PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Attachment A
CAD/AVL Questions
Part I: General Questions
Vendor, CAD/AVL, and Post-Deployment 0. Vendor and CAD/AVL
number
Question
Response
Describe the key distinctions of your CAD/AVL solution that
differentiates it from the rest of the market.
How many public transit clients does your company currently
service?
How many CAD/AVL implementations within public transit has your
company accomplished in the last 5 years? Describe unique problems
that your company solved for your public transit customers
How many CAD/AVL implementations has your company accomplished
with a fleet of over 400 vehicles in the last 5 years?
How many CAD/AVL implementations has your company accomplished
with integration with P25 voice and cellular data technology?
Roughly, how long have your CAD/AVL implementations taken from
Notice to Proceed to Final Acceptance?
a) With inclusion of implementation of voice and data
communications
b) With the voice and data communications structure already in
place
What is your experience with the following voice Radio hardware
requirements?
1. Design the radio installation and integration for each
vehicle type;
2. Plan the installation of radios;
3. Install mobile voice radios, interconnecting cables, power
conditioning equipment, coaxial cable, and antennas;
4. Design and install interfaces between the on-board CAD/AVL
system and the mobile radios and, between the consoles and the
central CAD/AVL systems to provide the complete functionality
required;
5. Integrate mobile voice radios with the CAD/AVL system through
the MDT and/or VLU and provide the services in items 1 through 4
above for the combined mobile radio/MDT; and
6. Document as-built installations.
7. Develop the testing plan for review and approval by the
owner.
8. Conduct all required systems testing,
9. Develop and provide training,
.
In what year did your company start developing and selling
CAD/AVL solutions?
Describe a typical service level agreement that you would offer
to your customers.
Does your company support any user groups that are relevant to
public transit?
Where is your company’s closest office to Oakland Ca?
Describe the tenure and experience of the senior management
team
Does your company have a satisfaction program? How does your
company measure customer satisfaction?
Describe end-user support policies, services and capabilities,
including availability of support staff, number of support staff
dedicated to your application, availability of service level
reporting, and response time for high priority issues.
Does your company have a support site or portal?
How long has the current version of the software been in
production?
Discuss the future of the application in the next 3 to 5 years,
detailing development efforts related to new functionality and
modules.
Provide a diagram of the relationship between modules and the
integration points between those modules.
Describe how application software updates are ‘pushed out’
Describe your support policy for end-of-life and near
end-of-life applications
Post-Deployment Purchase Options
number
QUESTION
Response
Des
Describe options available from your company to purchase
additional units of onboard equipment after deployment.
Describe options available from your company to purchase
additional software licenses after deployment.
Describe options available from your company to purchase
extended Maintenance and Warranty agreements.
Describe options available from your company to purchase
training vouchers after System Acceptance.
Part II: Technical Questions
.
Central Systems
.
Central System Options0. Hosted Central System Option
The responder should provide a detailed description for a vendor
hosted central system solution. This shall include any assumptions
and information that would allow AC Transit to make a decision on
this option.
number
question
Response
Des
Describe your company’s ability to host a central system
solution.
Describe the District’s infrastructure and resource requirements
should the District select the hosted Central System option.
Describe how the solution would differ from the traditional
CAD/AVL solution with respect to delivery, implementation, and
warranty
Provide a rough implementation timeline for the hosted
solution.
Redundant Central System Options
The responder should provide a detailed description of the
proposed solution for a separate, physically redundant site located
at the agency’s disaster recovery site in Sacramento. This shall
include any assumptions and information that would allow AC Transit
to make a decision on this option.
number
Question
Response
Is your company able to implement and integrate a parallel
backup central system at a location separate from the primary
central system? The backup central system should maintain full
operation indefinitely, with automatic and immediate failover if
the primary central system becomes not fully operational.
Can the primary system provide redundant connections to the
cellular data WAN link, voice radio system WAN link, and AC
Transit’s WAN to garages and user workstations?
Can the primary system supply provisions to connect temporary
workstations directly to the backup system if needed?
When the primary system becomes available after an outage, can
the backup system automatically revert operation back to the
primary system?
Can the primary system hardware operate at the Disaster Recovery
site in Sacramento?
Hardware General
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the solution include a ‘complete’ central system, where all
needed functions are delivered in a turnkey manner, with any
equipment, software or work needed to create a complete system
included as part of the delivery?
Does delivery of the solution include minimally, all needed
computer processing devices, keyboards and navigation devices, and
displays for devices, workstations and servers as well as
networking and communications equipment?
Does the solution have the capability to reside on an AC Transit
IT subnet, as opposed to being a separate “stand-alone”
network?
Does the solution include a data archiving and retrieval
function?
Describe the central system’s failover capability, including
logging and notification.
What reporting rates back to the OCC for a vehicle location upon
request by the OCC is the solution able to provide?
What reporting rates for any GPS-equipped asset within a
Controller selected geographic region is the solution able to
provide? .
What superior display technologies is the system capable of
incorporating with each workstation?
Does the solution allow incorporating the functionality of both
CAD/AVL and Radio with a single keyboard and mouse?
Is the solution capable of detecting faults on field equipment
and raising an alarm on the Controller and Maintenance workstations
within 60 seconds?
Is the solution capable of displaying and storing all system
measurements in US Customary units (inches, feet, yards, and
miles)?
Describe the GPS data elements that the system is capable of
receiving and storing from each vehicle.
