ITS4US Deployment Program Phase 2 Webinar - The Buffalo All Access Platform: Complete Trip Functionality

Presented by Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority

The Buffalo All Access Platform

The ITS4US deployment in Buffalo will integrate accessible trip planning with current Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) transit services, incorporate an on-demand shuttle which will be the first of its kind in the region, have indoor and outdoor wayfinding, install intersection safety technologies for travelers and develop a website/mobile platform that factors in traveler preferences and accessibility needs.

The Buffalo deployment team has just completed Release 3 of the Buffalo All Access website and mobile application. During this webinar, the deployment team will demonstrate trip planning with multiple modes including NFTA transit and the community-based on-demand shuttle. The trip plans will illustrate the detailed navigation that includes outdoor to indoor wayfinding. The team will also show functionality with some accessibility features that include an OpenAI chat assistant for users with visual impairments. In addition, the companion-traveler functionality will be shown. The demonstration will show the website and mobile application and the relationship between them both.

Date: April 11, 2024
Time: 2:00 to 3:30 pm ET
Presenters: Elina Zlotchenko, Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO)/Federal Highway Administration; Robert Jones (NFTA), Darlene Magold (Etch), Jesse Glascock (Etch), Jon Woyame (Etch)

To register for this ITS JPO webinar, please visit: NFTACompleteTripFunctionality.eventbrite.com

The ITS4US Deployment Program, led by the ITS JPO at the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), expands access to transportation for all travelers with a specific focus on underserved communities, including people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, individuals of low income, people in rural communities and those with limited English proficiency. This program embodies the Administration's priorities of transportation equity, economic growth, sustainability, and most importantly, compassion and inclusivity. The program funds multiple large-scale replicable deployments in three phases:

• Phase 1: concept development
• Phase 2: design and testing
• Phase 3: operations and evaluation.

In June 2022, the deployment sites completed the concept development phase of each of their projects. The U.S. DOT awarded four teams with Phase 2 funding to support the design and testing of their projects based on their Phase 1 concepts. The four deployment sites are:

• Georgia Department of Transportation
• Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency
• NFTA/Buffalo
• University of Washington

For more details on the ITS4US Deployment program, see the program's website at: its.dot.gov/its4us/

ITS JPO is hosting a series of free, public webinars to allow each of the four Phase 2 deployment sites to publicly share topics and experiences that would be of interest to deployers considering innovative technology solutions to solve mobility challenges of underserved communities. These webinars will be an opportunity for each site to discuss their experiences during the Design/Build Test/Phase and engage the broader ITS4US Deployment Program Community about their efforts so far in Phase 2. At the end of the presentation, there will be an opportunity for the audience to ask the site questions about their project. Future deployers can benefit from lessons learned and experiences from the ITS4US deployment teams.

Please use the link below to register for the webinar. Live closed captioning will be provided for all webinars. When registering for the webinar, you will be able to request additional accessibility accommodations to participate. The deadline to request accommodations for each webinar will be 5 business days prior to the live event.

To register for this ITS JPO webinar, please visit: NFTACompleteTripFunctionality.eventbrite.com

Posted 3/12/24