AATA commended for operating system

While Detroit is known for its automobiles, Ann Arbor, which is one hour southwest of the Motor City, has its own claim to fame - a renowned public transportation system.

The Ann Arbor Transit Authority recently received the Technology Implementation Award for the integration of the Advanced Operating System this month by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America.

Chris White, who works at the AATA, said that the AOS uses a satellite system that relays the bus location and schedule to the driver via an onboard computer.

The new system announces the next stop and changes in destination times, tells the drivers if they are on schedule, coordinates transfers and communicates the maintenance status.

"It is the first fully integrated communication, operation and maintenance system in public transportation," White said.

ANDY YOUNG/Daily AATA riders prepare to board one of the buses at the terminal on Fifth Street. The system was recognized for its implementation of the Advanced Operating System.

Professor John Nystuen from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning said mass transit provides an environmentally efficient form of travel and is tied to important social issues.

"Not everyone has an automobile and (therefore) access to places they want to go," said Professor John Nystuen from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning. "Society is arranging itself spacially so it's hard to get around without an automobile. Mass transit contributes to solving that kind of problem."

Ann Arbor is a step ahead of other cities in public transportation due to a stable source of local funding, White said.

"There is a property tax dedicated to public transit in the city charter," White explained. "So the AATA can get into projects that can improve the system in long-term ways."

While many think that mass transit is an accessible and effective means of transportation, White estimated that less than half of Ann Arbor residents use public transportation at some time during the year, but only five to six percent depend on it.

LSA senior Tess Aldrich said she rarely takes advantage of the bus system in Ann Arbor.

"I don't use public transportation, except to go to Briarwood ... and that works pretty well," Aldrich said.

05-18-98