CDS Use Cases
The Curb Data Specification (CDS) is being used in city and company pilot projects to solve curb demand problems and other use cases. The Curbs API contains endpoints published by cities that define curb zones, spaces, areas, and polices. It works together with the other CDS APIs, Events and Metrics, to provide dynamic curb management for public and private entities.
In this document the Working Group Steering Committee outlines a few real-world use cases, and how to use the CDS APIs and endpoints to make them happen.
A city would like to publish their commercial curb zones publicly for any potential curb users to understand curb locations and regulations.
- Digitally communicate status, availability, and regulations to potential users
- Communicate real-time availability of curb space to commercial loading providers via CDS by feeding into apps to allow drivers to book and pay for commercial loading space.
- Example: Coord Smart Zone pilots
How to Use CDS: Transform a relevant subset of your digital or non-digital curb information into the CDS format. Create a server that serves this information through Curbs endpoints to the internet: /zones, /policies, /area (optional), /spaces (optional). Write a software application that allows people to query each endpoint with the required CDS parameters.
Help guide commercial curb users to the closest and most appropriate curb space for their deliveries.
- Feed CDS data into dynamic curbside parking wayfinding systems.
- Example: City of Santa Monica currently has a network of wayfinding signs that point motorists to off-street parking structures with real-time availability data. Similar wayfinding system incorporating on-street parking availability could be facilitated by CDS.
- Example: A commercial curb user wants to know the closest curb zone to delivery packages to a downtown commercial high rise.
How to Use CDS: Send the building's latitude and longitude and acceptable distance into the /zones endpoint to get a list of nearby curb zones. Grab the ID of the zone you want to use and pass that into the /policies endpoint to discover the detailed regulations at that curb zone. Use the optional /spaces endpoint to see what specific parking spaces may be usable by your fleet.
- Provide real-time _flexible _curb status updates based on time of day to users based on curb regulations in place for a curb area during a given time (e.g., priced parking v. commercial loading v. active passenger loading)
- Example: In some neighborhoods, SFMTA allows commercial loading between 5-10 a.m. Curb area may convert to metered parking after 10 a.m..
- Provide flexible curb status updates to users based on real-time occupancy
How to Use CDS: Define your commercial curb areas with the Curbs API, serve them publicly, and let curb users know where they are and how to use them. Use real time sensor data to keep your data feeds up to date with the latest availability.
Look back on your curb usage over time and analyze the data for insights including determination of curb pricing rate changes.
- Analyze, evaluate, and optimize curb usage.
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Analyze historic usage of the curb to inform regulation, infrastructure, and/or policy changes
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Assessment of utilization (e.g., parking occupancy rates, delivery activity) to reveal a continuous log of curb access activity types and potential details like number of passengers and parcels loaded or unloaded at each location.
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Inform broad pricing strategies and feed into dynamic pricing schemes
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Determine new or different uses of curb space -- provision of parking spots, provision of loading zones, time-based designations, allocation to other uses (shared mobility parking, parklets, etc.)
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Revenue planning and program evaluation
- Regulatory approaches (e.g. curb space designations)
- Physical planning evaluation (parking and delivery effects of new bulb outs, parklet construction, etc.)
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How to Use CDS: After setting up your Curbs and Events APIs to define curb spaces and track usage, use the Metrics API data to look back on your program over time and gain answers and insights for reporting and planning.
Get the information you need to take action on prohibited curb use and improve curb enforcement practices.
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Enables cities to respond in near real-time to prohibited uses of curb based on current regulations that may be in place
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Regulations/permissions of given curb space
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Communication of violation
- Alert fleet managers of areas of frequent/chronic violation and potential enforcement burden
- Provide real-time information on specific violations ahead of enforcement action
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Improve curb regulation and enforcement policies and practices
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Assessment of curb violations -- double parking, non-permitted uses, over-long parking stays, etc.
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Inform and direct enforcement staff in real time
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Strategize broader enforcement approaches -- staffing levels, spatial areas of focus, infraction types of focus, incentive and penalty schemes
- Inform wayfinding/public communication strategies
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Communication strategies
- Effects of new enforcement approaches
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How to Use CDS: Use the Events API data that shows who and what accessed the curb when, and look for violations in real time or historically. Ensure the data you are collecting allows you to identify the companies using the curb space so you can contact them.
Define and manage the curb areas that are for commercial use and what their properties and policies are.
- Maintain current commercial curb areas that are complete, consistent, and able to be queried
- Example: SFMTA’s “color curb” zones (https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/drive-park/color-curbs)
- Share this inventory and the ability to manage it with your agency’s internal right of way and parking coordinators.
How to Use CDS: Since CDS is not meant to replace your entire curb inventory data storage and management system, ensure that you have added any extra fields to your existing system that CDS may need, and flag your CDS-compatible areas. Create a report or data extraction method that can pull a subset of your entire curb inventory into the CDS format for visualization, publishing, and sharing.
