Google Transit AgreementMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Google Transit
DATE: August 31, 2011
Dubuque
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Director of Transit Operations Barbara Morck is recommending approval of a contract
with East Central Intergovernmental Association /Dubuque Metropolitan Area
Transportation Agency for the development of the interface and submission of General
Transit Feed Specifications data for the Google Maps Transit program. Funding is
provided in the State of Good Repair grant awarded to The Jule in January 2011. The
total cost is $72,000 over a two -year period, 80% of which will be paid through the
grant. ECIA/DMATS will provide the 20% local match ($12,000).
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
r
Mich el C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Barbara Morck, Director of Transit Operations
David Heiar, Economic Development Director
Kelley Deutmeyer, Executive Director, East Central Intergovernmental
Association
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO:
FROM:
CC:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
Barbara Morck, Director of Transit Operations
David Heiar, Economic Development Director
Kelley Deutmeyer, Executive Director of ECIA
Google Transit
August 29, 2011
Dubuque
AHiudagil
1
2007
BACKGROUND
In the ECIA proposal for management of the City of Dubuque's transit system, the
development of web -based tools for finding routes and schedules was noted as an
untapped opportunity. With this in mind the funding for the development of such tools
was included in the State of Good Repair grant application, a grant that was awarded to
The Jule in January 2011.
Over the past several months ECIA technical and management staff and The Jule
Director, Barbara Morck, have discussed and evaluated various options for providing
transit information via the web to the general public in a more user - friendly manner than
a downloadable PDF (e.g. route map and schedule). The possibility of a Dubuque -
specific tool was discussed, but the ongoing maintenance and required marketing and
outreach would be cost prohibitive in the long term. The decision was made to utilize
existing tools that the general public is already familiar with, and we began looking at
the Google Transit Partner Program, a component of Google Maps. Google Maps -
Transit is a public transportation trip planning tool that combines the latest agency data
with the power of Google Maps. It integrates bus stops, routes, schedules and fare
information to make trip planning quick and easy for everyone. Google Maps is targeted
at both transit novices and seasoned users. Google Maps is available in 12 different
languages, is compatible with screen readers for the visually impaired, and is available
on selected mobile devices.
DISCUSSION
Google Maps- Transit is a planning tool that will work in conjunction with the Automatic
Vehicle Location (AVL) system, an Intelligent Technology System (ITS) tool that will be
purchased through the State of Good Repairs grant and installed on The Jule's transit
vehicles. The AVL web -based system will be linked to Google Maps- Transit, thereby
providing users with greater depth in their transit planning and will also provide them
1
with real -time information about the location and scheduling of the transit buses and
routes. Google Maps- Transit users will be able to get feedback about how their choices
translate into potential cost savings, carbon emission reduction, and the health benefits
they can realize when using the public transit systems (includes walking to and from the
bus stops). Google Maps- Transit also provides them travel instructions in much the
same way as they get driving directions from Google Maps.
To be included in Google Maps- Transit, participating communities and transit systems
must submit their information in a General Transit Feed Specifications (GTFS) format.
The Google Transit technology is overlaid with the AVL data transmitted from the transit
vehicles and through an interface Zink which will be accessible from The Jule transit
webpage. Similar sized and smaller transit systems throughout the US are posted and
searchable on Google Maps- Transit: there currently is no transit system in Iowa using
Google Maps- Transit.
In early July 2011 The Jule was chosen along with transit systems from the cities of San
Diego and San Francisco, California, Portland, Oregon, Madrid, Spain and Torino, Italy,
to help pilot a new Google Transit initiative called "Live Transit Updates ". This program
will allow Google Maps- Transit to provide real -time transit updates — arrival and
departure times, and service alerts - to its users by linking its program to the live feed
information generated by AVL systems on transit vehicles. This program will enhance
features available to users of the AVL web -based system, and dove -tails with the IBM
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) project by helping to provide customers with the
information they need in order to use the transit system in a more effective and efficient
manner.
In preparation for its use with Google Maps- Transit, and once the AVL system has been
selected for purchase, ECIA staff will develop the layering of the AVL data for
integration with Google Maps- Transit using the GTFS data. It will also be possible to
capture some of the search data entered by user of Google Maps. This search data will
compliment the current IBM Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) project already taking place
through the SmarterTravel study. The data will indicate areas of high demand, which
can be used with the VMT project in determining where to target of (new) bus stops as it
will be stored as "point of origin" and "point of destination" data. The combination of the
IBM project data with the ongoing captured Google search data will also assist transit
management in developing bus routes that can provide more effective and efficient bus
service between the high demand locations.
The web -based system used by the Iowa City, Coralville and Cambus transit systems is
a software system developed by the University of California /Davis. The cities of Cedar
Falls, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City and Des Moines use a downloadable PDF bus schedule
format, and Council Bluffs uses an online trip planner developed by Trapeze. None of
these options are as user - friendly as the interface of Google Maps- Transit. Attached to
this memo are screen captures and links to the transit programs listed above along with
a sample screen capture of Google Maps- Transit for a community in Massachusetts
that has a population of approximately 30,000 people.
