Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement (ICE) Projects

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).

Replace inefficient thermally broken storefront entrance systems with new heavy duty monumental type aluminum doors at the 203 N. LaSalle side of the Clark/Lake platform and the SOIC side of the Clark/Lake platform. The replacement of sixteen (16) total doors including but not limited to eight (8) transom lights and sixteen (16) heavy duty closers. Includes Clark/Lake entrance doors to platform at State of Illinois center.

This project will design, purchase, and install new digital train tracking displays and back lit station identification signs. Video boards will display real-time train tracking and service alerts as well as other visual information. At least one sign is planned to be installed at and/or near the primary entrance to Metra's five downtown Chicago terminals. New train tracking displays will improve our communication with the customer and better accommodate ESL and/or non-English speakers and improve ADA compliance. Back lit station identification signs will greet Metra riders as they board and depart the terminal stations.

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.

Esri will develop an agency-wide GIS Strategic Plan or System of Engagement (SoE) that will provide CTA with a roadmap for future uses of GIS within agency departments. Esri will conduct detailed interviews with business units to establish their GIS needs and identify data, maps and apps that are necessary to achieve their goals. The goal of the SoE is to provide a way for all business units to utilize GIS to improve processes, make work more efficient, retrieve and create authoritative data, effectively utilize applications, provide convenient access to relevant spatial data, and share contributions throughout the agency. The recommended technology with be reusable and the applications will be configurable with little or no custom code.

This project involves the replacement of the current GPS, which has exceeded its useful life. Metra will replace the GPS, on-board announcement system and signs on the entire fleet. Metra will also install automatic passenger counters and event recorders. The new system will maintain the necessary current functions, while potentially adding video surveillance, customer information displays and an information system.

Update of Planning/Scheduling software application used for planning, operations,customer information, and analysis. The Chicago Transit Authority uses Hastus software to optimize the efficiency of bus and rail vehicle schedules and operator assignments system-wide. This software is used for seasonal bus schedule changes, 4x annually, and for rail schedule changes, twice annually. In addition, Hastus is used to generate supplemental schedules associated with school trips and special events. Furthermore, it provides critical reporting for CTA's operations, bidding and budget functions as well as for external stakeholders. Hastus software has been the agency's exclusive transit scheduling tool since 1999.

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.

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.