Beta transportation authority

The Beta Transit Authority

Open Data, Civic Media and Grassroots Mobility

Tuesday, October 25, 11

CarFree Maine overview

• Public Transit “Marketing”

• Transportation Equity

• Infrastructure+Memory

Short Term Projects

Long Term Projects

• Interorganizational Collaboration

• Multimodal Travel Planner

• Open Data Initiative

Focus is on Multimodal Connections rather than single

mode

Utilizes Civic Media to build public engagement

“Bottom up” approachSeeks to improve connections within existing infrastructure


Public Transit Marketing-•Web Video PSAs,•Campaign for Best Practices of Information Design •Parodies of car commericials•Regional profiles•Mapping and InfoGraphics•Social Networks

Transportation Equity-• Active Partnership with African Diaspora Institute• Strong Connections with Veterans Advocates• Video Oral History with various Mainers about mobility,

access and lack of auto alternatives • Open Twitter account/Ushahidi Deployment for open

comments RE:Portland Metro Bus improvements• Work with ADI to devise best practices for multi-lingual

information design

• Video Oral Histories W/ individuals w/extraordinary experience and influence on the current state of Maine Infrastructure (i.e Wayne Davis, Joe Gray...)

• Web Episodes Illustrating the Past, Present and Future of Transit in Brunswick, Portland and Biddeford (1 episode each)

Infrastructure+Memory

Interorganizational Collaboration

• Collaborate with Bicycle Coalition of ME, ET Coalition, town of Saco, Engine Inc, UNE, NNEPRA, TRNE, ECG to ensure ability to bring bicycles on board in Saco

• Bowdoin College, CEI, USM, SMCC, UMaine, UNE, SNHU to incorporate “digital volunteering” i.e graphic design, web design, software development, coding, front and back end architecture...

• Forge partnerships with groups based in Boston, NYC and other national organizations. MIT Civic Media, Open Plans, Code For America, Transportation for America, PPS, STARlab, TransportationCamp 2012

Open Data Initiative

• Work with GPCOG, PACTS, TriCities Riders Assoc, GOMAINE, MDOT, MCOG, Coastal Trans, RTP, METRO, NNEPRA and Concord Trailways to adopt GTFS data standard regionally using GTFS Builder Software

• Implement local deployment of “Transit Appliance” or similar devices at partnering coffeeshops, libraries, community centers, churches etc...

• Implement deployment of Ushahidi to determine best locations for TA displays

GTFS-OSM Interface• Utilize active Facebook,Ushahidi,

EveryTrail,Foursquare, Twitter, Google Tracks etc... to build solid core of OpenStreetMap inputs

• Collect and disseminate data through gtfs-osm-sync/opentripplanner software

• Develop User-oriented trip planning interface web/native HTML5 Hybrid app based online with iOS, Android, SMS, webapp, RIM, MS extensions


Civic Media

Participatory Media

Civic Life

Civic Media

The “civic hacker ethic”, if you will, is about making sh[...], and it represents a pretty new way of getting civically engaged — less about arguing policy or politics and more about building something helpful.-

Nick Grossman , Open Plans/Civic Commons

— Ethan Zuckerman

Director, MIT Center for Civic Media

http://www.slideshare.net/nickgrossman/the-opportunity-for-civic-startups




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■ Rising gas prices have cut nearly one-third of the potential growth in real disposable income, which could have gone to creating more economic activity within the economy, including the travel and tourism industry -AAA Memorial Day 2011 Travel Forecast, IHS Global Insight May 19, 2011

■ Many Maine residents work a second job solely to pay for transportation to their first job!

■ Most new job growth in Maine has been in the Tourism/Service Sector

■ Even these low-wage jobs have been threatened by oil dependency

Accomodations15%

Food and Beverages20%

Shopping15%

Entertainment9%

Other3%

Auto Transportation39%

Average Family Transportation Spending Budget in New England Memorial Day Weekend

2011

■ AAA Memorial Day 2011 Travel Forecast, IHS Global Insight May 19, 2011


620%

30%

40%

50%

2000 2008

Transportation Costs as Percentage of Yearly Income

Portland ME Region

$0

$250.00

$500.00

$750.00

$1,000.00Monthly Transportation Costs Per Household

?!!!

