal pre-emption!

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How Does TSP Work?

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TSP has Four Main Components

There is (1) a detection system that lets the TSP system know where the vehicle requesting signal priority is located.

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TSP has Four Main Components

The detection system communicates with a (2) priority request generator that alerts the traffic control system that the vehicle would like to receive priority.

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TSP has Four Main Components

There is software that processes the request and decides whether and how to grant priority based on the programmed (3) priority control strategies.

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TSP has Four Main Components

And there is software that (4) manages the system, collects data, and generates reports.

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So How’s it Working?

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So How’s it Working…Really?

• The system is seeing from 2400-3000 vehicle “check-ins” per weekday

• Under current operating practices, that results in 275-450 “green extensions” per weekday

• Need much more in-depth analysis!

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Where We’re Headed

• Analysis of data on TSP requests (by route, signal location, individual vehicle, average time by route, average by direction, day of week/time of day)

• Analysis of data on TSP activations(locations where granted, day/time, did the bus make it through the intersection?, why denied?, where in the signal cycle did request occur?)

• Comparison of performance differences between routes

• End-to-End Dashboard/Reporting

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Conclusions

• Successes

– First ever use of TSP in Central Texas

– System installed, tested and implemented on-time and within budget

– System is working to improve MetroRapid

• Challenges and Opportunities

– Detailed analysis of operations lacking

– Resource availability for analysis and optimization

– Partnership with academic institutions!?

– And, how to augment TSP for improved operations?

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Thanks!

Todd Hemingson, AICP

Capital Metro, VP Strategic Planning & Development

Austin, Texas

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