Open The Paths 2024: Agenda

Title: WA Data for On-demand Transit: Regional GTFS-flex and GOFS Implementation Workgroup

Coordinators/Speakers: Laura Loe, Thomas Craig

Description: Few on-demand service providers or state transportation agencies have established GTFS-flex data collections to consistently and digitally describe on-demand transportation services within their jurisdictions. In fact, to our knowledge, only 3 state DOT’s have participated in such programs for their entire state. Washington State is one of these leaders. In collaboration with Hopelink and Mobility for All, an inclusive planning framework, a representative inventory of 20 on demand services for Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties in WA State was produced for the new Find a Ride Trip Planner. Experts writing about the challenges of establishing programs cite the need for “data wranglers” – individuals who will take on responsibilities of advocating for monitoring; engaging stakeholders at relevant agencies; securing resources; coordinating data update implementation, and timely quality assurance; moreover, integration with trip planners and other data consumers takes on an additional challenge. Join colleagues to discuss the need for specialists in stewarding on demand service data, brainstorm skills needed to be successful, and identify strategies and opportunities for sustainability, stewardship, education and training .

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals with on-demand services, Nondrivers in WA state, People who use paratransit

Title: OTP Regional Workgroup Meeting

Coordinators/Speakers: Justin Deno, Laura Loe, Brian Vallene, Jon Campbell

Description: The Puget Sound PugetSound Regional Workgroup aims to facilitate a large-scale effort to provide comprehensive GTFS data for both scheduled and on-demand transit services in the Puget Sound region. This workgroup focuses on ensuring effective communication among multiple stakeholders involved in the production and consumption of transit data, identifying gaps in data availability, and coordinating efforts to address these gaps. Sound Transit’s Justin Deno has been lead coordinator and assembler of the group. Meetings involve stakeholders providing updates and information about their data operations and data sharing progress.

An introduction to OpenTripPlanner and the ways in which open source trip planning tools are being deployed in the region. Presentations from Hopelink, Community Transit, Sound Transit, and Arcadis. An open discussion on how data standards and models are translated and utilized in OTP.

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals with on-demand services, Nondrivers in WA state, People who use paratransit

Title: National Collaboration on Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Accessibility Infrastructure Data

Coordinators/Speakers: Cyrus Chimento

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals with on-demand services, Nondrivers in WA state, People who use paratransit

Title: Presenting findings from “Connected by Transit: The Future of Community Access” with Disability Rights Washington and Empower Movement WA

Coordinators/Speakers: Amara Schermerhorn, Tanisha Sepulveda

Description: Learn what a recent study by Disability Rights Washington revealed about the non driver experience in WA state.

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals, Nondrivers in WA state

Title: Transit Rider Experience Panel: Exploring the Future of Community Access

Coordinators/Speakers: Amara Schermerhorn, Tanisha Sepulveda, Jeff Abrams, Judy Jones, Joe Kunzler, Jill Reasoner, Jenny Anderson, Aerius Franklin, Jamin Mason

Description: We will have a theme-based conversation about the nondriver experience in the state. Contributors on the panel have both studied barriers to transit and lived them.

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals, Nondrivers in WA state, People who use paratransit

Title: SDOT Pedestrian Access Advisory Committee Meeting

Coordinators/Speakers: Tom Hewitt, Belen Herrera

Description: Updates on the ADA Program, Shared Mobility Program, Seamless Seattle Wayfinding Project, Low Pollution Neighborhood Project.

Title: Translating Experiences to Data

Coordinators/Speakers: Kunal Mehta, Olivia Quesada

Description: Join us for an interactive discussion of the stories heard in our Transit Rider Experience Panel. Following the panel, we will invite panelists to join audience members in putting together a journey map that reflects their travel experiences. This activity will be continued in Friday’s Storytelling to Data Workshop

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals, Nondrivers in WA state, People who use paratransit

Title: Keynote

Coordinators/Speakers: Paulo Nunes-Ueno

Title: TDEI Data Workshop and WS Proviso Advisory Meeting

Coordinators/Speakers: Bill Howe, Anat Caspi

Description: Discover what’s ahead at TDEI— check out the new interface for accessing sidewalk data (OpenSidewalks), GTFS-flex and pathways feeds.
Learn how the all-new Tutorials can help jump-start analytics and innovative development for equity evaluations.

This session will be highly technical, please consider bringing a device if you are able.

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals, Community advisors

Title: Storytelling to Data Workshop

Coordinators/Speakers: Kunal Mehta, Olivia Quesada

Description: A continuation of Thursday’s Translating Experiences to Data session, this workshop will lead participants through participatory design exercises with the aim of connecting traveler experiences and decision-makers through data.

This session will NOT be available virtually. Please consider bringing a device if you are able.

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals, Nondrivers in WA state

Title: A Collaborative Approach to Building Pedestrian Data

Coordinators/Speakers: Chad Blevins

Description: Meta is coordinating street-level imagery collection and OpenStreetMap editing in select cities around the world to improve pedestrian navigation. Our map building strategy is anchored around the principles of open data and collaboration, with a focus on OpenStreetMap and Overture. You can learn more about how we use maps on our Maps at Meta page. We’re bringing together organizations and individuals with goals that align with our own to improve the quality of pedestrian data in OSM.

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals, Nondrivers in WA state, People who use paratransit

Title: Coordinating Cross-County Transportation Options; T​echnical and Socio-technical pathways to better regional transportation service coordination

Coordinators/Speakers: Matthew Weidner, Kevin Chambers

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals, Nondrivers in WA state, People who use paratransit

Title: On-Demand Transit Coordinator Experience Panel

Coordinators/Speakers: Matthew Weidner, Sandy Phan, Lester Alano, Kevin Chambers, Darryl Sierra

Description: Hear from a diverse group of transportation service coordinators, including Community Transportation Navigators for the King County Health Through Housing program, representatives from Find a Ride and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation.

The discussion will focus on the challenges faced by non-drivers when trying to piece together long trips or journeys that span across different counties or between urban and non-urban areas. These challenges often lead to disengagement from travel, resulting in missed health appointments, lost economic opportunities, and other crucial activities. Through learning the panelists’ experiences in connecting people to services across regions, we hope to better understand what data gaps exist that make these rides difficult and how sharing relevant data from transportation providers can facilitate the process.

Who would this session benefit: Transportation professionals, People who use paratransit