Transportation Costs are making rural life

impossible for recent graduates and young, working-age adults.

Data/Calculations from H and T Affordability Index, Center for Neighborhood Technology. www.htaindex.org

Waldoboro, Maine Brunswick, MainePortland Maine Boston Mass


The Opportunity for Civic StartupsWeb 2.0 Expo 2011 - Nick Grossman | @nickgrossman

graphic: Code for America


Cafe'Farmers Market

Emerging generations are moving into downtowns, driving less, walking more, living in smaller homes[...], preferring local businesses, [...] prioritizing health, going green and

valuing community and social networking like never before.-Neil Takemoto www.cooltownstudios.com


http://www.cooltownstudios.com

http://www.cooltownstudios.com

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The share of automobile miles driven by people aged 21 to 30 in the U.S. fell to 13.7% in 2009 from 18.3% in 2001 and

20.8% in 1995

The proportion of people aged 21-30 actually increased from 13.3% to 13.9%

20-somethings went from driving a disproportionate amount of the nation's highway miles in 1995 to under-indexing

for driving in 2009.

Sources KRC Research 10/2010,Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration's National Household Travel Survey

Census data

➡ Millennials are choosing to drive less for environmental reasons.

➡ This group would drive even less if they could find good alternative sources of transportation.

➡ Car ownership is prohibitively expensive for many in this age group.

October 2010 Study by KRC Research-

Traveled to Maine in Personal Car 2010

74%73%

86%Ages 55+Under 35Ages 35-44

The thought of living in a place which would require me to own a car ever again gives me chills. Imagine being beholden to a 2,000 pound piece of metal which sucks 15% of your income every month, makes you pudgy, and does bad things to the

environment.- CarFree Baltimore


http://carfreebaltimore.com/?p=1133

http://carfreebaltimore.com/?p=1133

13

“Is Digital Revolution Driving Decline in U.S. Car Culture?”

Article: http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=144155

“Carmakers' next problem: Generation Y

People in their teens and twenties are more interested in gadgets than cars”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39970363/ns/business-autos/

“Young people aren't simply swapping cars for buses or bikes; they are choosing to own and use other technology instead, such as smartphones and tablet computers.”

"Previous generations found freedom and flexibility through the car. But Generation Ys find their freedom and flexibility by staying connected to their friends, family and workplaces through the various information devices - like their laptops, or iphones.

"They can stay connected on a bus or a train. They can bring the office with them. They can bring their study with them. They can bring their friends with them. They can't if they're driving."

-- Peter Newman, Curtin University, Perth, Australia, quoted in the West Australian, www.humantransit.org

-www.shareable.com


http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=144155

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=144155



http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/9683930/high-tech-draws-new-generation-to-trains/

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/9683930/high-tech-draws-new-generation-to-trains/

http://www.humantransit.org

http://www.humantransit.org

http://www.shareable.com

http://www.shareable.com

Can New Media Effect Transportation Preference?

According to a study called “Tech for Transit: Designing a

Future System”

Web and mobile information tools can confer a wide range of benefits, typically reserved for car ownership, on alternative transit options like public transit, walking, biking, and car-sharing. They achieve this by offering a similar sense of choice, convenience and personalization, and by providing new opportunities for people to reach their personal goals—whether those relate to being more social, being better to the environment, discovering local hang-outs and events, and so on.

http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/nextamcity/22658/latitude-

transit-study-results-part-twoTuesday, October 25, 11

http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/nextamcity/22658/latitude-transit-study-results-part-two




