2.7 Traveler Information

Providing traveler information on several modes of travel can be beneficial to both the traveler and service providers. Many transit agencies use traveler information websites to provide schedules, expected arrival times, expected trip times, and route planning services to patrons. See www.transitweb.its.dot.gov for a listing of such sites. Also, many state DOT and local transportation agencies are providing current traffic conditions and expected travel times using similar approaches. Ongoing implementations of the 511 telephone number will improve access to traveler information. Each of these services allows users to make a more informed decision for trip departures, routes, and mode of travel, especially in bad weather. They have been shown to increase transit usage, and may help to reduce congestion when travelers choose to defer or postpone trips, or select alternate routes. Information on impacts and costs of traveler information systems are separated into those that provide pre-trip information, and those that provide en-route information, as shown in Figure 2.7.1.

Note that the traveler information programs discussed in this section of the report, and documented in the corresponding portions of the database, are generally regional, and occasionally multimodal in nature. Roadside or transit facility-based traveler information components such as dynamic message signs (DMS), highway advisory radio (HAR), and in-terminal displays are most often deployed, operated, and controlled by arterial, freeway, transit, or incident management systems. Earlier sections of this report discuss evaluations of these information dissemination technologies.

Evaluation of implemented traveler information systems reveals that the systems are well-received by those who make use of them. The number of travelers using the information generally represents a small portion of the total travelers in a region. Consequently, evaluations of traveler information systems show that such systems demonstrate a modest impact on travel times across the regional transportation network. Nevertheless, individual users of the systems do perceive significant personal benefit in the form of improved on-time reliability, reducing the number of excessively early and late arrivals through better trip-planning made possible by traveler information services.

Tourism and event-related travel information systems focus on the needs of travelers in areas unfamiliar to them or when traveling to major events such as sporting events or concerts. These services address issues of mobility and traveler convenience. Information provided can include electronic yellow pages, transit, and parking availability. The systems may also provide mobility services such as pre-trip route planning or en-route navigation.

Table 2.7.1 provides information on the benefits and costs of traveler information. An assessment of the impact of these systems is indicated by using the symbols in the Impact Legend at the bottom of each page.

Table 2.7.1 – Benefits and Costs of Traveler Information

Pre-Trip Information

Benefits
Goal Area	# of Studies	Impact	Example
Mobility	8	+	A simulation study of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area found that individuals using traveler information services could improve their on-time reliability while reducing the risk of running late. Overall, regular users of the pre-trip traveler information benefited significantly by reducing the frequency of early and late arrivals by 56% and 52% respectively.[117]
Capacity/ Throughput	4	0	Modeling studies in Detroit, Michigan, and Seattle, Washington, have shown slight improvements in corridor capacity with the provision of traveler information.[61, 79]
(New) Customer Satisfaction	21	++	An Internet survey of users of traveler information websites in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, found that 86% of users in Philadelphia and 68% of users in Pittsburgh had changed their original travel route for at least one of their trips based on information received.[98] In Montana, 81% of survey respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with road conditions information available through a 511 telephone service provided by the Greater Yellowstone Regional Traveler and Weather Information System.[14]
Energy/ Environment	3	?	A 1993 prospective study of traveler information in Boston, Massachusetts, found that the system would reduce vehicle emissions from participating travelers. The study estimated a 25% reduction in volatile organic compounds, a 1.5% reduction in oxides of nitrogen, and a 33% reduction in carbon monoxide.[118]
Costs
Unit Costs Database	Roadside Telecommunications subsystem Information Service Provider subsystem Remote Location subsystem Transportation Management Center subsystem		See Appendix A
(New) System Cost	Arizona DOT's (ADOT) traveler information system has been operational since 1998, and was converted to 511 in March 2002. The system is currently being enhanced. Costs for the existing system are available; costs for the enhanced system will be available in the future. The system provides information on Interstates, U.S. Highways, and State Routes throughout Arizona. In addition, Phoenix and Tucson transit options are supported by transferring callers to the respective transit agency. Information is obtained using touchtone (keypad) menu selections. The implementation cost includes the cost to develop the original (pre-enhanced) interactive voice response (IVR) phone system, "VRAS" (voice response activated system); the cost of the original IVR hardware, software, and engineering; and the cost to convert the VRAS system from the 10-digit number to 511. The primary driver for the annual operating cost is the phone charges (e.g., toll-free number, transfers). Annual operational costs are kept low because the ADOT 511 system is highly automated and integrated with Highway Condition and Reporting System (HCRS), the primary source of information.[119]		Pre-enhanced 511 system implementation cost: $355,020 Annual operating costs: $136,734
System Cost	The Arizona DOT enhanced its traveler information system, Trailmaster, as part of the AZTech Metropolitan Model Deployment Initiative (MMDI) project. The cost of the enhancement included hardware and software upgrades, and web page redesign. The project team estimated that the original Trailmaster website cost was approximately 10 times as much as that of the redesign.[60]		Cost to enhance Trailmaster: $135,782 (1998) Annual O&M cost: $116,551 (1998)
System Cost	Real-time traffic condition information similar to the information provided on the Trailmaster website (see above) is available at kiosks located at selected public and commercial sites. Approximately 28 kiosks are deployed in the Phoenix, Arizona, region.[60]		Cost for Trailmaster kiosk project: $459,732 (1998) Annual O&M cost: $153,519 (1998)

