Description
Providing real-time transit information improves convenience and reliability for transit users by offering real-time data sources.
Implementation Details
- Install solar-powered real-time signage at major SunLine stops to display next bus arrivals, service alerts, and wayfinding information.
- Integrate real-time General Transit Feed Specification data into mobile apps used regionally with multilingual functionality to improve usability for Spanish- and Purépecha-speaking riders.
- Deploy QR-code signage and Near Field Communication (NFC) tags at lower-volume stops to provide low-cost digital trip planning options.
- Coordinate with regional Information Traffic System (ITS) strategies to include real-time data integration into corridor-level Traffic Demand Management (TDM) monitoring systems.
Mitigation Potential
Providing real time information for transit in the form of websites, mobile apps, electronic message signs or displays at stops makes transit more reliable and convenient. This can encourage more users to shift from Single Occupancy Vehicle, reducing VMT. While no specific quantification methods are common at this time, agencies often use ridership counts from before and after implementation as a method of measuring efficacy.
Linked Strategies
Equity Considerations
Real-time transit data enhances trip reliability, particularly for people with limited access to smartphones or flexible work hours. Transit agencies should install real-time signage in multiple languages and ensure ADA-accessible formats for users with visual or cognitive disabilities. Equitable access also means targeting high-ridership and lower-income areas where riders depend more heavily on transit and need greater trip certainty.
Funding Sources
Funding sources include the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (California Transportation Commission), the Surface Transportation Block Grant & Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Programs (Southern California Council of Governments), the Advanced Transportation Technologies and Innovative Mobility Deployment (U.S. Department of Transportation / Federal Highway Administration), and Measure A (Riverside County Transportation Commission) which is half-cent sales tax funding for transportation improvements across Riverside County.
Examples/Case Studies
SunLine ITS Deployment Plan
SunLine Transit Agency began installing solar-powered real-time displays at major stops and integrating data into third-party apps to improve rider awareness
City of Torrance – Transit Real Time Information
The City of Torrance provides real-time transit information to enhance the travel experience for its passengers. The Transit app serves as a vital tool, offering user-friendly, real-time trip planning by utilizing your device’s location services to suggest optimal transit options. This app enables travelers to check live bus arrival times and plan their journeys efficiently. Additionally, passengers can access up-to-date information about bus status, delays, route changes, and service alerts on the Moovit website, ensuring they have the latest data on transit operations.