0.
Does the solution provide a separate, totally disconnected
System Administration and test environment with sufficient hardware
and software to comprise a small-scale representation of the
production system?
0.
Does the solution provide a central system test environment that
incorporates sufficient hardware and software to comprise an
adequate small-scale representation of the entire production system
including servers, workstations, databases, storage, networking,
onboard equipment, onboard equipment interconnections, voice
communications and data communications including two CAD/AVL
training units simulating bus operations and conditions?
0.
Is the system capable of continuous functionality should AC
Transit change cellular providers or technology where cellular
technology operates at similar or higher speeds?
Garage WLAN Access Points
number
QUESTION
rESPONSE
Does the solution have the capability to provide wireless Access
Point (AP) coverage at all AC Transit Bus Depots to enable WLAN
connectivity for data exchange between the onboard VLU and the
central system via Bulk Data Transfer?
Does the system allow the VLU to authenticate automatically when
the vehicles enter inside the Wi-Fi accessible zone without manual
intervention?
Describe the WLAN equipment protocols, compliances, and
frequencies that the solution supports.
Describe the functions that the solution’s WLAN Controller
supports.
Is the Contractor able to provide a WLAN controller at all three
garages where the WLAN controller and wireless APs shall support
the following functions?
1. The WLAN controller shall automatically detect and configure
the wireless APs.
2. The WLAN controller shall provide full control of the
wireless APs.
3. Wireless APs shall monitor radio frequency characteristics
including receive signal strength, noise, and interference (from
other 802.11 radios) on all channels in its operational frequency
band. The data shall be collected and analyzed by the WLAN
controller.
4. The WLAN controller shall use the real time radio frequency
monitoring information received from the Wireless APs to optimize
the WLAN capacity.
5. The WLAN controller shall assign radio channels to each
Wireless AP to avoid interference and channel conflicts.
6. The WLAN Controller shall dynamically control the transmit
power of each Wireless AP to maximize WLAN coverage and performance
while minimizing interference with neighboring Wireless APs in the
WLAN system.
SoftwareGeneral
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the core CAD/AVL operational components (controller
workstation, servers, WLAN access points via firewall, remote
access servers, etc.) have the capability to reside on separate
virtual LANs, for example, on AC Transit’s network within an
address space and numbering convention to be provided by the
agency?
Is all CAD/AVL software completely independent of the hardware
that it resides on?
Describe comprehensive system security plans that your company
has developed for your CAD/AVL solutions, including access control
based on groups, user ability to change passwords, encryption,
server authentication etc.
Does the solution provide the capability to issue alarms at
failures such as the following?
A network device or communications fault;
A security breach;
A device fault;
A failed or incomplete data transfer; and
Server services failure
Does the system have the capability to generate and disseminate
real-time transit traveler information to the regional 511 system,
agency-owned infrastructure, and web/mobile services?
0.
Does the solution provide a separate Real Time Passenger
Information System? If so, describe
Describe the system’s capability to accurately update real-time
arrival predictions and service alerts based on:
1. Service adjustments
2. Detours
3. Cancelled services
4. Supplemental services
5. Drop off only
6. Addition of supplemental service (trippers)
Describe the system’s capability to report Real-time arrival
predictions for services operated under headway management
mode.
0. Network
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Is the proposed system an end-to-end IP based solution?
Database
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the solution operate on a Microsoft SQL server relational
database management platform?
Describe the solution’s archiving, backup, and recovery
solution, including the equipment and systems necessary to
implement the solution.
Describe the solution’s Long Term database and how frequently it
is populated from the active database, and data retention
periods.
SystemGeneral
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe the solution’s CAD/AVL system functionality, and how it
has been previously proven in transit operations.
Describe how the System integrates with the voice and data
communications system.
Does the system detect failures and restart processes
automatically?
Does the system check for service failures and relay the status
on the CAD/AVL display?
Does the system allow Controllers to seamlessly switch the
handset between the voice radio and telephone headset?
Does the system provide representation and management of fixed
route service by the following?
1. Run: This refers to the complete piece of work for an
operator (duties) that may include vehicle changes during the
course of the day.
2. Block: This refers to the complete piece of work for the
vehicle or driver, which may include multiple routes/interlined
trips, and operators.
3. Route: This refers to the overall route identifier, under
which there would be a series of patterns.
4. Trip: This refers to a specific one‐way trip for the vehicle
related to start/end times and points.
5. Timepoints/Stops: Timepoint refers to a point along a route
where trips are assigned arrival or departure times. A stop is
defined as an established location where public transport customers
may board or alight from a transit vehicle in revenue service
Does the system allow individual Controllers to:
1. Logon with appropriate password;
2. Logoff; and
3. Enter standby or “break” mode that will automatically
transfer work assignments to another controller without requiring
Controllers to logoff the system?
Does the system save all user preferences by user logon so that
users may access their saved preferences from any CAD
workstation?
Does the system provide on‐line manuals and help functions?
Does the system have the capability to notify AC Transit
automatically by email and/or CAD/AVL text messaging of significant
service disruptions, such as unusual delays, incidents, detours, or
missed trips? .
Does the system allow Controllers access to non-CAD/AVL
applications and resources from the same workstation (email,
PDFs)?
Does the system provide the following basic views, which can be
sorted by all available fields, in addition to the message
queues?
