Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS)

ATIS Intended to –Manage travel demand –Reduce traveler frustration/anxiety Increases perceived level of service Increases “serenity factor” – reduces Road Rage –Improve traveler decision making Results in more efficient travel Creates awareness of alternatives

ATIS All of these aspects have positive benefits in the areas of –Improved safety –Energy savings –Time savings Good public acceptance

Manage Travel Demand Reduce (peak) demand –Reallocating demand to alternative routes –Reallocating demand to alternative modes –Reallocating demand to alternative time of day –Eliminating discretionary trips during times of bad congestion or high delay

Reduce Frustration Knowing the size / length / duration of backups reduces travel stress –Allows action to be taken, or –Confirms that no action can/needs to be taken

Reduce Frustration Frustration causes bad decision making –Reckless driving behavior –Short tempers –Irrational behavior

Improve Traveler Decision Making With good information, travelers can: –Make timely decisions –Choose correctly (for themselves and their trip) on Routing Time of departure Mode To not make the trip or to alter their trip destination

Improve Traveler Decision Making Can select less congested time / route / destination IF that alternative is less distasteful than the original trip Provides a sense of “self control” to traveler

Improve Traveler Decision Making The decisions actually made are not necessarily the ones that facility operators want –Cut through traffic –Congestion forms on other routes –System optimization versus user optimization –Many travelers are reluctant to change

Summary of traffic findings Context may matter most for traffic ATIS –Higher congestion, longer congestion delay, limited alternatives Next in line is ATIS service quality –Few will use low quality information, other than the radio, regardless of context In high congestion regions, users consult traffic information strategically; in low congestion regions, they use it tactically.

Summary (continued) Weather is a traffic incident that stimulates ATIS use in all contexts Drivers with greater time and route flexibility use ATIS more frequently Different people prefer different access media ATIS customers feel they save time and reduce stress

Extreme weather conditions influence ATIS demand: San Antonio web site Heavy Rain and Floods

Summary of transit findings ATIS transit customers want information that –reduces the uncertainty associated with transit trips –increases their control over time and travel decisions Transit information should be –conveniently located relative to trip decisions –easy to access and use –up-to-date –more user friendly and multidimensional on the web The greatest benefit of transit ATIS may be for those who would otherwise switch to SOV, thus aiding in rider retention

Examples LA Olympics Seattle, I-5 reconstruction, Goodwill Games in Seattle I-90 Snoqualmie pass

Timing of Information Delivery Pre-trip En-route

Pre-Trip Can effect –Mode –Time of departure –Route –Destination –Decision to make the trip at all

En-route Potential effect is based on when you provide the desired information –Change route –Change mode (if P&R is viable alternative) –Give up trip / change destination –Change driving behavior (slow down)

Pre-trip & En-route Information differs depending on what you want / expect to be done with that information –General information (congestion/accident ahead) –Routing (use alternative routes / modes – usually needs to include specific directions)

Dissemination Media Media matched to message type, length and timing –TV (full time versus conventional news cast) –Radio –Variable/changeable message sign (VMS / CMS) –Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) –Web –Specialty devices (route guidance devices)

Dissemination Media Other media – –Mail –Telephone (hotline – cell phone / conventional phone) –Kiosks (web based?)

Attributes of Dissemination Technologies Availability to the public Timeliness Geographic coverage of message Length of message Cost to produce message

Attributes of Dissemination Media Cost to operate / maintain the delivery device –User cost –Producer cost Who controls the device? (public / private)

Traffic TV Easy access to traffic hotspots on UW2.TV Channel 76 on digital cable

Technologies TV –Ubiquitous –Low cost to public (user) –Higher cost to disseminator –Short duration message –Misses details, some geographic areas –Only for pre-trip information –Generally not available on demand

Technologies Radio –Ubiquitous –Low cost to public (user) –Short duration message –Misses details, some geographic areas –Pre-trip or en-route information –Generally not available on demand –Timeliness/accuracy of reports often questioned

VMS/CMS

Technologies VMS / CMS / DMS –Good for en-route information –Only at locations where they can be seen (geographically constrained) –Short duration message –Messages need to be current or will be ignored –Location is important Prior to decision point

HAR

Technologies Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) –Limited power/range makes this a en-route technology –Longer message about a specific geographic area –Can you keep the message up to date? –Questions about how many people will turn their radios to the proper channel

Information Via the Web

Google-Map Based Traffic Information Systems

Web Sites Pre-trip information (becoming en-route with wireless web) Ability to provide very detailed, very specific information (if that information is available) Wide geographic area coverage is possible Allows interaction with the customer Not everyone has an internet connection (social equity?) How accessible is it at home?

Private Sector Potential market for traveler information is huge –Value to other private sector businesses likely to significantly exceed its value to the public sector 300 M people in US * 5% customers * $5/month = $900 M per year –Few have made a successful business of it yet

Radio Traffic Services Metro Networks, Shadow Traffic, Smart Route Systems (Wedgewood One) –Exchange air time for traffic reports –Sell airtime to advertisers

Traffic.com Owned by NavTeq –The Weather Channel –Motorola's VIAMOTO™ Solutions –XM Satellite Radio –XM NavTraffic –Radio and TV stations –AOL

XM NavTraffic (available on Acura/Cadillac)

INRIX INRIX is the leading provider of real-time, historical and PREDICTIVE traffic information offering the broadest coverage, exceptional accuracy and innovative technologies to ensure the success of our customer's navigation and traffic-enabled solutions.

Inrix Real-Time Flow Coverage Highlights: –U.S. Metropolitan Areas: 122 –U.S. Road Miles: Over 51,000 –Real-Time Alert Miles: 103,000 –European Coverage: Over 12,000 kilometers throughout the U.K. and the Netherlands. Historical Average Speeds Highlights: –U.S. Road Miles: Over 800,000 Incident Coverage Highlights: –U.S. and Canadian Metropolitan Areas: 113 markets –Europe: 16 Countries

DASH Uses both cellular radio and Wi-Fi networks to automatically and wirelessly update its maps, traffic and software Vehicles act as probe vehicles communicating with a central database and each other.

Devices Research indicates that people don’t want a stand alone “traffic information” device –GPS equipped cell phone, Blackberry, etc. Requires web sites designed for mobile devices.

Pre-trip information delivery Can be tuned to specific routes / times –Requires timely delivery Useful for “routine” trips –Not useful for “unusual” trips Requires to be accessible Can provide extensive information (routing instructions)

Twitter WSDOT mountain pass reports via Twitter

Traditional Mail

Mail Ubiquitous Pre-trip Information Wide geographic area Wide variety of information Relatively low cost Not real time Does it get read?

Telephone (hotline – cell phone / conventional phone)

Telephone Hotline Almost Ubiquitous Automated system allows user to pick and choose information desired –Hard to develop such a system –Can user access phone line when information is needed and is wanted? 511

Transit Watch - Kiosk

Kiosks (web based?) Good stand-alone application –Hard to keep operational (high upkeep cost) –Requires connection to the data source –Allows information display in locations devoid of electronics –Accessible to all Multi-function kiosk? (something besides transportation information)

Public / Private Operations Who runs the information dissemination system? –Public agency –Private company

Public versus Private Cost to taxpayers Cost to users

Public versus Private Who collects the data? Who processes the data? Who delivers the data? Who pays for these functions?

Public versus Private What is the role of the public sector in all of this? What “right” does a private company have to data collected with tax dollars?

Public versus Private How does an initial decision on the split between public and private information effect –Competition in the marketplace? –Consumer choice?