Clickatell, a Third-party Product
Clickatell is an SMS (Short Message Service) provider. Avail has contracted with Clickatell for all Avail SMS messaging for all Avail customers. This service covers text messages sent from myAvail when a rider has set up a subscription to receive alert messages or when a rider texts a stop number to a short code to receive departure times for a given stop. Avail provides the SMS short code of 321123 for all customers to use. The myAvail Service runs on the AVL server. Consequently, accessing the Clickatell service requires that the AVL server can access the Internet.
Use of the short code and the processing charges from Clickatell can be tied to the maintenance and support agreement or provided as a monthly billed service. In the event that an active maintenance and support agreement is allowed to lapse, availability of these services might become compromised. If the maintenance and support agreement is no longer active, please contact Avail’s support contract specialist for information about continuing these services.
Short Message Service (SMS) is a text messaging service component of phone, Web, or mobile communication systems. It uses standardized communications protocols to allow fixed line or mobile phone devices to exchange short text messages.
Email Service, a Third-Party Product
myAvail has three email interactions:
- A subscription email feature for riders to receive messages. See myStop® Features.
- The ability for staff to schedule reports to run off hours, and have the resulting report sent as an email. See DataPoint Functions.
- Alert messages from the system monitoring software PRTG. See PRTG, a System Monitoring Software Tool.
Avail recommends using a standard third-party email service for a consistent implementation. Using this email service requires internet access.
Real-time General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS-RT)
Google provides a free transit planning service that allows the public to plan their travel between any two stops. All types of public transit properties can participate.
To support this service, Google created the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS), which is a standard data format for trip plans. myAvail’s Traveler’s
Information Data Server (TIDS) collects and prepares data that are available to the public. TIDS performs the following functions:
- Serves as a common engine that ensures all public facing data are consistent regardless of delivery method (GTFS, signs, text alerts, web page, and others).
- Maintains a continuously updated memory structure that represents the current state of operations.
- Provides the current state to Google in the GTFS data feed using the correct format of a binary feed off a REST Endpoint.
Google accesses this REST Endpoint to receive the data. Other third parties can access the feed. To learn how, contact your IT department or Avail Support.
TIDS is deployed in a network DMZ. In other words, Avail designed it to allow public facing applications to access system data while protecting the rest of the system from harmful actors. The separation of this public facing functionality from the rest of the system is critical to overall security.
An overview of myStop® features is provided in Public Communication Infrastructure section.
Traveler Information Data Service (TIDS), an IIS Service
The Traveler Information Data Service (TIDS) is an IIS module that uses a method called “REST Endpoints” to provide updates to various public information portals. In short, the service responds to requests from the myStop® Web page, myStop® iPhone or Android Phone applications, or digital signage, in XML or JSON data format. TIDS provides a common source for real-time system information. This service receives changes in the state of the system, such as a vehicle leaving a stop or notification that there is a message to display from the myAvail Service. Then, it packages these updates into blocks of data for distribution.
TIDS services the myStop® public web page. By using this web page, the public can select a route to see where a vehicle is on the route using a Google-based map. Additionally, the website displays all the stops on that route on the map. When a user selects a stop, the website displays the next three arrival or departure times for all routes that service the stop. The system displays the times both as scheduled and estimated, where the estimated time might be later due to a vehicle running late. An overview of myStop® features is provided in What Is the Public Communication Infrastructure?
The public webpage also provides the following features:
- Public users can register for email and text alerts for specific stops. The messages include the following:
- An alert prior to the arrival of a vehicle on a given route at a specified stop within a time window.
- An alert for that day’s last arrival/departure for a given route/stop.
- The property can post messages to the public.
- If users select the option for alerts when setting up their subscription service, the system will send them email messages.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Application
myAvail has an optional feature that allows riders to use telephone service to receive automated stop departure times with a voice response. The rider calls a specific number and uses the keypad to specify a stop by entering the stop ID directly or by using a selection tree. This option is for Fixed Route service.
