The USF Maps App was created to help students, staff, and visitors navigate the University of South Florida campus using multiple transportation options. It provides features like showing building locations, trip planning between buildings for various modes including walking, biking, public transit, and real-time transportation information. The app was developed by USF students using open-source software and open data. Since its soft launch in late 2016, thousands of users have utilized the app's trip planning and campus navigation capabilities.

1. Center for Urban Transportation Research | University of South Florida
Sean J. Barbeau, Ph.D.
Principal Mobile Software Architect for R&D
Center for Urban Transportation Research
University of South Florida
USF Maps App

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Background
• USF students have many travel options:
– Drive
– USF Bull Runner
– Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
– Bike
– Share-A-Bull Bike share
– Walk
• For those unfamiliar with campus (and even those
that are), the best option for each trip isn’t obvious

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Background (Con’t)
• Transit and bike share modes also have a real-
time component
• Knowing where USF buildings are, and how to
get from A to B, is challenging
– Requires translating 3 letter abbreviation into
building name and location
• How can we make getting around USF campus
easier for students, staff, and visitors?

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USF Student Green Energy Fund
(SGEF)
• Initially funded two student-driven projects:
– Smart Parking
– “Share-A-Bull” Bike share
• USF Maps App - Created to share information
on all modes with students/staff/visitors
• USF students did all software development
• Support from Center for Urban Transportation
Research and Florida Department of
Transportation

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USF Maps App
DesktopMobile
http://maps.usf.edu

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Two main features
LayersTrip planner
http://maps.usf.edu

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Find USF buildings by name or
abbreviation

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Plan trips to/from buildings on map

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Trip options for Bull Runner routes

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Uses actual USF walk/bike
infrastructure
Distance/time summary Uses crosswalk

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Bike lanes at USF
Visible as a highlighted layer, in addition to being used for routing

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Share-A-Bull– Real-time location,
booking links

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Share-A-Bull – Trip plans include
real-time availability

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Real-time USF Bull Runner info

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Other layers
• Bike repair stations
• Bike rack
• USF Enterprise Carshare
• Parking lots/permit types
• Electric Car Charging

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And more layers…
• Athletics
• Dining
• Mailing Services
• Copiers
• Smart Kiosks
• Blue Light Emergency Phones

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More trip planner options
• Walking paths that avoid stairs
– Useful for those with limited mobility (e.g., in
wheelchairs)
• Bike paths that prefer bike lanes
• HART/Bull Runner transfers

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Based on open software/data
• Open-source software – can add new features in
the future
– Anyone can contribute - https://github.com/CUTR-at-
USF/usf-mobullity
– Based on OpenTripPlanner -
http://www.opentripplanner.org/
• Open data comes from OpenStreetMap.org
– http://www.openstreetmap.org/
• Leverage contributions from other deployments

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Soft Launch Fall 2016
• Word-of-mouth, students finding site on their
own
• From Aug 22, 2016 to Jan 1, 2017:
– 2,230 users
– 5,237 sessions
– 18,056 page views (loading different features)
– Avg. session duration = 2 min 49 seconds

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Hard Launch – January 2017
• Featured in MyUSF app
under “Campus Maps”
• In last 3.5 weeks:
– 4,383 users
– 11,124 sessions
– 16,356 page views
(loading different
features)
– Avg. session duration = 2
min 50 seconds

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Huge potential for additional
awareness
• Linking from websites to specific layers:
– To “Parking Lots” layer from Parking and
Transportation Services
– OASIS to “ENB” building, or route from one building
to another
• QR codes on paper maps
• Student orientations
• Student events/locations
• Real-time parking alerts

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Thanks!
Sean J. Barbeau, Ph.D.
barbeau@cutr.usf.edu
813.974.7208
Principal Mobile Software Architect for R&D
Center for Urban Transportation Research
University of South Florida
http://www.linkedin.com/in/seanbarbeau
Protected under U.S. patents #8138907, 8169342
Funded by the USF Student Green Energy fund and
Florida Department of Transportation