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Federal grant will enhance TriMet trip planning
by Angela Murphy, Public Information Officer, TriMet Public Affairs

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently awarded TriMet a $678,000 Mobility on Demand (MOD) Sandbox grant based on a proposal we submitted to extend our existing Open Trip Planner tool.

The Open Trip Planner (OTP), initially released as an open source project by TriMet in 2009, was the first to introduce multiple travel modes in one trip, with the original focus on incorporating biking and walking networks with transit. This grant will allow us to build upon the core of Open Trip Planner to incorporate shared-use mobility options.

The open data, software and user interfaces, responsive on both web and mobile, will help our riders make informed decisions about their mobility choices, including the critical first and last miles of transit trips where a bus or train alone doesn’t provide full access.

TriMet’s project includes the development and expansion of two core data frameworks, including:

• Extending the OTP code base to support integration with shared-use mobility modes (bike-share and car-share services) as well as real-time transit information; and
• Implementing a fully functional and comprehensive open geocoder (also known as address locating).

In addition to the two main elements of the project, TriMet is looking to develop a new web-based interface that will allow users to make intermodal trip plans including shared-use mobility and demand-responsive service (Uber/Lyft/etc.).

Improvements to base map data will be made so the trip planner can support enhanced pedestrian/ wheelchair accessibility information for customers; and improvements to regional address data that will make location search and geocoding more effective and user-friendly.

The project will also plan for compatibility with future booking and payment options so customers can plan and pay for their trips in one app.

“We’re on the cusp of a transportation technology revolution,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer. “This grant gives TriMet the opportunity to lead the nation in utilizing mobile technology and coordinating with private sector transportation providers to meet the mobility needs of a diverse and growing region.”

The MOD Sandbox Program, managed by the Federal Transit Agency (FTA), is part of a larger research effort at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that supports transit agencies and communities as they integrate new mobility tools, making transportation systems more efficient and accessible, particularly for people who lack access to a car.

A total of $8 million in MOD Sandbox Program grant funds was awarded to 11 agencies nationwide. The FTA chose projects that have demonstrated solutions in real-world settings. The announcement was made by U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx at the 2016 White House Frontier Conference in October.

This two-year project will begin in January 2017. One of the key benefits we hope to achieve from this project includes enhancements to the core OTP routing engine. This will allow for more detailed pedestrian and wheelchair access routing, and text directions to and from transit stops, by incorporating updates to the OpenStreetMap (OSM) pedestrian network. The concentrated effort in improving both the accessibility data in the street network and its use in OTP will be a sharp enhancement to equity for persons with disabilities.

Our aim is to create a product that will not only benefit our riders and our region, but communities nationwide. Adoption of OTP technology has been strong, with implementation in dozens of cities and countries worldwide. TriMet is collaborating with the OSM coding community to establish best practices for representing this accessibility information in the base network, to serve as a model for diverse communities. TriMet will build out this accessibility information in the OSM network and provide a model for replicating this work in other regions.

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