Interaction Between IVR and PBX
If your property implements myAvail’s IVR option, a physical connection to the PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is required. Depending on the type of connections supported by the PBX and the location of myAvail’s servers, a separate server might be required for the IVR service. The phone number that accesses the IVR system, the number of supported concurrent calls, and the ability to reach an operator are all options that are limited by the capabilities of the PBX.
Legacy LED Digital Signs
myAvail has several options for Real-Time Passenger Information (RTPI) Digital signage. One of these options is digital LED (Light Emitting Diode) sign manufactured by Daktronics (formally Data Display). These signs communicate via a custom direct interface with myAvail’s sign controller software. These signs are configured at installation. Please contact Avail Support if there are changes to the routes passing through the sign location.
When considering additional signage, the basic items that your property needs to consider include permits, power, and data. Avail first recommends that you determine whether a proposed sign location requires a permit and learn about any restrictions. LED digital signage requires standard 120v power, which requires a physical connection or solar power and batteries.
The data bandwidth requirements for these signs are reasonable enough that cellular connections are practical. However, a physical network connection or a high bandwidth wireless connection are always recommended when possible. Please contact Avail Support for advice and assistance with site selection for additional signage.
myAvail Gateway Service, an IIS Service
myAvail’s Gateway service is a single web service shared by all Avail customers that provide their ridership either text message services or myStop® Mobile applications. All Avail customers that provide these services to their ridership utilize Clickatell, an SMS (texting) service including the short code number 321123.
All customers use the same myStop® Mobile applications. This Gateway service provides the routing to the appropriate data source for data requests from either a text message using the short code and stop ID or from a myStop® Mobile application using the customer selected property identifier. This gateway is an Avail written and hosted service. Both the myAvail service and the TIDS module must access the remotely hosted Gateway service, therefore these modules require internet access.
This service can be tied to the maintenance and support agreement or provided as a monthly billed service. In the event that an active maintenance and support agreement is allowed to lapse, availability of these services may become compromised. If the maintenance and support agreement is no longer active, please contact Avail’s support contract specialist for information about continuing these services.
myStop® Mobile Applications
Android and iPhone users can download a platform specific mobile application. The mobile application provides users with real-time route, stop, vehicle location information, and Google Trip planning information. The application automatically locates the nearest stop to the user along with the predicted arrival time for the next vehicle on each route at that stop. The application also includes a feature that allows users to obtain walking directions to the nearest bus stop.
Usage of some application features requires the user to grant access to the phone’s GPS location. An overview of myStop® features is provided in Public Communication Infrastructure section.
RTPI LED Digital Signs
myAvail has several options for Real-Time Passenger Information (RTPI) Digital signage. One of these options is to implement digital LED (Light Emitting Diode) signage that can accept data in a format defined by Avail over the internet. We currently work with two manufacturers of digital signage that can communicate this way, which are Sunrise and Fleet Watch. These signs are configured at installation. Please contact Avail Support if there are changes to the routes passing through the sign location.
When considering additional signage, the basic items that your property needs to consider include permits, power, and data. Avail first recommends that you determine whether a proposed sign location requires a permit and learn about any restrictions. LED digital signage requires standard 120v power, which requires a physical connection or solar power and batteries.
The data bandwidth requirements for these signs are reasonable enough that cellular connections are practical. However, a physical network connection or a high bandwidth wireless connection are always recommended when possible. Please contact Avail Support for advice and assistance with site selection for additional signage.
LCD Digital Signs/Kiosks
myAvail has several options for Real-Time Passenger Information (RTPI) Digital signage. One of these options is to implement digital LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) signage or any type of computer monitor such as plasma that can display a browser web page, which is defined by Avail and communicated to the sign in an IP format via the LAN, WLAN or the internet. These signs are configured at installation. Please contact Avail Support if there are changes to the routes passing through the sign location.
When considering additional signage, the basic items that need to be considered include environmental, power and data. Avail recommends that these types of signs be installed in a climate-controlled environment as would be comfortable for people. These types of web display signage require standard 120v power which requires a physical connection. Avail recommends that your property uses a physical network connection or a high bandwidth wireless connection to supply data to the sign. While these signs can use a cellular modem, the bandwidth needs usually require an unlimited data plan, which is a cost consideration. Please contact Avail Support for advice and support to make the best selection.