Transit Briefs: Metra, 2022 Urban Mobility Readiness Index

Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
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Metra begins rollout of train-tracking site. Also, San Francisco tops 2022 Urban Mobility Readiness (UMR) Index.

Metra announced Jan. 10 that is started the rollout of metratracker.com, a new real-time tracking website that lets customers see where their trains are and when they will reach their stations.

The new $26.7 million site is made possible by a wholesale replacement of Metra’s current train tracking system and makes it easier than ever for passengers to view schedules and plan a trip, the agency said.

The new tracking system from Clever Devices of Woodbury, N.Y., which can be reached directly through the metratracker.com address or through metra.com, required the installation of new GPS tracking devices and other network equipment on more than 1,000 railcars and in 238 stations. It is fully operational on the Metra Electric, Rock Island, Heritage Corridor, North Central Service, Milwaukee District North, and Milwaukee District West lines. Equipment, Metra says, is still being installed on Union Pacific (UP), SWS and BNSF trains, and tracking on those lines will increase as the rollout is completed this year.

According to Metra, the system has other features that will improve communications. For example, workers in the Train Reporting and Customer Communications Center (the facility responsible for customer communications) can send texts to trains and platforms that will instantly be turned into audio announcements and displayed on platform signs. On platforms, the system will more accurately announce the arrival of the next train or announce that the next train is running express.

The metratracker.com site features three grey bars on the menu that provide the site’s main functions, including:

  • Station Times: This option allows customers to check for train departure times from their selected station. When they pick this option, they will be asked to select the line they use and their origination and destination stations. Once they’ve made their selections and click “Continue,” the next page will show all trains scheduled to make that trip in the next two hours, with the train numbers and predicted or scheduled departure times.
  • Real-Time Map: This interactive map allows customers to see the location of trains along the line or lines that they select, so they can see exactly where their train is and how soon it will reach their station. Customers can click on stations or trains on the map to see real-time information about trains and schedules.
  • Trip Planner: This option allows customers to plan a trip using Metra and other modes of travel between addresses or locations that they select. They can request the “Best Route,” “Fewer Transfers,” or “Less Walking” and choose “Leave Now” or enter their preferred departure or arrival time.

“This new train tracking system is a major upgrade and will be a dramatic improvement in our communications to My Metra customers,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “It enables us to do a better job of tracking trains and conveying timely, accurate information, and also includes a variety of interactive new features.”

According to the 2022 UMR Index, an annual global study of 60 cities across five regions (North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa) by the Oliver Wyman Forum and the University of California, Berkley, San Francisco ranks number one in urban mobility readiness.

According to the study, as the first city to introduce automated vehicle technology, San Francisco tops the UMR Index “for its rich ecosystem of autonomous and mobility-as-a-service tech and for its business resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Of the 60 cities included, the study also featured the following North American cities: New York (11th globally), Chicago (12th globally), Boston (13th globally), Washington, D.C. (14th globally), Los Angeles (17th globally), Vancouver (22nd globally), Atlanta (23rd globally), Toronto (25th globally), Montreal (26th globally), Houston (27th globally), Dallas (28th globally) and Mexico City (45th globally). See below for the full list.

The UMB Index, the Oliver Wyman Forum says, is “a forward-looking ranking of 57 quantitative and qualitative key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure social impact, infrastructure, market attractiveness, system efficiency and innovation.” Findings of the Index show that efficient and equitable mobility networks are key engines of economic vitality and environmental sustainability. Other measures in the overall Index include electric vehicle (EV) charging station network investment and incentives, the number of car-free zones, autonomous vehicle adoption, and public transport ridership and affordability.

As the overall global Index leader, San Francisco “excels in its market attractiveness for the private sector thanks to its proximity to Silicon Valley firms and top academic institutions,” according to the study, which adds that San Francisco “embraces new mobility technology from these resources, particularly in autonomous driving systems.” Earlier this year, San Francisco became the world’s first city to allow commercial operations of self-driving cars.

The 4th annual UMR Index also awarded Hong Kong first place in a new sub-index for public transportation while Oslo ranked number one in the sub-index for environmental sustainability.

“To ensure their place as location of choice for businesses and visitors, cities must ensure government and the private sector work together to make public transit systems efficient, affordable and fully accessible,” said Head of The Oliver Wyman Forum John Romeo. “The most successful cities are integrating traditional public transit with new, sustainable mobility options to serve everyone: commuters, tourists and local riders.”

DOWNLOAD THE FULL UMR INDEX BELOW:

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