04/18/23Andrew Frank 1

Improve Public Transportation with Geographic Information:

Door-to-Door Public Transportation Guidance

“Zum Hotel Sacher, bitte!”

Andrew U. FrankGeoinformationTU Viennafrank@geoinfo.tuwien.ac.at

04/18/23Andrew Frank 2

Overview

Motivation: a traveller at the airportNow and in the future

TechnologyUser Interface considerationsBusiness model

Research Questions

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MotivationImagine yourself

leaving the Vienna airport baggage claim area and you have a reservation at the Hotel Sacher in town next to the Opera.

Should I take the bus?

Should I take the train?

Or should I take an airport shuttle?

Let’s ask the Information desk:

the bus is the fastest way to get to the city centre

Do I need local cash for the ticket?

The bus leaves

The bus arrives

From bus to underground:I follow the arrows

But I need a new ticket - which one?

Which stop to the Opera?

I leave at Karlsplatz - which exit?

Or this?

Or this?

With some help and detours I get to:

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Information needed

A traveller needs a surprising amount of detailed information:

ScheduleTicketing rules and fares

(including how to operate vending machines)

Where to board trains and bussesReal-time information about when

vehicles arrive and leave

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Difficult and time consuming to collecttrip takes a total of 70 minutes, of which

30 are used to collect information, make decisions, buying tickets.

Consider also emotions: anxiety, fear of getting lost

therefore : I take the taxi!

“Zum Hotel Sacher, bitte!”

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Knowledge is available on the web

airport building

city map with location of Sacher

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Information is not in a useful formatThe collection of the information from the

web is a multi-step process, requiring more knowledge than what the traveller has,

it is difficult to anticipate the exact information needs ticket prices are not always givenexact arrival time is unknown

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A future system:

Integrated guidance for travellers

The example here is for tourists, but comparable approaches can be used

for regular users, e.g. commuters.

There is extensive research for guidance of drivers of individual cars. Public transportation is the only way for the future of the city!

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Preparation phase

The reservation system has the information about the flight plan and the hotel reservation.

A detailed information for the transfer to town is printed, which includes all tickets, schedules, instruction to change etc.

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Guidance during trip:

additional information which depends on exact arrival time etc. is delivered using GSM - SMS

The traveller’s mobile phone senses location of traveller and gives location and time dependent information.

No question which mode of transportation

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But clear info: Use Bus!

Bus in 5 minzum Air-Terminal

dann Umsteigen in U-Bahn

Ankunft im Hotel: 16:40

>Alternative< >Ticket<

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Not: Which ticket and how to pay?

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But Ticket on the GSM phone

Einfache Fahrt

Flughafen Wien-Schwechat

Karlsplatz1 Person

annulieren weiter

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Path to the Bus:

annulieren weiter

Weg zum Airport-Bus

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What to do with the luggage?

Airport - BusGepäck in das offeneSeitenfach stellen

Bus durch Vordertürebetreten

Ticket dem Fahrerzeigen

annulieren weiter

The Bus

The Bus arrives

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Change from Bus to Metro

Umsteigen zur U-Bahn

Folgen Sie dem blauenSchild mit weissem U

Gepäck nicht vergessen !

UU

weiter

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weiter

Durch das Hotelüber die Strasse zur U-Bahn-Station

U

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weiter

in der U-Bahn-Stationdie Treppe für U4 hinunter.Bahn auf der linken Seite

Not a second ticket machine!?

No question: where is the Opera ?

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Go direction Hutteldorf

U-Bahn U4

Richtung Hütteldorfbis 2. Station: Karlsplatz

weiter

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... And a remainder to go off

Aussteigen!

Sie haben die Station Karlsplatz erreicht.

Hier aussteigen und nach rechts zum Ausgang weiter

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From the Metro to the Hotel

weiter

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weiter

in der UntergrundpassageRichtung Oper

I know which way to go!

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Ausgang“Kärntner-strasse“

Not this…

…but this exit

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weiter

Effectively I arrive at the destination

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Technology

The technology is available:GSM - SMSGPSTickets over the web, Tickets on the mobile phone

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The data

The data is (mostly) available:ScheduleFares (not always)Town and road mapsReal-time position of vehicles

Integration is the problem!

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Missing: integration

A user interface issue:Build a single interface

with minimal input needs from the traveller.

Components in the system must exchange data.

Anticipate needs of traveller.Use profile of declared preferences of

traveller.

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Business model:

The value of the information provided is the time saved; such a service can be included in a travel reservation system.

It is either a billable item or a benefit a travel agent offers to his clients.

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Generalisation:

There are many similar applications of Geographic Information for particular users.

They are characterised by:- small amount of GI used- small value (1-5 $)- many users

Potential for new uses of geographic information with direct benefit to the citizen!

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Two types of GI projects

Large GIS - a complex organisation maintains a GIS for its internal use

Small GI - a service provider “sells” GI for specific purposes

Small GI fits better in the concept of ‘lean government’ and market orientation.

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Many applications for Spatial Information:Scheduling for Out-Patients in Hospitals

Routing for service vehicles, community cabs etc.

Typically achieved: 20 to 25% increase in efficiency.

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Future role of Geographic Informtion80% of all decisions have a spatial

component.20 - 25% improvement achieved (in the

long term!)

-> 20% of GNP is produced by Spatial Information.

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Research issues:

Cognition, especially spatial cognition

Economy of information, especially spatial

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Spatial Cognition

How can we identify what information a traveller needs?

Hypothesis:In the spatial environment the information needs can be identified.

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Ph.D. Research by Martin Raubal:Traveller in an airport, going to the

departure gate:Are there all the signs needed for him to reach his destination quickly and without error?

Method: Simulation of traveller and his cognitive processes.Is he provided with all the information necessary for the decisions.

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Economics of Spatial Information (Ph.D. work by Alenka Krek)The value of information is created by its

use in a decision situation.No decision, no value.Value can be estimated quantitatively as contribution to improve decision.

The value is passed from the final user back to the producer and the collector of the information.

Research directions: how to create aSpatial Information Business?