1. Map displays (allowing for multiple map windows and zoom
settings);
2. Route displays indicating vehicles relative to stops along a
route;
3. Vehicle lists of all vehicles active in the system;
4. Operator lists of all operators logged into the system;
5. Trip lists of all trips currently active in the system;
6. Incident or event lists (for work assigned to controller or
vehicle‐specific) which shows all actions conducted through the
CAD/AVL;
7. Summaries of pull‐out/pull‐in status by first/last timepoint,
location, block, and depot in separate summaries;
8. Linear headway display (“Bus Spacing” display); and
9. Operator First Name, Last Name, and employee ID.
Does the system provide interlining information to identify
impacts of late pullouts, detours and/or bus‐bridge assignments and
notify Controllers of these impacts?
Does the system provide customizable route attributes, (e.g.,
high frequency, interlining routes, etc.) allowing for route
prioritization in different classifications?
Does the system support the ability to allow Controllers to
issue special instructions to operators/vehicles in ad hoc or
predefined geographic areas?
Is the system capable of operating on a 36-hour clock?
Does the system identify vehicles at normal layovers? When an
operator indicates vehicle is in layover status?
Does the system provide real‐time notification to Controllers of
significant traffic delays and road closures?
Does the system have provisions for planned special events such
as the following?
1. Predefined special routes
2. Predefined detours
3. Predefined text messages to operator for the event
vehicles.
Does the system allow geographic distribution of functions among
Controller positions? For example, one Controller might focus on
maintenance and incidents; another would focus on service
management and performance.
Vehicle Tracking
number
question
response
Describe the accuracy level of the performance and output of the
CAD/AVL data and mapping software when reconciling to stop and
street locations.
What is the base frequency for updates of the location of each
vehicle on the data network?
Does the system have the capability to accept location data from
sources without MDTs, such as nonrevenue vehicles and portable
radios, and display all resources as distinct layers and icons on
the CAD/AVL maps?
Does the system allow user(s) to manually relocate stale and/or
non-communicating coaches to an AC Transit defined location (e.g.
vehicles towed to garages)?
Is the system able to perform queries at regular intervals to
determine the location and number of buses that have not moved but
should be moving (e.g. “Stuck”) within specific, configurable time
periods? Does the system show all stuck vehicles simultaneously on
the AVL map?
Communication
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe the communication solutions that the system has
successfully interfaced with. Include hardware and console
interfaces.
Describe how the System sets the priority of incoming calls.
Does the system support of RTT, PRTT, and EA methods of voice
radio communications?
Does the system provide a summary table or display that
demonstrates the level of communications “reliability” with
vehicles currently in operation?
Does the system provide Controllers with the ability to
temporarily suspend vehicle late threshold and late‐pull out
threshold status messages from appearing in the status message
queue?
Does the system allow the potential to integrate with the AC
Transit phone system that will allow Controllers to use a single
headset to switch between the phone and voice communications
systems?
0.
How are calls initiated from portable radios to OCC
identified?
Does the system allow integrated CAD/AVL-Voice Radio private
call capability to any vehicle?
Does the system allow 2-way communications to a subset of
vehicles?
Are Controllers able to conduct the following type of voice
calls?
1. One‐way group calls between the Controller and multiple
vehicles defined by:
a. Individual and/or multiple route(s) (including all vehicles
currently interlining on that route)
b. Specifically identified vehicles
c. Rubber band or map selection of all vehicles within a
selected area in the map
d. Predefined graphical areas
e. By all buses from a specific Division/depot
f. By all buses in the fleet
g. Conference calls between OCC, buses, and support
vehicles.
2. PA announcements on‐board a specific vehicle or group of
vehicles as defined in (1) above.
3. Calls to a predefined talkgroup
Does the system provide a translation of bus number to radio ID
number to initiate a private call from the Controller to the
vehicle simply by entering the vehicle number?
Does the system receive radio location coordinates of
non-revenue vehicles on a regular basis?
Text Messaging
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the system provide two (2) ‐way text messaging between
transit vehicles and Controllers with the following capacity?
1. Selecting a message from the queue;
2. Selecting vehicle(s) from a list;
3. Selecting route(s), (including the option for all current and
future vehicles interlining on that route) from a list;
4. Entering an operator ID, VID or group ID, Division ID;
5. Entering a route ID or block ID;
6. Rubber band or map selection of all vehicles within a
selected area in the map;
7. Predefined graphical areas
8. Fleet wide
9. Pre-defined or ‘canned’
10. Freeform
What are the limits on the number of canned messages supported
per device type?
Describe how canned text messages are added, changed or deleted.
Describe the user level (System Admin?) required to add, change, or
delete canned messages.
Does the system allow the Controller to schedule text messages
to be sent at logon or at some future time, to notify operators of
route changes, detours, or special announcements?
Does the system allow Controllers to send free form and canned
text messages to the ASA readerboards?
\
Emergency Alarm
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe how the System supports the Emergency Alarm (covert)
function.
0.
Does The Controller have the option at any time to end the
covert microphone monitoring or the overall covert alarm event?
0.
Does the system alert all Controllers and all Road Supervisors
of an EA event?
Other Alarms
number
question
response
Is the system capable of indicating schedule adherence for all
in‐service fixed route vehicles?
Does the software allow the system to receive detour and
alternate route information that prevents the off‐route
notification when a bus is on detour or alternate route?
Does the system support reporting to downstream systems (e.g.,
Real‐time public information) the current vehicle path (e.g.