En-Route Information

Benefits
Goal Area	# of Studies	Impact	Example
Mobility	4	+	Enhancements to the traveler information system in San Antonio, Texas, during the MMDI included improvements to the Internet website, and the installation of in-vehicle navigation (IVN) devices in vehicles operated by public agencies in the area. Modeling results indicate significant potential benefits for individuals using the devices. Over a one-year period, a traveler using an IVN device could experience an 8.1% reduction in delay.[10]
(New) Customer Satisfaction	13	++	In Virginia, an automated telephone 511 traveler information service was deployed. In order to evaluate the impacts of the system on customer satisfaction, survey data were collected from 400 participants who used the system, and later agreed to participate in a follow-up telephone survey. Overall, 90% of respondents found the service useful, and nearly half of them indicated they had changed their travel plans on at least one occasion as a result of the information provided.[15]
Costs
Unit Costs Database	Roadside Telecommunications subsystem Roadside Information subsystem Transportation Management Center subsystem Vehicle On-Board subsystem Personal Devices subsystem		See Appendix A
(New) System Cost	In January 2003, Montana DOT implemented its 511 system to provide travelers with traffic and road weather conditions. The 511 traveler information system is a part of the Greater Yellowstone Regional Traveler and Weather Information Systems (GYRTWIS) project. The system cost includes system development, voice recognition, marketing, and one-time improvement for the addition of regional reports, AMBER (America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alerts, Homeland Security, and General Transportation Alerts. Annual operating cost includes contracted services and equipment lease, toll charges, marketing, and operating cost for the statewide alert system.[13]		Cost to deploy GYRTWIS 511: $188,000 Annual operating cost: $195,453
(New) System Cost	511 traveler information is available in a growing number of locations throughout the U.S. Many of the 511 systems are statewide, a few provide metropolitan area coverage, and one provides coverage for a rural corridor. The 511 Coalition collected cost data representative of actual 511 deployments from around the U.S. Costs are broken down by five general categories applicable to the development phase and the operations and maintenance phases. Deploying agencies do not necessarily use these same accounting categories; however, example costs that fall within these general categories are presented so the reader has insight into some costs that may be encountered. The five cost categories presented are: labor, equipment, telecommunications, 511 content upgrades, and marketing.[120]		Sample costs–Text-to-speech and voice recognition software: $179,000 Switch programming for carriers throughout one state: $84,000 511 advertisement in 350,000 travel guides: $3,400

Tourism and Events

Benefits
Goal Area	# of Studies	Impact	Example
(New) Customer Satisfaction	2	+	In Acadia National Park, 90% of visitors who used real-time transit departure signs, 84% of visitors who experienced automated on-board next-stop message announcements, and 74% of visitors who experienced real-time parking information reported these technologies made it easier to get around.[4]
Costs
Unit Costs Database	Roadside Telecommunications subsystem Roadside Information subsystem Parking Management subsystem		See Appendix A
System Cost	The Seattle Center Advanced Parking Information System in Seattle, Washington, provides information and routing directions to three major parking centers via dynamic message signs. This information is also available via the Internet, phone, and pagers to travelers prior to leaving for an event as well as travelers en route.[5]		System cost: $925,265 (1998) Annual O&M cost: $50,523 (1998)

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