Personal Mobility

Previous research using a simulated yoked trial evaluation methodology showed that commuter benefits from a notification-based pre-trip traveler information service are highly concentrated for congested PM peak trips.  One implication of this finding is that traveler information benefits increase with increasing congestion.  This paper explores how much benefit pre-trip traveler
information provides on some of the worst commuting days in Washington, DC.  The worst commuting days were determined as those having the highest system-wide aggregate travel times.  The impacts on the worst commuting days were significant for a simulated commuter who did not rely on traveler information; typically, the number of late trips doubled and travel disutility cost jumped by 30%.  The benefits of pre-trip traveler information were high on the worst commuting days; lateness risk was cut by more than half, and travel disutility cost was reduced by more than 20%.  The ten worst days garnered 9% of the total annual benefits, which was equivalent to a total savings of $17.  On the worst commuting days, simulated users of pre-trip traveler information changed routes or trip start time or both on nearly 70% of the trips. KEYWORDS:  Advanced Traveler Information Services, HOWLATE, travel time, on-time
reliability, benefits.

Mitretek Systems

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, April 26 - 28, 2004 San Antonio, Texas

The Metropolitan Intelligent Transportation System Integration (MITSI) project was established to be a technology role model for sharing transportation data, so that transportation and device control could be exchanged among legacy systems such as those found in NaviGAtor, City of Atlanta E911, and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).   
This Case Study investigated the institutional issues and processes impacting MITSI as of the conclusion of Phase 1.  Recommendations to improve the project were prepared based on these observations and actions taken during Phase 2.  This process, recommendations and the results of actions taken are documented to share this information with sponsors of similar projects.

Georgia Department of Transportation

NET

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, April 26 - 28, 2004 San Antonio, Texas

In recent years, a growing number of metropolitan areas around the world have
introduced electronic payment media, particularly smart cards, as a means of linking fare
payments among the various transit agencies – and in some cases with other entities as
well. In addition to transit fare payment, smart cards are being introduced for an
increasingly wide range of applications, including toll and parking payments, financial
services, mobile commerce, security/access/identification and loyalty purchase programs.
The processing and storage capabilities of these cards have made it possible to consider
multiapplication programs, including two or more of these uses on a single card. Such
arrangements offer the potential to increase customer convenience – for all participating
applications – as well as to spread card issuance costs. There is considerable potential to
link transit payment with one or more other types of function in a multiapplication
arrangement.  

The use of smart cards has thus created the opportunity for establishment of new types of
partnerships – while also facilitating the introduction of new (i.e., automated) fare media
distribution methods. This paper discusses smart card developments and impacts on
customers and agencies, also reviews related emerging applications and partnerships.

TranSystems Corp.

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, April 26 - 28, 2004 San Antonio, Texas

This research proposes a scenario analysis to solve a technology selection problem of advanced public transportation systems-related technology in Taiwan. The technology selection is an essential factor for a successful deployment of intelligent transportation systems in Taiwan. Therefore, selecting the appropriate technology and product to develop and manufacture is important to the private sector in Taiwan. The authors  surveyed and collected valid samples as the inputs to a scenario model integrated with a grey statistics method. The proposed method used in our paper effectively analyzes the problem we encountered and the research results conclude that contactless smart card technology is an appropriate future technology for Taiwan to develop. The significance of  the research results implies that the proposed scenario analysis is an effective method  for selecting the appropriate intelligent transportation systems-related (ITS-related) technologies for the private industry. We feel our information will be beneficial to the private sector for developing an appropriate intelligent transportation systems technological strategy.Key Words: Scenario,  Advanced Public Transportation Systems, Intelligent TransportationSystems, Private, Contactless Smart Card

National Cheng Kung University

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, April 26 - 28, 2004 San Antonio, Texas

Providing improved transit traveler information (TTI) has advanced significantly over the past ten years with the advent of new technologies, such as automatic vehicle location (AVL) and advanced communications, and of new dissemination mechanisms and media, such as wireless application protocol (WAP) mobile telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).  Today, transit travelers, particularly choice riders, expect to have comprehensive information about
multiple modes (including traffic information) available to them quickly, in one place or from one source, and on a variety of media.  Transit agencies are being challenged to meet these travelers’ needs given declining budgets and the continuing needs to provide efficient service. Paper schedules, manually operated customer information telephone services, and the need for
travelers to make several telephone calls to obtain information will not satisfy travelers anymore.  
This paper describes strategies for using information technology to improve individual mobility-
related decision-making.  Examples of how public transportation providers can become part of
regional- and/or community-based, information dissemination systems that include, but are not
limited to, hand-held (e.g., PDAs, pagers, and smart telephones), vehicle-mounted, kiosk-based, and web-based communications is covered.  This paper also discusses four key strategies for improved TTI that were developed based upon research conducted by the author for the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) project, entitled “Strategies for Improved Traveler Information.

TranSystems Corporation

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, April 26 - 28, 2004 San Antonio, Texas