Scheduled, Scheduled Detour, Unscheduled, etc.)?
Does the software generate automated messages for vehicles that
have not performed a wheel chair lift test prior to pull out, or if
a coach has crossed a geographic threshold?
Map Displays
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the software support GIS data from Tom Tom, as provided by
AC Transit for the map display with utilities to enable future GIS
data updates?
Describe the configurable display Icons used to describe the
status of a vehicle and mobile and portable devices on the map
Is the map display capable of displaying a variety of geographic
features with names? Is it possible for Controllers to
independently set features to be visible or hidden by map layers
without limitations on the numbers of layers? Can the map display,
at a minimum, display these features?
1. Freeways and highways (with appropriate shields and alternate
names)
2. Major and minor streets (with appropriate names)
3. Rail track
4. Transit centers
5. Transfer points
6. Bus stops and stations
7. Landmarks
8. Rivers, lakes, and other major bodies of water
9. Parks
10. City, county, and police boundaries/ jurisdictions.
11. Agency maintenance yards
12. Airports, hospitals, police stations, fire stations, and
schools
13. Any landmark designated by AC Transit or created by
Controllers
Is the system capable of tracking the last known location and
direction of powered down GPS enabled devices?
Are Controllers able to create, delete and change map views
specific to their log‐on profile?
Does the system include a function that provides identification
of support vehicles and GPS enabled Security mobile and portable
radios closest to an individual vehicle selected by the
Controller?
Does the system allow selection of any time period for replay of
historical data?
Performance Summaries
number
QUESTIONS
RESPONSE
Describe the various Performance summary displays that the
software provides
Does the software screens provide access to a route display
showing the locations of all vehicles in service along a specified
route, along with supporting information such as:
1. Headways
2. Gapping
3. Schedule status
4. Scheduled departure
5. Current route
6. Next route
7. Controller action (added trip, etc.)?
Does the Performance summary displays allow for “drill‐down”
selection by Controllers where a Controller can select a route of
interest and bring up the associated route display with further
drill downs for block and vehicle information?
Resource Status Displays
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe the various Resource Status displays that the software
provides.
Does the software provide a resource status summary display
which allows a window view of the following?
1. Current support vehicle status (busy, available, assigned
minor mechanical repairs, incident numbers being dealt with, etc.)
as indicated through the Remote Desktop Application.
2. Current field support personnel status notes as entered by
OCC based on voice communications.
3. Information that can be populated into an incident such as
employee name, badge number, vehicle number, unit ID, location,
etc.
Are Controllers able to locate the following information from
the resource status display?
1. Location of support resource on the AVL map.
2. Copies of active and current day incident forms dealt with by
that support resource on the RDA?
Are Controllers and RDA users able to set status of RDA users
(e.g. available, on break/ lunch, unavailable, etc.) and assignment
information such as current assignment, finished assignments, time
assigned and who made the assignment, etc.?
Incident Management
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe basic functionality that the system’s Incident
Management offers
How are incidents tagged and identified?
Does the system document events/incidents with automated tags
for specific types of information, based on incident
requirements?
Does the system support an integrated incident/event forms
functionality which operates in conjunction with the other CAD/AVL
functions and displays?
Is the system able to distinguish service adjustments separate
from other incidents and events?
Does the system support the ability to tag an incident record
with an index or link to specific CCTV frame(s)/snippets in the
future?
Does the user interface support “speed keys” and “auto fill” for
incident reports and message queue fields?
Does the system include functionality to reopen incidents/events
to add additional information regarding an incident or event with
logging of changes?
Does the system support routing of messages and incidents
between Controllers based on work assignments, previous dealings
with the vehicle/incident, and ability to pass information between
subsystems?
Does the system allow the transference of Maintenance related
operational data collected from CAD/AVL to the Maintenance Division
(online/remotely) to allow for diagnosis?
Does the system support the ability to transfer forms between
Controllers and Road Supervisors who are using RDA?
Does the system allow Maintenance related operational data
collected from the CAD/AVL to be made available to the Maintenance
divisions (online/remotely) to allow diagnosis?
Transfer Protection
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the software provide for pre‐planned, protected transfers
obtained from the District’s scheduling system data and imported to
CAD/AVL?
Does the software include service management tools that alert
Controllers when a critical transfer or “meet” is not going to
happen and a decision is needed?
Are Controllers able to identify and initiate an ad hoc or
parameter based protected transfer through the use of a dialogue
box with the appropriate parameters to be filled out by the
Controller?
Configuration
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the system allow the distribution of work among Controllers
by configurable groups of routes, service types, geographic area,
operational function, VID, blocks, routes or trips, with all data
associated with a block, or trips on that route being directed to
particular Controllers?
Does the system allow Division based roles to provide filtering
that includes all of the following:
1. Scheduled blocks by specified Division
2. Scheduled personnel by specified Division
3. Assigned vehicles by specified Division?
Does the system allow the following types of vehicle status to
be flagged as exceptions, through the use of a different color or
other means and trigger an alert directed to the Controllers?
1. Behind schedule by an AC Transit configurable period
2. Running early by an AC Transit configurable period
3. Not logged in
4. Off‐route by an AC Transit configurable distance
5. Emergency/panic alarm activated
6. Late pull‐out by an AC Transit configurable period
7. Leaving a layover late by an AC Transit configurable
period
Do Controllers have an option to query a list of all vehicle
operators currently driving a particular route, including at least
the following information?
