TBEST version 4.5 builds upon the advances in prior versions and adds new functionality to support advanced transit planning analysis and reporting. The following features highlight the improvements within the software:
Framework
- Compatible with ArcGIS versions 10.6.1, 10.5, 10.4, 10.3.1 and 10.2.1 (Basic license-level)
- Compatible with Windows 10
- SQL Server 2014 LocalDB database engine with a simplified TBEST deployment
- TBEST GIS data storage upgraded to File Geodatabase format
- Route tracing service provided by Openrouteservice.org
Socio-Economic Data Updates
Florida state-wide data updates are available for download within TBEST including the following:
- 2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
- 2015 Census Block-level Employment data (LEHD compatible)
- 2015 Florida Department of Revenue Parcel-level Land Use
Operational and Policy Settings
TBEST provides a single Transit System Operations and Policy Editor for defining system-level policy variables which are integral to many TBEST analytical processes and reporting output. TBEST 4.5 incorporates new parameters to the operations, policy and Title VI inputs and additionally allows users to override the default system Operations and Policy Settings with route-specific values for more accurate analysis, reporting and operating cost estimations.
Route Display Color Definition
TBEST 4.5 provides the ability to define route colors for display mapping and grouping. Users can input colors for selected routes and TBEST will integrate the color into the Scenario Map and into the new Route Map feature. Imported GTFS networks with route color defined in routes.txt will have corresponding route colors populated in TBEST.
Network Editing
TBEST 4.5 includes many workflow and performance enhancements to the TBEST Network Editor, including the following new features:
- GTFS Interoperability – TBEST 4.5 builds upon the already robust GTFS Interoperability tools provided in prior TBEST releases. New features include substantial import speed improvements, import network by selected Weekday, Saturday and Sunday service dates, capture of individual vehicle trips into the TBEST network, ability to append the Agency Name to the route name, and the ability to remove TBEST scenario routes which are not present within the incoming GTFS network.
- Transit Line Tracing – Using the an OpenStreetMap-based shortest path algorithm, users are able to trace the road network to digitize a transit line. This feature greatly improves transit route segment accuracy and simultaneously reduces digitizing time. This feature also includes automatic capture of existing stops which are coincident with the newly digitized route alignment.
- Vehicle Trip Editing– TBEST is now capable of both importing GTFS vehicle trip information and editing those trips within the new TBEST Route Pattern Trip Editor. In prior TBEST versions, users would input route service span and headway by time of day to develop service levels, in TBEST 4.5, the Route Pattern Trip Editor enables users to enter the planned vehicle trip times and TBEST will convert the new trip schedule into time of day service levels. This feature greatly improves ease in network coding, level of service accuracy and enables the TBEST GTFS exports to be more compatible with other planning application network input requirements such as the FTA STOPS model. The Route Pattern Trip Editor includes a Vehicle Trip Departure Timeline display with editing capability, a trip Copy/Paste feature, an exportable schedule, speed/travel time editing, a directional route map with time point notation and a pattern operating statistics summary.
Route Service Summary
This new TBEST 4.5 Service Planning tool integrates route service, operations, route geography, performance, cost, demographics and scheduling to provide planners with interactive route metrics based on existing or modified service.
Route Schedule
The TBEST Route Schedule feature enables service planners to visualize existing and proposed route service in schedule form to verify trips, speeds and stops throughout the service day. Includes independent Weekday, Saturday and Sunday directional route schedules and combines multiple route patterns into a single schedule display.
Route Map
The TBEST Route Map feature provides an easy-to-use route map display which includes route extent, stop locations and labeled time points. Users can scroll through routes within the network and to evaluate service extents and variation in Weekday, Saturday and Sunday service.
APC Stop Ridership Integration
The TBEST GTFS Import allows for the inclusion of Automated Passenger Count (APC) stop-level ridership data as an additional file in the GTFS feed. TBEST 4.5 extensively integrates this data into TBEST for interactive reporting and display by stop, segment, pattern and route and into performance reporting including calculation of stop, route pattern and route load ratios.
Other New TBEST 4.5 Features
- Application performance improvements in all data processing tasks
- Sync Base TBEST Socio-Economic Data with TAZ/Regional Model Base Year
- Transit System branding with Agency or Project Logo
- Route Headway Reporting with Map Display
- Title VI Disparate Analysis Reporting based on “People Trips”
- Support for LEHD Employment datasets
- Improved Validation tools and Validation User Interface
- Updated TBEST User Interface
- Many improvements based on user feedback and insights…