Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement (ICE) Projects

This project includes but is not limited to the implementation, launch, continuation, and improvement of mobile ticketing on the Metra system. This project may include the purchase of conductor handheld devices, as well as training. This project may include but not be limited to the costs involved with the contract with Cubic, the base cost, processing and monthly service fees, as well as all material purchases. All testing will be included in this project that will include but not be limited to on-board credit card sales and printers at home and other app testing. All trip planning is included in this project. Other elements that may be included in this project are marketing, service fees, attorney fees, testing. FY 2015, 2016 and 2017 ICE funds will be used for this project. The operating costs may eventually be offset by increased ridership from the convenience of mobile ticketing.

This project supports Pace's first arterial rapid transit line on Milwaukee Avenue, the first of seven priority corridors in the Pulse network. ICE funds will be used to support the operation of this line.

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.

Funds will be used for the development and deployment of the Ventra Mobile Application and to provide improvements to the Ventra system such as the Express Menu on Ventra vending machines. The mobile application, for use on smartphones, will enhance the customer experience by providing an application to manage Ventra accounts, purchase fare products, receive account alerts, gain scheduling and trip planning information, interact with customer service and purchase tickets. In addition, the Express Menu on Ventra vending machines will allow customers to quickly purchase a Single-ride ticket or Pass products.

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.

Provides for the installation of LED/LCD signs at various points of contact throughout CTA’s service area in an effort to coordinate information for customers using multiple modes of transportation. The displays will provide real-time bus arrival information or as an outlet to make other related transit announcements. FY 2013 funding will provide for the installation of additional LED/LCD Real Time Bus Arrival Signs in the CTA service area. In addition, funds will provide for maintenance, installation, network costs and an additional back end leased service needed to support the implementation of signs.

CTA proposes to install Digital Customer Information Displays and non-digital customer focused information throughout the system. Digital displays provide real time bus tracker and/or train tracker information as appropriate, system status updates and CTA customer alerts. These are interspersed with paid advertisements, time and weather information. The paid advertisements support the operation of the machines and provide a source of revenue to CTA. There are two types of digital displays, internal or external. Internal digital displays have been installed at seventeen stations that are characterized by high traffic volume and high transfer activity and include State/Lake (Red Line), Jackson/State (Red Line), and Washington/Wells (Loop Elevated). External digital displays will be installed at street level and CTA has installed one pilot location of these digital urban panels at Grand on the Blue Line. FY2012 funding will provide for the design, fabrication, and installation of up to 60 transit information panels and transit information pylons at up to 46 stations, preferably within 1/2 mile of Metra and/or Pace service, on the rail system (Blue, Purple, Red, Orange, Green, and Pink Lines). Also, the installation of up to 80 Digital Customer Information Displays at 12 stations throughout the CTA system. Installation will focus on stations with high volumes of traffic and high transfer activity, including Lake/State (Red), Jackson (Red), and Washington/Wells (Loop Elevated).

This project will install a new back-office revenue accounting system to replace the existing system. The replacements will include servers and related hardware, and software and related programming. The system will be configured to be compatible with the existing point-of-sale terminals throughout the Metra system and the software that operates those terminals.

The MMIS Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Facilities Project focuses on expanding the existing MMIS to encompass facilities. Facilities management data will seamlessly be integrated with the rolling stock data in CTA's MMIS. This expanded MMIS will support the activities of several CTA Departments. A pilot demonstration will also be included to test the use of a mobile device that will allow work-order information to be updated in the field.

This project involves the replacement of DVRs on Metra locomotives, cab cars, and EMUs with a new technology that is faster and less grainy. Inward facing cameras, as required by the Federal FAST Act will also be included.