1. Operator name
2. Operator Status such as: full time, part time, regular,
regular relief, extra board, vacation relief
3. Employee number
4. Route number
5. Vehicle number
6. Trip number
7. Home Division
8. Time vehicle departed base
9. Time operator due back to base;
10. Whether the operator is returning the vehicle to base or
being relieved in the field?
Does the system allow Controllers to view vehicle details such
as vehicle type, make/model, Division assignment, route assignment,
schedule adherence, block/trip, Vehicle ID number, and run
number?
Do Controllers have the option to see a list of routes and/or
vehicles that are currently affected by a detour in time order by
the next affected vehicle in one (1) or both directions?
Service Adjustments
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the system include functionality for adjustments to service
including the following as a minimum?
1. Modifications to time points to support service adjustments
such as detours, alternate routes, etc.
2. Cancel or add blocks/trips
3. Adjust for temporary detours
4. Reassign or remove vehicles from certain routes or blocks
(e.g. may be required by a mechanical issue or bus bridge)?
Does the system include management for a series of standard
service restoration/correction functions including the
following?
1. Detour – Activate predefined detours for service routes.
2. Ad‐hoc Detour – Create short term detours for
accidents/incidents and events.
3. Delete/Add a Trip – Delete or add trip to a block to adjust
service levels.
4. Replace a Vehicle/Operator – Assign a replacement vehicle
and/or operator to take over service from a scheduled block that
cannot continue for any reason.
5. Skip Stop – Notify an operator to bypass a series of stops to
restore headways, with the ability to identify and log the starting
and stopping point for the skip stop measure.
6. Initiate headway management instead of schedules. The headway
mode will automatically evenly distribute the vehicles on the
route. In this mode, schedule adherence will not be monitored, but
Controllers will receive indications that instead highlight
instances of bunching and/or gapping
Does the system allow displaying of adjusted timed transfer
points, RSA, vehicles, and routes/trips?
Does the system support the assignment of buses to “fictitious”
blocks, routes that do not have schedule adherence and route
IDs?
Are Controllers able to transmit detour directions/instructions
for buses to any vehicle/resource in the field?
Does the system calculate and store lost service miles and hours
for later reporting?
Does the system provide a tool that provides a prioritized list
of vehicles available for “fill” service and/or other ad‐hoc needs,
such as “Bus‐Bridge.”?
Does the system store all detours for future use?
Is the system able to log and disseminate service adjustment
information to non-Controller personnel, such as AC Transit
Customer Service, Division Superintendents?
Bus Bridging
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the system recommend replacement vehicles and drivers
taking into consideration status of the potential replacement
driver (full/part time, regular, Extra Board, vehicle schedule,
vehicle maintenance required, operator assignments, etc.)?
Does the system support Control with the ability to identify the
number and location (garage) of available vehicles for assignment
to Bus Bridges, service restorations (e.g. fills or trades), and
other ad hoc service adjustments (e.g. gap filling to restore
consistent service headways)?
Does the system support different classifications of Bus
Bridges, including: planned and unplanned and within both, major or
minor?
Does the system identify available and appropriate vehicles for
an unplanned bus bridge if vehicles need to be pulled from
service?
Is the system able to denote high priority bus routes with
color-coding or other means in order to address rail (BART)
stoppage needs?
Is the system able to alert Window Dispatchers of events that
impact requests for vehicles?
Does the system assist the Controller with route management of
the line(s) where buses have been removed from service for the bus
bridge?
Is the system able to assist the Controller with route
management of lines(s) where vehicles have been removed from
service due to the bus bridge?
Remote Dispatch Application (RDA)
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe the system’s support of a Contractor installed Remote
Dispatch Application and its functionality, including the Remote
Dispatch’s map display functionality.
Does the RDA provide computer aided dispatch and monitoring
functionality similar to the central site CAD, including at a
minimum the following functionality?
1. Remote fleet and vehicle monitoring;
2. Bi‐directional text messaging between the RDA and OCC or RDA
and bus MDTs;
3. Receive, create, update and save incident reports and
forms;
4. Remote fleet and vehicle monitoring management;
5. Display of system‐wide bus timetables;
6. Display of stop‐based schedule performance;
7. Display of maps and turn‐by‐turn directions;
8. Access to paddle (i.e. block schedule) information;
9. Ability to display incident/message queues;
10. Access to Trip Planning Data (this may be accomplished by
providing Street Supervisors with Internet access to the AC Transit
web site); and
11. Ability to receive messages sent between buses and OCC.
Messages shall be AC Transit configurable by line(s) or geographic
area
Does the RDA allow users to set status (e.g. available,
on‐break/lunch, unavailable, etc.) and assignment information such
as current assignment, finished assignments, time assigned and who
made the assignment, etc.? Status information set by RDA shall be
recorded by the central system and automatically displayed at the
Controller workstation(s)?
Are Controllers able to assign a response to the closest
available support vehicles?
Does the RDA have the capability to exchange data securely
through the commercial data radio?
Does the RDA allow Road Supervisors the ability to have remote
access to information stored on the Central System through laptops
through a commercial cellular data service?
Desktop Display Web Application
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the system include a desktop display system that allows any
authorized user within AC Transit to have read/view/query/report
access to the fixed route CAD displays, using a CITRIX based system
on their own desktop?
Does the system allow for integration of the web based
functionality into an AC Transit web site through a web frame?
