Success according to Westcat

Success at last updated 2-20-14

I managed this "one year" project from 2008 until 2012 when the prime vendor filed for bankruptcy. I had focused on driving the vendor to meet the specifications for performance and code compliance which were the primary leverage we had to force the vendor to perform. Unfortunately much of the other listed deliverable were ambiguous and non specific which gave the vendor lot's of room to avoid delivering a functional system.

I'm pleased to see the follow on vendor has managed to meet the specifications.

From Westcats website.

Despite its small staff, WestCAT has implemented a successful real time information system offering departure predictions for every stop and every route it operates. This is integrated with the region's 511 system, and WestCAT remains the only transit agency in the bay area to have met accuracy and performance standards for real-time transit information.

http://www.westcat.org/administration/aboutus.html

WCCTA SRTP FY 2013
-
FY 2022 Final Report -102 5.1.4

Real Time Signage and Technology Improvements in the WCCTA Service Area
WCCTA successfully applied for a Regional Measure 2 capital grant to implement a system of real
time signs and information technology improvements in its service area. The Authority was
able to accomplish this through upgrading the voice enunciation equipment already installed on
vehicles in its fleet. This also allowed this system to be integrated with AVL technology, which
displays locations of all fixed route vehicles, comparing actual position to scheduled location.
The system utilizes predictive arrival software to provide MTC, the Regional Transit Database
and the Regional Data Store with a stream of real time transit data for its public dissemination
via the Internet, text or telephone, and through the 511 Trip Planner feature at the 511.org
website. Real time signage is being located at key stops throughout the WestCAT
service area allowing passengers to see details of when the next vehicle will arrive at the stop. This system
itself is fully covered by the RM2 grant. Additional funding to locate and install Real Time Signs
has been identified in the PTMISEA (Proposition 1B) program. The RM2 portion of this project
should be completed soon, with the installation of signs ongoing. This project provides a great
benefit to the WCCTA system and to the system users, as it has a strong potential to attract new
riders to the transit system

end of quotation

I would be really interested in how much this project finally cost ? if there is a final cost.

How much has ridership increased due to these signs?

How much more satisfied are the riders?

Have these signs been adapted to meed the needs of the vision impaired? Given the entire project is built on a modified voice annunciation system it is ironic the implementation completely disregarded the needs of the Visually impaired.

Project Rescue

Software Project Rescue Services

If your software project is in trouble, whether because of improper planning, weak management, incomplete requirements, poor testing or just inadequate skills? Call Micro Services we are here to help.

According to the Standish Group research, about two thirds of software projects are not completed at all or completed with poor quality, budget overrun or behind schedule. If you face problems, even critical ones, with your software project, call Micro Services now. We are ready to invest our 30+ years experience into solving complex problems using structured Analytical methods to mitigate the probability that your project will not become one of the statistics listed above.

At Micro Services, we employ best practices based project analysis strategies to evaluate project status and advise on the best next steps that fit your project. Our services are applicable for practically all types of software and web development projects, whether preformed in-house or outsourced.

We offer proven project rescue road-maps that include the following milestones:

Situation analysis.

Our technical experts investigate the current status and situation of your project.

Problem identification.

All significant obstacles such as lack of specification, funding ,user involvement, planning, testing or technical expertise, etc. are investigated.

Recovery strategy elaboration.

We develop a comprehensive cost-effective strategy to reduce or eliminate the threats to an acceptable level. In some cases there are fundamental flaws related to the initial analysis which militate towards ending the project and not spending any more resources on it. In this case a project post mortem can provide guidance for future projects process imporvement.

AVL Vendor qualifications

When our project began , one of the factors we considered was the stability of the vendors involved.

This is important, should the vendor company fail to support the product your project may fail.

http://www.ehow.com/info_7814249_stock-company-closes-its-doors.html

This is particularly true for projects of high complexity and proprietary designs.

The value of our key vendor share price dropped from over $3.00 per share at project start (1Q-2008) to 11 cents today. TBUSQ.PK

(update the company is in bankruptcy the share price is between 0 and .0016 per share with a market cap of under $20,000)

The future of the company is in the hands of Management , the fates and the market.

We can only hope there is a plan which sees the critical components of the AVL system supported by a capable entity.

Good Luck

This just in,.

http://biz.yahoo.com/e/120127/tbus.pk8-k.html

� Provide advice regarding the potential preparation and business oversight for a potential filing by the Company of a petition under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; and

I remember when we discussed alternatives to proceeding with DRI when the project was a year late and many technical failures were being experienced. Westcat management was not ready to put a contingency plan in place.

Westcat AVL a shovel ready project, not good when the guys with the shovels are grave diggers.

TBUSQ last price 12-01-12 .00008 cents a share total market cap under $10,000.

DRI was purchased by luminator. It remains to be seen if Luminator will continue to support AVL , their core is signs. Acquiring DRI just decreases their competition.

http://www.luminatormasstransit.com/component/search/AVL.html?ordering=newest&;searchphrase=any

A search of their site does not return any links to AVL . If they are supporting AVL it is not readily apparent they are.

What to do when the vendor goes under?

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/what-do-you-do-if-your-enterprise-app-vendor-goes-under/5025229

12-15-12 Their website is still up and has been updated , seems they still have a hand in the AVL and ITS world

How to change things

How does change happen?

Change Matrix

Change
?	+	Clear Shared vision	+	Capacity	+	Next Action step	=	Bottom of theInbox
Pressure for change	+	?	+	Capacity	+	Next Action step	=	Fast start that Fizzles
Pressure for change	+	Clear Shared vision	+	?	+	Next Action step	=	Anxeity Frustration
Pressure for change	+	Clear Shared vision	+	Capacity	+	?	=	False Starts Poor efforts
Pressure for change	+	Clear Shared vision	+	Capacity	+	Next Action step	=	Change

Courtesy of Professor John McGarvey 1991

AVL Consulting

AVL Project Oversight

Project Oversight is the key to getting the project accomplished on time and within budget.

Once a procurement contract has been issued, the selected vendor must then deliver the contracted deliverables - the CAD/AVL system - on time and within the budget allocated. By charging the consultant with the responsibility to see that the vendor meets these goals, the transit agency can be assured that the project will be successful.

A key element in the Project Oversight task is the proper review of the early documents that the vendor must produce during the Preliminary Design Review and the Critical Design Review. This documentation provides a key indication that the vendor has started the project correctly, and that the final system will be capable of meeting the expectations of the project.

Next, during the installation phase of the project, when all the fixed-end equipment is to be installed, together with the on-board vehicle equipment, there is a need to establish quality-control checks to ensure that the equipment and systems are being installed correctly. If any new software is to be developed or introduced, a review of the software QC procedures are required. Once the CAD/AVL system has been installed and checked out, it is then ready for the final Acceptance Tests and Project Close out tasks.

Micro Services has detailed experience in the management of large and sophisticated AVL system projects. Our hands-on experience has given us considerable expertiseof what constitutes an acceptable installation. Finally, our background in software development allows MicroServices to provide the quality control oversight that will be needed.