Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement (ICE) Projects

Purchase of the Portfolio Management Tool, software licenses, and staff training on the Tool to improve IT Process and Program Management. The CTA IT PMO is responsible for coordinating project approval and prioritization with senior CTA leadership and ensuring that project management products (charters, schedules, solution architectures, etc.) are produced for critical projects. This portfolio management tool and process will significantly enhance the CTA's ability to manage multiple, concurrent projects on-time and on-budget.

Quick Change Oil System - (1) reduces time to change oil - optimizes preventive maintenance; (2) Improves cleanliness, minimum oil spillage; (3) Bus Mechanic labor savings.

Learning Management System: The project objective is to implement a cloud based learning management system that provides a unified and comprehensive elearning platform that allows for training registration, approval by management and tracking, with real time reporting.

Provide for the update of the Origin-Destination (OD) model working with the Planning and Ridership departments. CTA has been using the OD model for route planning and service allocation since 2008 to minimize crowding on buses and trains. Re-engineering the model will enable it to read and analyze data from Ventra. Implement a system wide Origin-Destination Passenger Survey - last done in FY 2007.

This is s demonstration project for the installation of a heated platform technology for snow removal. This system would be used at stations with precast or composite platforms. It does lend itself to asphalt platforms. FY 2016 ICE funds will be used for this project element.

Professional consulting services for support and development of CTA's Enterprise Application Systems.

Upgrades to Switch Machines to incorporate a predictive maintenance approach in addition to the preventive maintenance performed on switches and proactively replace critical signal equipment. Such an upgrade and approach should reduce switch downtime and enhance switch reliability.

This project involves providing engineering field staff with electronic data collection devices for reporting incidents and conditions of the system. It will streamline data collection from paper to electronic, providing instant connection to 547. FY 2015 ICE funds will be used for this project.

A new electronic crew calling system will help Metra better comply with the Passenger Hours of Service (PHOS) regulation’s hours of the service reporting requirements. It would enable crew members to electronically sign their hours of service logs. In addition, the crew callers will be able to assign jobs based on the entries from the crew members and under the strict guidance of PHOS. The current crew calling system does have PHOS built in, but does not allow for crew members to log their time. The regulation has a set of guidelines that govern the ability for employees to sign up for an assignments based on previous assignments worked. The current employee logs are done on paper, are cumbersome, and are more difficult to audit. A new system could allow for assignment alerts and possibly not allow employees to be assigned to an assignment that could possibly violate the PHOS regulation. Purchase and implement a new train scheduling software. Metra’s current scheduling software is no longer supported by its distributer, and the replacement will be fully integrated with the ACORN system, currently in development. This scheduling software is necessary to provide General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data for train announcements, delay information, and for real-time tracking data used by application developers. It also has the ability to perform equipment and crew analysis. Crew information can be entered into the system to calculate duty time. The analysis this software provides can help in monitoring crew duty times and creating crew assignments.

This project involves developing a vehicle replacement program that includes but is not limited to police cars, police SUVS, and other trucks that are used by the Mechanical Department. The less fuel efficient cars, such as Crown Victoria's and Ford SUVS will be replaced with hybrid models. Operating costs will be reduced by fuel savings.