Does the desktop display provide AVL Playback functionality and
Real time performance and incident data?
Headway Management
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
AC Transit’s BRT lines will operate in headway management. Does
the system provide both route schedule adherence and headway based
management for vehicles?
Do Controllers have the ability to select ad-hoc or predefined
headways between vehicles by route, corridor block or trip?
Does the system notify OCC if headways cannot be maintained with
the current available vehicles and suggest an alternate
headway?
Is the system able to suggest the number of vehicles necessary
to maintain a given headway identified by Controllers?
Data Gateway
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Is the prospective proposer able to set up the cellular data
gateway to allow all incoming and outgoing messages between the
system and the MDCs to be transmitted using the cellular data
communications system?
Is the prospective proposer able to arrange the appropriate
communication protocols with the selected cellular provider?
WLAN Gateway
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe the bulk data exchange management software that will be
supplied to transfer data to and from the vehicle.
Is the bulk data transfer software capable, at a minimum, of the
follow tasks?
1. Download software updates/patches and configuration data for
onboard devices;
2. Download all updated schedule and trigger zone locations data
required for operation of the VLU firmware
3. Upload vehicle components monitoring configuration data;
4. Download updated trigger zones locations and announcement
sign messages for automated annunciation systems on-board
announcements;
5. Upload revenue transactions data from fareboxes; and
6. Allow for the uploading of other on-board logged data when
needed?
ReportingContractor Provided Reports
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe the System’s ad-hoc, custom, and canned reporting
tools, utilities, and features
Does the reporting utility allow reports to be printed, exported
to a standard spreadsheet application, or converted to PDF?
Does the system produce any of the following canned reports?
· Schedule Adherence (e.g. by stop);
· Missed Trips;
· Stop Time Analysis;
· Layover/Recovery;
· In-service Hours;
· Actual-hours and Actual-Miles;
· Route Deviation;
· Travel time and Average Speeds;
· Origin and Destination Information;
· Dashboard;
· Deadhead;
· Wheelchair Lift Use (e.g. by stop);
· Bike Rack Use (e.g. by stop);
· Luggage Bay Use (e.g. by stop);
· Incidents;
· Bus Change-off;
· Collisions;
· Initial Collision;
· General Delays;
· Trip Delays;
· Trip Cancellation;
· Equipment Issues;
· Vehicle Locations;
· Vehicle Speeds;
· System Diagnostics;
· Automatic Passenger Counting (e.g. by stop); and
· Maintenance (for preventative
· Performance statistics by workstation
· Maintenance, include for identification of component parts on
each AC Transit vehicle, triggered alarms, mileage; total idle time
and idle fuel usage, as well as fuel rate).
· Onboard device status reports
0.
Does the system provide a utility to create ad-hoc reports using
stored data within the system databases?
Does the system partition large tables to allow faster reporting
and improved reporting performance?
Data IntegrationSchedule and Daily Operations Data Transfer
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the system provide for the import of stop and route mapping
data using common or industry standard file formats?
Describe any web service tools that the System employs to
exchange data
AC Transit uses HASTUS for scheduling, and will implement HASTUS
for Daily Operations. Describe how the System supports interfaces
to and from the HASTUS suite
Does the system support export of actual service performed (as
opposed to scheduled service) to external data sources such as an
Enterprise Database or HASTUS Daily modules?
Does the system allow for full or partial updates of schedule,
stop, and spatial information from the HASTUS Scheduling
system?
Does the system accept incremental updates of schedule data from
HASTUS Scheduling on an as-needed basis?
Does the system allow updated and/or new schedules automatically
pushed to the fleet on a weekly or daily basis, to be configured by
AC Transit?
Does the system allow the ability to import and utilize both
schedule and headway based operational schedules?
0.
AC Transit will export data to Real Time Passenger Information
sources such as 511.ORG. SIRI has been established as the standard
communications protocol. Does the system support SIRI
protocols?
0.
Does the system support the export of all location, schedule
adherence, alarm, text message, incident report, operator run
assignments, and all other data collected by the onboard systems to
intermediate SQL tables?
Does the system provide an export tool?
Does the system provide an import tool for, at a minimum:
!. Vehicle import
2. Employee import
Automated Vehicle Announcements (AVA)
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe how the System will support or provide functionality
for existing AVA central software either through integration with
the current ACS AVA central software, or by replacing the current
software to generate and manage next stop, customer, and other
announcements, manage device configurations, generate reports, and
manage device fault reporting and logs in compliance with the
requirements of the United States Access Board
Does the system include functionality to import route and stop
data from an external system via AC Transit file(s) (e.g. Comma
Separated Value (CSV), tab delimited)?
Does the AVA software include the ability to independently
configure audio and text messages associated with a specific
stop?
Does the AVA software support announcements using at minimum
English plus any number of additional languages
Does the AVA software support the creation of audio messages
using both text-to-speech synthesized and recorded voice?
Does the AVA l software allow abbreviations to be configured, so
that when they are used in the configuration data the synthesized
voice would interpret as corresponding complete words (e.g., “SW”
configured to be interpreted as “Southwest,” “St” to be interpreted
as “Street”)?
Does the AVA software provide a means to record and generate
audio announcements and to define message-stop associations?
Can the AVA software be installed on a desktop PC or server
supplied by AC Transit, accessible by multiple clients or
workstations if on a server, and configured with required hardware
and operating system software?