GoMaine Vanpool

Amtrak Downeaster

Shoreline Explorer

Brunswick Explorer

Portland Metro Bus

Zoom Turnpike Express

Casco Bay Lines

Maine Eastern Railroad

U Car Share

Vacationers Residents

East Coast Greenway Trail

The VisionA Multimodal Public Transit Network Designed, Utilized and

Operated By... The Public

Bike Share

Maine State Ferry


CarShare

MapsSchedulesClosest

BusRail

Bike Trails

Tickets

BrunswickTransportation

Integrated Data Networks Leading To-


An Integrated Mass Transit Network


Ferry Connection

Maine Eastern RR

Downeaster W/ Brunswick Extension

Bath

Freeport

Proposed Coastal Corridor for Car-Free Tourism

Wells

Saco/Biddeford

Portland

Brunswick

Rockland

Bass Harbor/ Acadia NP


Portland/So. Portland/

Westbrook/Casco Bay

Islands

Biddeford/Saco/Old Orchard

Brunswick/Bath/

Topsham

Brunswick/Bath/Topsham

Portland/So. Portland/

Westbrook/Casco Bay Islands

Biddeford/Saco/Old Orchard


Open Transit Data

Schedule a TripCheck Your

Neighborhood Find A Ride

An inventory of relevent open transit data can have far-reaching effects in a rural area. Open Transit Data has been released with great success in places like Portland Oregon, and Boston where over

1/3 of MBTA riders use some form of mobile app to plan their trips or locate their bus or train. Mass transit has been difficult to implement in Maine because of the low population density. However,

with sufficient network adoption, a “Smart Transit” system can effectively its modal response much like the “Smart Grid” uses data to determine power generation.

Open Data Can Change The Game


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Regional planning organizations have been working on an “Intelligent

Transportation System” (ITS) in the State of Maine since 2001. This

initiative was at the cutting edge of innovation at the time but technology

has advanced to the point where similar information displays can be

provided for less than $150 each today.


www.transportme.org

Intelligent Transportations Systems circa 2001


http://www.transportme.org

http://www.transportme.org

Transit Appliance:Open Source Code+Consumer Grade Screen Display -$60

The Availability of Open Source Transit Data Has Resulted in

Hundreds of Innovative Applications


This recent study recommends a combination of the GTFS format

for transit data and crowdsourced data in the form of

OpenStreetMap for pedestrian and neighborhood data .


Transit Design, Wayfinding and Branding

Transit Hub Portland Maine Transit Hub Detroit Michigan


“Metro Pulse” Interior


Apples and Oranges?Portland, Maine is much smaller than most other cities

so it isn’t fair to compare them....

Portland Maine Metro Population 514,098 Ogden Utah Metro Population 547,184


Ogden Utah Metro Pop. 547,184

Salem, Oregon Metro Pop 396,103,

Lansing Mich MetroPop 464,036

Eugene Oregon MetroPop 351,715

Charlottesville VA, Metro

Pop 201,559

Champaign-Urbana Ill. Metro Pop 231,891


Signage, Usability


Bus Shelter at Portland Transportation Center

Transit Stop at Portland Jetport

Shelter at Monument Square Transfer Hub

Chattanooga Tenn. w Arrival Time Display

Tempe Arizona, Solar Heated, Green Walls

Albany NY Express Bus Stop


• Initiate an active“Open Data” initiative

• Work with NNEPRA, Town of Saco to train volunteers for bicycle handling at Saco

• Convene a board of “Civic Hackers” whose purpose is to set up a “virtual town hall” in accordance with the best practices of the “Civic Commons” using Civic Participation tools such as openblock.com or frontporch.com. Online committees should always include a face to face element, whether it is an official board meeting or an informal meetup, conditions for participation online must involve partipation in real life.

• Community Design Collaborative- A group of volunteer artists and designers tasked with redesigning wayfinding and signage.

• Important to stress that Committees are voluntary. “Value Added” services by hired consultants services can be useful but can have the effect of inflating costs to the point that implementation will never be possible.

Next Steps-


Existing Civic Participation Organizations


For Supplemental Materials from this presentation and others like it scan the QR

Code

carfreemaine.orgfacebook.com/carfreemaine

@carfreemaine

youtube.com/user/carfreemaine

flickr.com/user/carfreemaine

[email protected]

207 370 5481

or just go to

CarFree Maine


http://www.youtube.com/user/carfreemaine




mailto:[email protected]

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