MONITOR-CTA (CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY) - FINAL REPORT - AN URBAN MASS TRANSPORTATION DEMONSTRATION PROJECT STUDY OF AUTOMATIC VEHICLE MONITORING

• NCJ Number: 12778
• Author(s): M LUKES; R SHEA
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 118 pages
• Grant Number(s): IL-06-0010 (DOT); H-1016 (DOT)
• Sponsoring Agency: US Department of Transportation
• Corporate Author: Chicago Transit Authority
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TEST OF THE PRACTICABILITY OF CENTRALIZED AUTOMATIC SCHEDULE ADHERENCE CHECKING AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A CLANDESTINE ALARM ABOARD A TRANSIT VEHICLE.

Abstract

THE STUDY ALSO INVESTIGATED THE POSSIBILITY THAT SUCH AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WOULD ALLOW SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN RADIO CHANNEL UTILIZATION. THE EVALUATION WAS PERFORMED BY COLLECTING DATA PERTINENT TO THE SYSTEM'S PERFORMANCE (I.E. ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY) IN SPECIALLY DESIGNED EXPERIMENTS. THE OPTIONAL ASPECT WAS EVALUATED BY COLLECTING DATA BEFORE AND AFTER IMPLEMENTATION. THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION INDICATE AN EXCELLENT POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED MANAGEMENT INFORMATION. ALTHOUGH THE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE WAS ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY POOR RELIABILITY OF THE INITIAL EQUIPMENT ABOARD THE BUSES, IT WAS SHOWN THAT THIS SYSTEM CAN MAINTAIN SCHEDULE ADHERENCE AT LEAST AS WELL AS THE PRESENT METHODS, ACCURATELY LOCATE A VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDE THE INFORMATION CAPACITY OF TWICE AS MANY CONVENTIONAL VOICE RADIO CHANNELS. FROM THESE RESULTS IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THIS SYSTEM IS A GOOD INVESTMENT. ACCEPTABLE RELIABILITY IN FUTURE EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE FACILITATED THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE THE PROJECT WAS UNDERTAKEN. SIMULTANEOUS MODIFICATIONS IN SOFTWARE BASED ON EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PILOT INSTALLATION MAY PROMOTE EXPANDED USEFULNESS OF THE SYSTEM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)