2
There are no costs for participation and /or ongoing maintenance fees for Google Maps -
Transit. All costs incurred are in the gathering and preparation of the setup data and,
should in the future bus routes change, the updating of the transit information for re-
submission to Google Maps- Transit. The total cost of the project will be $72,000 over a
2 year period, 80% of which will be paid through the State of Good Repair grant.
ECIA/DMATS will provide the 20% local match ($12,000) as required by the grant.
There will be no cost to the City of Dubuque for the project.
ECIA staff have met with IBM staff and discussed potential conflicts or issues with
working to develope the Google Maps- Transit component. IBM staff have stated that as
long as the data gathering for Google Maps- Transit does not take higher priority over
the provisioning of the data stream for the VMT project, they do not have an issue with
proceeding with the Google project as outlined. Because the Google project will run
parallel to and be a complement of the IBM VMT study and because the ECIA staff
working on the Google implementation are not the same as those working on the VMT
project with IBM, this will not be an issue. The IBM project will remain the main priority
with Google Maps- Transit project being worked on in the background.
RECOMMENDATION /ACTION STEP
I recommend that the City Council review and give approval for the City of Dubuque to
enter into a contract with ECIA/DMATS for the development of the interface and
submission of GTFS data for the Google Maps- Transit program.
3
Attachments:
Screen capture and URL for Council Bluffs, IA/Trapeze Software:
Search Results
Origin: 3110 W ST EDUCARE
Destination: ALL PLAY COMPLEX IN SEYMOUR SMITH PARK
Requested for: Departure of 12:28p on 06 -14 -2011
Valid for: INKD service in effect from 04 -24 -2011 to 08 -13 -2011
Sorted by: Trip Duration
indicates that itinerary involves a stay -in -seat transfer
Select to view details
Trip
Duration
Walk
Fare
1
details
New Trip
07. 13 12 40p 1:22p 41 1 0 66 miles 51.30
Return Trip
0000
The map Tacks detail, and provides no directions to and from the stops. This system
assumes user knowledge of the location of each stop and its proximity to their final
destination.
http: // trip - planner .metroareatransit.com /hiwire
4
19minI
Screen capture and URL for the Iowa City, Coralville and Cambus Transit Systems
IA/Bongo Software
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BUS ON THE GO
Create Alerts 1 Route List 1 Go to Stop
Stop 0146 - Hubbard Park
Routes for this Stop
Coralville Routes
10th Street
AM Express
Lantern Park
Night/Saturday
PM Express
PM North Liberty
Cambus Routes
Hawk Express
Music/Theatre Shuttle
Night Pentacrest
Pentacrest
Next Arrivals - Arrivals refresh every 30 seconds.
Westwinds (outbound)
Iowa City
Arriving
Pentacrest (to Finkbine /Arena)
lllllllll���lll••• Cambus
9min
Manville Heights (Outbound)
Iowa City
14min
Melrose Express (Outbound)
Iowa City
http://www.ebongo.org/stop/0146/
No map of the route or directions to and from the bus stops is provided. This system
assumes user knowledge of the location of each bus stop and its proximity to their
final destination.
5
Screen capture and URL for Lexington, MA/GoogleTransit
Goog le maps
Get Directions ri Maps
o
17 mins
tBurlington Mall
75 Middlesex Turnpike
Burlington MA 01803
0 Walk to Burlington Ma ll-Lagal Seafood
About 8 mins (0.4 mit
0 Burlington Mall-Legal Seafood
an Bus to:. ards Burlington
0 Depot Square
9 Massachusetts Ave & Depot Square
Lexington MA 02420
Travel time: about 17 mins Cost: $1.75 (vs. 51.70 driving)
Local agency information:
Contains more information on fares, schedules. and service advisories
Lexpress
The directions are for planning purposes only. You may find that
construction projects. traffic, weather, or other events may cause
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http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&I1=42.450406,-
71.21934&spn=0.075443,0.069838&dirflq=r
A clear map with local points of interest is displayed. Directions to and from the stops are
provided. The Google Transit system makes no assumption about user knowledge, and
provides clear information about the location of each bus stop, which bus route to board and
at what time, and approximately how long each bus ride will take before a transfer to
another bus is reauired.
6
CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH
EAST CENTRAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL ASSOCIATION
THIS CONTRACT, entered into by and between the East Central Intergovernmental Association
(hereinafter called ECIA) and the City of Dubuque (hereinafter called City, authorizing ECIA's
assistance in carrying out this Contract and attached Scope of Services, and approved by ECIA on
August 29, 2011.
TERMS. This Contract carries the following terms.
SECTION 1. Scope of Services
ECIA shall provide and perform the necessary services required to complete the Google Transit
Implementation as set out in the Scope of Services attached.
SECTION 2. Time of Performance
The services of ECIA shall commence immediately and shall be completed upon June 30, 2013.
ECIA shall not be responsible for a delay in services when said services are contingent upon the
completion or performance of services by third parties.