Onboard SystemsComponentsVLU
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe the Onboard Systems and Components that will be
deployed with the CAD/AVL installations:
Vehicle Logic Unit (VLU)
GPS
Automated Vehicle Location (AVL)
Mobile Data Terminal (MDT)
Mobile Access Router (MAR)
Antennas
Emergency Alarm Covet Switch and Microphone
Are all of the above onboard systems integrated with the VLU?
Explain those systems that do not integrate with the VLU
0.
Is it the VLU or the MDT that will connect to the farebox via
the J1708 cable?
Is the VLU capable of sending an update message to the farebox
when there is a change to the block, route, trip, or operator?
Is the VLU able to store farebox alarms received from the
farebox?
Is the VLU functionality and external interfaces able to provide
location, time, and/or triggering messages to other on-vehicle
systems?
0.
Does the system support a VLU interface with the existing
destination headsign via a J1708 cable? Would the Contractor be
able to install and connect the VLU to the destination headsign,
including applying any firmware updates?
Automated Vehicle Location (AVL)
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Is the Contractor able to equip all vehicles with, at a minimum,
the following hardware elements?
1. A secondary position system consisting of an odometer
interface or other dead-reckoning device;
2. A GPS receiver, installed in the VLU as a
replaceable/upgradeable card;
3. An exterior mounted, watertight integrated GPS and WLAN
antenna (Note: Buses already have GPS and WLAN antenna that
Contractor may use connecting through MGR.);
Is the AVL capable of providing accuracy to within 10 feet of
the actual location at least 95% of the time?
Is the AVL designed for operation in downtown urban, suburban,
and rural areas, including the ability to continue logical vehicle
position tracking when a GPS signal is not available or is degraded
including, but is not limited to, environments such as mountainous
areas, heavily forested areas, office tower "Urban Canyons",
tunnels, multimodal transit centers, garages and transit yards?
Does the system utilize WAAS as the primary source of position
calculation?
If n
Mobile Data Terminal (MDT)
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe the MDT deployed with the solution. Include
functionality, size(s), video graphics resolution, service life
Is the MDT capable of integrating with the following onboard
systems? 1)Overhead destination sign2)Farebox3)Emergency
Alarm4)CCTV5)AVA6)Drivetrain (via J1708/J1939)
7)APC’s
8)VLU
Does the MDT provide the following functionalities?
1. Ability to be used by operators wearing gloves.
2. Ability to be readable by operators wearing polarized
lenses.
3. Readable in direct sunlight and must offer a low-glare
setting for night operation.
Does the MDT contain a volume control accessible to operators
for audio alerts?
Does the MDT support automated operator logon by swiping or
using a proximity card?
Once an Operators logs on to the MDT, is the MDT capable in turn
to also log them into all other connected onboard devices as well
as the existing destination sign?
Is the MDT able to uniquely alert the operator in the event that
a transfer request message is received while the vehicle is above
the customizable speed threshold?
Is the MDT capable of displaying all of the measurements in US
customary units?
Is the MDT capable of the allowing, at a minimum?
1. Operator logon and logoff;
2. Operator validation for correct vehicle, block, etc.;
3. Voice radio control;
4. Two-way text messaging between the operator and control;
5. Notifications of route and schedule adherence and
re-routes;
6. Operator monitoring for connected/integrated onboard
devices;
7. The ability to operate and control the internal and external
Public Address (PA) systems provided that the PA amplifier has the
necessary control inputs.
8. Emergency alarm indications for both alarm activation, covert
microphone on, and alarm received.
Does the MDT provide a maintenance function with a real-time
interface to all attached discrete signals?
Mobile Access Router (MAR)
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Is the Contractor able to provide a MAR supporting both wireless
and wired switched Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) functionality,
as well as multiple wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) links and a
gateway and a separate device from the VLU and MDT?
Describe the Contractor supplied MAR. Include specifications,
functionalities capacities, and limitations.
Is the Contractor supplied MAR a proprietary device?
Will the warranty on the Contractor supplied MAR allow/prohibit
opening the MAR?
How difficult will it be to integrate additional devices to the
MAR in the future?
Is the Contractor open to using alternate brands of Mobile
Access Routers?
Is the MAR capable of supporting the following wireless data
services?
1. 3G and 4G wireless WAN communications from common carriers
through a compatible cellular modem, to include but not be limited
to commercially available Long Term Evolution (LTE) services;
2. Wireless LAN (WLAN) “Wi-Fi” supporting the 802.11n standard
for WAN communications
3. Act as a WLAN access point capable of enabling LAN access
from public WLAN client devices within the bus interior, supporting
the 802.11n WLAN standard and on a separate subnet firewalled from
the onboard Ethernet switched LAN.
Is the MAR supplied with separate WLAN cards for the WAN client
and LAN access point functions?
Is the MAR capable of integration with onboard CAD/AVL
components and other existing onboard Ethernet enabled systems to
provide an integrated, multi-path WAN gateway for all onboard
systems via connection to the Ethernet switched LAN ports?
Does the MAR and all WLAN communications support Wi-Fi Protected
Access 2 (WPA2) security and communications protocols?
Does the MAR support IPsec Virtual Private Network (VPN)
services for connections between onboard devices and the WAN across
the gateway?
Does the MAR provide Firewall Services capable of configurable
firewalling between all LAN ports and WLAN links?
Is the MAR configurable to control which on-board systems and
applications can use a given WAN link, based on the connection
speed?
