DATA On-Demand Transit Vehicles - Transit Vehicle OBE Functionality
Subsystem Description
The Transit Vehicle On–Board equipment (OBE) resides in a transit vehicle and provides the sensory, processing, storage, and communications functions necessary to support safe and efficient movement of passengers. The types of transit vehicles containing this physical object include buses, paratransit vehicles, light rail vehicles, other vehicles designed to carry passengers, and supervisory vehicles. It collects ridership levels and supports electronic fare collection. It supports a traffic signal prioritization function that communicates with the roadside physical object to improve on–schedule performance. Automated vehicle location enhances the information available to the transit operator enabling more efficient operations. On–board sensors support transit vehicle maintenance. The physical object supports on–board security and safety monitoring. This monitoring includes transit user or vehicle operator activated alarms (silent or audible), as well as surveillance and sensor equipment. The surveillance equipment includes video (e.g. CCTV cameras), audio systems and/or event recorder systems. It also furnishes travelers with real–time travel information, continuously updated schedules, transfer options, routes, and fares. A separate 'Vehicle OBE' physical object supports the general vehicle safety and driver information capabilities that apply to all vehicles, including transit vehicles. The Transit Vehicle OBE supplements these general capabilities with capabilities that are specific to transit vehicles.
Functional Object: Transit Vehicle On-Board Connection Protection
'Transit Vehicle On–Board Connection Protection' monitors vehicle schedule performance and provides it to the transit center for connection protection processing. It receives operator instructions relating to managing connection protection and recognizes individual travelers who have arranged for connection protection and provides connection protection information to the transit center.
Functional Object: Transit Vehicle On-Board Fare Management
'Transit Vehicle On–board Fare Management' supports fare collection using a standard fare card or other non–monetary fare medium and detects payment violations. Collected fare data are made available to the center.
Functional Object: Transit Vehicle On-Board Paratransit Operations
'Transit Vehicle On–board Paratransit Operations' forwards paratransit and flexible–route dispatch requests to the operator and forwards acknowledgements to the center. It coordinates with, and assists the operator in managing multi–stop runs associated with demand responsive transit services including paratransit. It collects transit vehicle passenger data and makes it available to the center.
Functional Object: Transit Vehicle On-Board Trip Monitoring
'Transit Vehicle On–Board Trip Monitoring' tracks vehicle location, monitors fuel usage, collects operational status (doors opened/closed, running times, etc.) and sends the collected, time stamped data to the Transit Management Center.
Functional Object: Transit Vehicle Pedestrian Safety
'Transit Vehicle Pedestrian Safety' exchanges current location and motion information with pedestrian–carried devices in the vicinity and uses that information to warn the driver of pedestrians in the vehicle's path. Information from on–board sensors (e.g., radars and image processing) are used to augment the short range communications, if available. In addition to notifying the driver, control information can also be provided to support automated control functions that can avoid the collision.
Functional Object: Transit Vehicle V2V Safety
'Transit Vehicle V2V Safety' exchanges current vehicle location and motion information with other vehicles in the vicinity, uses that information to predict vehicle paths, and notifies the driver when the potential for an impending collision is detected. Information from on–board sensors (e.g., radars and image processing) are used to augment the V2V communications, if available. In addition to notifying the driver, control information can also be provided to support automated control functions that can avoid the collision. This object is similar to the 'Vehicle Basic V2V Safety', but it accounts for crash scenarios that are unique to transit vehicles (e.g., Vehicle Turning Right in Front of Bus). It is also stop–aware since stop locations pose specific crash threats for transit vehicles. Finally, the detection and control algorithms, filters, and timing account for bus performance and risk profiles associated with remote vehicles that are unique to transit.