Umo IQ
10814 Jollyville
Rd #350,
Austin, TX 78759
If you work for the transit agency you can report problems to:
umoiq.support@cubic.com
How
to use the system
Real-time arrival information from Umo IQ can be obtained from signs
installed at transit stops, from computers with access to the World Wide
Web, and from cellular telephones and other wireless devices.
To obtain
information via the Web or from wireless devices, specify which stop you
want information for. The information will then be automatically displayed
and updated every few seconds.
You may add the page to your "Bookmarks" or "Favorites" so you can get back to it quickly.
Keep in mind:
How
does it work?
Umo IQ uses Global Position Satellite (GPS) technology and advanced computer
modeling to track buses and streetcars on their routes. Taking into account
the actual position of the transit vehicles, their intended stops, and
the typical traffic patterns, Umo IQ estimates the bus arrivals with
a high degree of accuracy. This estimate is updated constantly as the
vehicles are tracked. The Umo IQ system is covered by U.S. Patents
6,006,159
and 6,374,176.
The system is also produced under license from ArrivalStar, Inc. U.S.
Patents 5,623,260;
6,411,891;
6,317,060;
6,415,207;
6,313,760
and 6,278,936.
How
accurate are the predictions?
The accuracy of the predictions vary depending upon many factors including
changes in traffic patterns, accidents, Internet traffic, etc. Therefore
Umo IQ cannot specify a precise overall accuracy. In general though,
the margin of error is less than one minute
for
predictions
of five-minutes
or less. For
ten-minute predictions, the margin of error is less than two minutes.
We have biased the predictions slightly early to avoid people missing
buses. Umo IQ is confident that you will find the system accurate enough
to be very helpful.
What
are the benefits of the system?
The Umo IQ system puts the transit rider in control. Even when you
know what the schedule is, there are any number of reasons that vehicles
may not arrive when expected. Traffic variations, breakdowns, and the
day-to-day problems faced by any transit company can delay or completely
interrupt service.
By using the Umo IQ system to determine when the next vehicle is going to arrive, the rider doesn't need to wait an indeterminate amount of time at a possibly unpleasant or unsafe stop. Instead the rider can make an informed decision. If the vehicle will not be arriving for an extended period, the rider can go into a store, read the newspaper, or even take another mode of transportation.
The Umo IQ system also allows the user to obtain real time arrival information remotely. Riders can determine exactly when to leave home or the office in order to meet the bus -- virtually eliminating waiting time.
Why
isn't it available for my bus?
Your transit agency needs to pay for the cost of the Umo IQ system.
The number of agencies that provide Umo IQ predictions is rapidly growing
but the technology is still relatively new. If you would like to have
the service provided for your system, contact your transit agency and
tell them what a benefit the Umo IQ system would provide for their passengers.
Why
aren't predictions made for all vehicles?
Some transit agencies have not yet purchased the tracking devices for
all of their vehicles. When untracked vehicles are run on a route, real-time
arrival predictions cannot be made.
Who
pays for this service?
The signs at the transit stops and the needed tracking hardware is
paid for by the transit agencies. No costs are passed on to the users
except for those wireless users who pay for access by the minute.
What
future capabilities do you expect to provide?
In the near future we will provide predictions via additional wireless
devices. We will also provide alerts that will notify you automatically
via your computer or wireless device when the Umo IQ is within a specified
distance. That way you will know exactly when to leave your home or office
in order to catch the next bus.
What
is your advertising policy?
Umo IQ has adopted a policy not to accept Internet advertising for certain
classes of products that our transit partners and/or we would not view
as socially responsible. Specifically excluded are sexually oriented advertising,
tobacco advertising, advertising for fire arms, advertising for alcoholic
beverages, and advertising intended to promote any illegal substances.
Can
I bookmark predictions?
Bookmarks can be very helpful if you regularly obtain Umo IQ real-time
arrival information for particular stops. Once you have selected a stop
and predictions are being displayed, bookmark the predictions page. The
bookmark will automatically remember the stop for which it should display
predictions.
Why do I have to specify the "From Stop" and "To Stop"?
Sometimes there are multiple routes that go to where you want to go. The Umo IQ system can provide predictions for all possible routes that serve your stops, as long as you specify both the stop where you are boarding ("From Stop") and your destination stop ("To Stop"). Also, there are some routes that have multiple destinations. If your destination is only served by some of the vehicles for your route, then by selecting your destination only predictions for vehicles that actually are going where you need to go will be displayed. If only one route serves the stop where you are boarding and there not multiple destinations for your route, the "To Stop" selector will not have an effect and can be ignored.
Does the site offer access for the visually impaired?
The prediction display has been built and tested with screen-reading
software.
How does the system remember the last stop I specified?
The Umo IQ system uses a browser cookie to keep track of the last
stop for which real-time arrival information was obtained on your computer.
Do I need to have JavaScript enabled?
You can still obtain real-time predictions even if you have JavaScript
disabled. If JavaScript is not available or is turned off, you will automatically
be directed to our non-JavaScript pages for specifying which transit stop
you want predictions for. The interface will be somewhat different but
you will still get exactly the same information.
Do I need to have Java enabled?
Java applets are only used for displaying real-time maps showing where
the vehicles are on the desired route. If you have Java disabled, or are
using a browser that cannot run applets, you will still be able to access
all other features on the Umo IQ Website with the exception of route
maps.
Why does the interface sometimes look different?
The website will look different depending on the browser you are using.
Also, sometimes updates are made to the website in order to improve
the user experience.
Both sites provide exactly the same prediction information. The only difference is in how you specify the stop for which you want prediction information.
Where do I find schedules?
A link to schedules is provided when possible. They are available
on both the stop selector page and on the real-time predictions page.
Where do I find maps showing where the vehicles are?
When maps are available for a route, the are accessible from both the
stop selector page and on the real-time predictions page.
Why doesn't the map application work?
The map application is a Java applet. If you don't have a Java compliant
browser, or if you have Java turned off, you won't be able to view the
maps.
Which browsers are supported?
The Umo IQ Website is supported on all Netscape Navigator and Microsoft
Internet Explorer browsers. It is also supported on Opera and WebTV browsers.
If you have problems with this site on your browser, please e-mail umoiq.support@cubic.com.
How do I turn off the annoying clicking sound in Internet Explorer?
With some version of Internet Explorer, the system generates a clicking
sound everytime a new page is loaded. This can be annoying because a new
prediction is loaded at least once a minute. To turn off this clicking
sound on a Microsoft Windows PC, open the system Control Panel and click
on "Sounds and Multimedia". In the Sounds tab, look under the
Windows Explorer section and click on "Start Navigation". Under
Name:, you will probably see start.wav which is the clicking sound. Replace
the text "start.wav" with "(None)" and hit OK.
Is my privacy protected?
Umo IQ does NOT track your identity. The system only keeps track
of the last stop selected on your computer. If you choose, you can even
eliminate this record by turning off the cookies for your browser. You
will still be able to obtain predictions.
For cell phone, PDA, and SMS sites Umo IQ will only use any collected information for providing passenger information to you. Umo IQ will NOT use this information for any other purpose nor sell or distribute this information to any other organization.
"No current prediction"
No information is available at the moment. Check again in a few
minutes; it is likely that a prediction will be available shortly.
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