Does the MAR have the capability to assign different priority
levels to data from individual on-board devices and applications,
separately for the ingress interfaces (incoming traffic to LAN
connected devices) and the egress interfaces (outgoing traffic to
WAN links)?
Does the MAR have the capability to automatically switch WAN
traffic between available WAN links according to
administrator-defined switching policies? Switching policies shall
be based at minimum upon network availability, network priority,
time of day, and vehicle location?
Is the VLU able to initiate WLAN batch data processing using the
MAR whenever the vehicle is within WLAN coverage of an approved
SSID and the scheduled departure from layover is more than five (5)
minutes beyond current time?
Destination Headsigns
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
0.
Will the VLU allow operator or controller override of
destination sign code, and log such overrides?
Speakers and Text Display Readerboards for AVAOnboard
Processing
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Will the VLU be able to generate an external audio announcement
corresponding to the destination sign when the front door
opens?
Onboard Audio
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Does the VLU include an Automatic Gain Control (AGC) circuit to
automatically and independently adjust internal and external audio
volumes depending on their respective ambient noise level
detected?
Onboard Visual Readerboard
.
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Will AVA be able to display the current VLU time on the
readerboard in 12 hour “HH:MM” format?
.
Vehicle Monitoring
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Is the VLU able to interface with the onboard drivetrain J1708
or J1939 gateway via cables to be installed and connected by the
Contractor to the gateway?
When drivetrain J1708 or J1939 is available on a vehicle, is the
VLU able to monitor certain drivetrain data elements, at least
every two (2) seconds but no more often than every one (1) second,
and perform at least the following additional functions?
1. Extend the VLU “Black Box” buffer data being stored to
include the following available drivetrain data:
a. Speed, Acceleration, Braking, Transmission Torque,
Transmission Gear, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) in use, Traction
Control System (TCS) in use, and Air Pressure;
b. AC Transit will provide a list of additional drivetrain
parameters to be monitored. This list will be part of the VLU
configuration data, and easily modified by the agency.
2. Parameter Threshold Monitoring: AC Transit will provide a
list of drivetrain parameters to be monitored, with minimum and
maximum thresholds to be logged. This list will be part of the VLU
configuration data, and easily configurable by AC Transit. The VLU
shall initially log whenever a parameter threshold is exceeded.
Subsequent logging will occur whenever a parameter changes by three
(3) or more increments of the monitored resolution, until after the
parameter is within the acceptable minimum to maximum range.
3. Error Reporting: VLU will monitor the configured drivetrain
data elements, and report this data to control when any
“Mechanical” message is generated by the operator, whenever the
vehicle automatically “de-rates”, or whenever a configurable
parameter threshold is exceeded. The monitored data will include at
minimum:
a. Every error-code received in the last ten (10) minutes;
b. Current: Engine Temperature, Oil Temperature, Oil Pressure,
Transmission Temperature, Transmission Pressure, Air Pressure;
and
c. AC Transit will provide a list of drivetrain parameters to be
monitored. This list will be part of the VLU configuration data,
and easily modified by the agency.
Voice and Data Radios
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Describe how the Contractor will implement an interface between
the VLU and the voice and data radios.
Is the VLU able to integrate with the voice radio so that the
VLU can control the voice radio talkgroup and its connection to the
operator handset, speakers, boom microphone and covert
microphone?
Is the contractor able to provide the integration between these
radios and the VLU in order for the VLU to control the operation of
these radios?
Is the VLU able to control all functionality of the radios?
Is the Contractor able to provide voice and data radio
integration between the proposed CAD/AVL system and the data/voice
systems as listed below and incorporating the specifications listed
below?
1. Dispatch operators must have the ability to select talkgroups
for mobile voice radios/vehicles with VLUs (talkgroup lists will
have more detailed description of the talkgroup’s purpose will
appear when the cursor hovers over the talkgroup name);
2. Supervisor radios must be able to monitor/scan all bus
communications
Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Is the DVR able to interface with the VLU via both devices being
connected to the MAR via Ethernet?
Is the DVR able to receive from the VLU GPS location and
time/date information, for recording with video date?
Is the VLU able to store DVR alarms and service status received
from the DVR?
Is he VLU able to provide a discrete video ‘tagging’ signal to
the DVR when a PRTT or emergency alarm is generated by the
operator?
Automatic Passenger Counters
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Is the Contractor able to integrate the existing onboard APC
equipment with the MAR via Ethernet to enable the existing APC
central software to complete bulk data uploads of APC data from the
existing APC equipment via the garage WLAN?
Transit Signal Priority
number
QUESTION
RESPONSE
Is the Contractor capable of installing the interface between
the VLU and the TSP emitter via a J1708 cable or Ethernet including
firmware or updates needed to the TSP emitter?
Is the VLU able to activate and deactivate a third party TSP
emitter device using a J1708 connection?
Is the VLU able to activate and deactivate the TSP emitter based
on schedule or headway adherence, on a command from the central
systems, or by pre-defined trigger points set in the GIS data?
Is the VLU able to log all TSP emitter activations/deactivations
on-board the vehicle, including data, time, GPS location, route,
vehicle ID, and direction? These logs shall be available either
through a system reporting function or through the WLAN
communications with the vehicle?
Does the system allow a valid TSP polygon area to be defined,
updated, and downloaded to each vehicle VLU through the WLAN?
1