Planner SOP 004: Manage ADA Announcements

Purpose

This procedure is to ensure that agencies meet ADA compliance for public-facing announcements during service, by providing audio/ visual prompts for stops serviced on the schedule. Vehicle announcements are maintained in Avail, so agencies can easily manage these by type, and make updates when schedule changes occur, if needed. Vehicle announcements are used for ADA announcements at the stop level, external announcements at the route level, and periodic marketing messages. 

*Announcements are best scheduled for high interest locations, major intersections, intermittently (for passenger orientation and other locations based on agency preferences.

Operational Impact and Metrics

Operational Impact: The in-vehicle announcement system is very important for maintaining ADA compliance. While passengers are in the vehicle, it is valuable to hear major stops or points of interest called out for orientation purposes. When a vehicle pulls up to a point of interest stop/ time point stop, the vehicle is required to play an external announcement automatically for ADA compliance to inform the riders. If the announcements are not properly maintained, the transit agency may be out of compliance with ADA regulations, and cause confusion for riders.

Metrics: When announcement changes are deployed to fleet vehicles, monitor the ‘Vehicle Files’ in ETMS> Planning & Scheduling> Vehicle Files card. This will inform which vehicles are scheduled to receive new announcement files, and indicate any issues if the download doesn't occur.

Definitions

Frequency

1. Stop and Route Announcements – Whenever service is changed, the announcements should be reviewed for accuracy. New announcements may be needed for new stops, changed locations; to reflect service offerings. 
2. Periodic Announcement – These are used for marketing and safety purposes. The transit agency should schedule these announcements based on marketing and safety campaigns that they have scheduled.

Positions and Responsibilities

Implementation of this procedure is the responsibility of transit agency staff that are involved with transit scheduling. 

Procedure

This procedure describes the high-level steps involved to manage current announcements and create new announcements. 

Create Announcement

1. Log into ETMS
2. Open the Launch Dispatch card
3. Then open the Announcements tab
4. Select the green plus sign to create a new announcement
5. Fill out all appropriate fields in the pop-up window
   1. Define announcement type
   2. Select category
   3. Upload audio files already created and saved to an accessible location
   4. Define internal signage message to match audio
   5. Select signage if applicable - displays in vehicle for riders
   6. Adjust signage timing if preferred or leave default of 8 seconds
6. Press Save when done
7. Press the Export button and inform Avail/s Technical Support team
8. Avail completes behind the scenes work to ensure the announcement deploy to each vehicle type selected to receive the files
9. Why- vehicle types can vary
10. Process requires a deployment to be available for use on vehicles ( described below)

Edit Existing Announcement

1. Log into myAvail
2. Click the Announcements tab
3. Locate the announcement you desire to edit and click the pencil icon to edit the announcement
4. Edit the information you desire to change from the pop-up window
   1. Upload new audio files if necessary
5. Click save icon
   1. Will require a Correction deployment to be available for use on vehicles ( described below)

Delete Existing Announcement

1. Log into myAvail
2. Click the Announcements tab
3. Locate the announcement you desire to delete from the list and click the red X icon to delete the announcement

Export and Deploy Announcement Files (Upload to Vehicles)

1. Log into myAvail
2. Click the Announcements tab
3. Click the export button 
   1. Inform Avail/s Technical Support team
4. Locate the export files ( location files were saved to)
5. Move the new/updated files to the appropriate folders 
6. Open Build & Deploy
7. Select Deploy tab
8. Click Other Files radio button
9. Select a Correction deployment
10. Check the box for Annunciator Files
11. Select Vehicle button- select all fixed route/ MTS/BIB
12. Enter an Effective Date
13. Click Deploy

Supporting Documents

Related SOPs

1. SP-001-01 Planning – Schedule Data Management and Implementation
2. SP-002-01 Planning – Daily Schedule Analysis 
3. SP-003-01 Planning – Farebox and APC Exceptions & Adjustments 
4. SP-005-01 Planning – Using the Replay Tool