Subsystem Description

The Transit Vehicle On–Board equipment (OBE) resides in a transit vehicle and provides the sensory, processing, storage, and communications functions necessary to support safe and efficient movement of passengers. The types of transit vehicles containing this physical object include buses, paratransit vehicles, light rail vehicles, other vehicles designed to carry passengers, and supervisory vehicles. It collects ridership levels and supports electronic fare collection. It supports a traffic signal prioritization function that communicates with the roadside physical object to improve on–schedule performance. Automated vehicle location enhances the information available to the transit operator enabling more efficient operations. On–board sensors support transit vehicle maintenance. The physical object supports on–board security and safety monitoring. This monitoring includes transit user or vehicle operator activated alarms (silent or audible), as well as surveillance and sensor equipment. The surveillance equipment includes video (e.g. CCTV cameras), audio systems and/or event recorder systems. It also furnishes travelers with real–time travel information, continuously updated schedules, transfer options, routes, and fares. A separate 'Vehicle OBE' physical object supports the general vehicle safety and driver information capabilities that apply to all vehicles, including transit vehicles. The Transit Vehicle OBE supplements these general capabilities with capabilities that are specific to transit vehicles.

Functional Object: Transit Vehicle On-Board Trip Monitoring

'Transit Vehicle On–Board Trip Monitoring' tracks vehicle location, monitors fuel usage, collects operational status (doors opened/closed, running times, etc.) and sends the collected, time stamped data to the Transit Management Center.

Functional Object: Transit Vehicle Schedule Management

'Transit Vehicle Schedule Management' monitors schedule performance and identifies corrective actions when a deviation is detected. It provides two–way communication between the transit vehicle and center, enabling the center to communicate with the vehicle operator and monitor on–board systems.

Functional Object: Transit Vehicle Security

'Transit Vehicle Security' provides security and safety functions on–board the transit vehicle. It includes surveillance and sensor systems that monitor the on–board environment, silent alarms that can be activated by transit user or vehicle operator, operator authentication, and a remote vehicle disable function. The surveillance equipment includes video (e.g. CCTV cameras), audio systems and/or event recorder systems. The sensor equipment includes threat sensors (e.g. chemical agent, toxic industrial chemical, biological, explosives, and radiological sensors) and object detection sensors (e.g. metal detectors).