SECTION 3. Method of Payment
Payment shall be due upon receipt of a monthly bill for services. The payment shall be based on
the actual costs incurred by the agency in administering the contract, including labor and overhead,
all according to OMB Circular A122. Total payment shall not exceed $60,000.00. Payment will
cover hours working on the project by the 3D and web designer. The Executive Director, Assistant
Executive Director, Director of Transportation Planning, and Director of Transit hours spent will be
contributed toward assisting with the project.
SECTION 4. Personnel
The ECIA represents that it has, or will acquire, all personnel necessary to perform the services
under this Contract.
SECTION 5. Property
ECIA shall be free to acquire or use existing property, real or personal, as it deems necessary in the
performance of work under this agreement.
SECTION 6. Access to Records
ECIA and the City, or any of their duly authorized representatives, shall have access to any books,
documents, papers, and records which are directly pertinent to this specific contract, for the purpose
of making audit, examinations, excerpts, and transcriptions.
SECTION 7. Termination by the City
8.1 The City may, by thirty (30) days written notice to ECIA, terminate this contract in
whole or in part at any time, either for the the city's convenience or because of the failure of
ECIA to fulfill its obligations under the contract. Upon receipt of such notice, ECIA shall:
(1) immediately discontinue all services affected (unless the notice directs otherwise), and
(2) deliver to the the city all data, drawings, specifications, as may have been accumulated
by the ECIA in performing this contract, whether completed or in process.
8.2 Notwithstanding the above, ECIA shall not be relieved of liability to the city for
damages sustained by the city by virtue of any breach of the contract by ECIA. The City
may withhold any and all payments to ECIA for the purpose of setoff until such time as the
exact amount of damages due the city from ECIA is determined.
8.3 If the termination is for convenience of the city, ECIA shall be entitled to compensation
determined in accordance with Section 3 of this contract; and the City will be required to
pay ECIA the remaining portion of the payment as identified within the contract, in addition
to any expenses, loss, or costs, including lost wages, incurred by ECIA, which may be
associated with the termination of the contract by the City, whether notice is provided as
required or not.
SECTION 8. Indemnification /Hold Harmless
The City will at all times indemnify and keep indemnified ECIA, hold and save it harmless from
and against any and all liability for damages, loss, costs, charges and expenses, of whatever kind of
nature, or arising out of any type of claim or suit (including but not limited to a claim of breach of
contract), including counsel and/or attorneys fees and related costs and expenses, which ECIA shall
or may at any time sustain or incur by reason or in consequence of having executed said contract for
services. The City agrees that it will pay over, reimburse and make good to ECIA, its successors
and/or assigns, all money which ECIA or its representatives, shall pay, or cause to be paid, or
become liable to pay, by reason of the execution of this contract for services, or in connection with
any litigation, investigation or other matters connected herewith. Such shall be the case whether
such suit or claim is rightfully or wrongfully brought or instituted against ECIA, or naming ECIA,
and in any case suit shall be brought upon ECIA, ECIA shall be at liberty to employ an attorney of
its own selection to appear and defend this suit on its behalf, at the expense of the city.
SECTION 9. Termination by ECIA
ECIA may terminate this contract by thirty (30) days written notice to the city for either ECIA's
convenience.
The City will be required to pay ECIA the remaining portion of the payment as identified within the
contract, in addition to any expenses, loss, or costs, including lost wages, incurred by ECIA, which
may be associated with the termination of the contract by the city, whether notice is provided as
required or not.
SECTION 10. Government -Wide Restriction on Lobbying
CERTIFICATION REGARDING GOVERNMENT -WIDE RESTRICTION ON
LOBBYING. ECIA certifies, to the best of its knowledge and belief, that:
10.1 No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid by or on behalf of
ECIA, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer of employee of
any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of
a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making
of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative
agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any
Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
10.2 If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to
any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency,
a Member of Congress, an officer or employee, or an employee of a Member of Congress in
connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the Contractor
shall complete and submit Standard Form LLL- "Disclosure Form to report Federal
Lobbying" in accordance with its instruction.
10.3 ECIA shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award
documents for all subawards at all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts
under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and
disclose accordingly.
This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this
transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making
or entering into this transaction imposed by Section 1352, Title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails
to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not
more than $100,000 for each such failure.
SECTION 11. Political Activity
No portion of program funds shall be used for any partisan political activity or to further the
election or defeat of any candidate for public office. Neither the program nor the funds
provided therefore, nor the personnel employed in the administration of this Contract or its
Funding Agreements, shall be in any way or to any extent, engaged in the conduct of political
activities in contravention of The Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. 15).
PASSED AND APPROVED:
City of Dubuque 9
Date:
0(
Michael Vat✓i Milligen, City Manager, City of Dubuque
Attest:
East Central Intergovernmental Association
Date:
Chairperson or Executive Director
Attest
Attachment A
SCOPE OF SERVICES
Scope of Services to be performed by ECIA will include preparing the General Transit Feed
Specification (GTFS) data for submission as outlined by the Google guidelines; meeting with
designated representatives from your organization to obtain the necessary information to
complete the GTFS, if necessary; developing additional, non - standard formulas and coding to
enhance the GTFS, working with the Jule's ITS providers to connect the Automated Vehicle
Location (AVL) data to the Google live feed; and linking the existing webpage to the Jule
Google transit trip planner.