Personal Mobility

The Advanced Regional Traffic Interactive Management and Information System (ARTIMIS) is a regional traffic management system provided by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Federal Highway  Administration (FHWA), Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) Regional Council of Governments, and the City of Cincinnati. ARTIMIS has two major functions, specifically, Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) and Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS). The ATIS service, known as SmarTraveler, is but one component of the ATIS function and is hereinafter referred to as the ARTIMIS Traveler Advisory Telephone Service or ARTIMIS TATS.

The following are the overall objectives that this research project was created to meet:

• to assess the overall satisfaction and effectiveness of ARTIMIS TATS;

• to determine the general awareness of ARTIMIS TATS in the regional coverage area;

• to determine the prevalence and preference of accessing the service through the use of

a N11 dialing code, such as 211, versus a seven-digit number; and

• to determine the influence of traveler information on travel behavior.

In order to accomplish these objectives, two surveys were designed and undertaken.

ARTIMIS TATS users were invited to participate in the first survey, by intercepting their calls into the system. The second survey, an awareness survey, was designed as a random-digit dial survey for people in the ARTIMIS coverage area. The results relating to user satisfaction and the effect the system has on travel behavior can be found in a forthcoming paper in Transportation Research Record.

Department of Civil Engineering and Kentucky Transportation Center

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida

This paper describes the ongoing evaluation study of anonymous mobile call sampling for transportation applications underway in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The Universities of Maryland and Virginia, with support from their respective State Departments of Transportation, are investigating the potential of the RadioCamera technology invented by U.S. Wireless Corporation to provide critical data for traffic management applications. This method of data collection is contrasted with other probe and point detection mechanisms. Descriptions of prototype transportation management applications employing this technology are offered. Potential technical limitations are described, as well as means by which they might be obviated. The planned economic evaluation is outlined, including the economic measures to be quantified, the range over which valuation will be conducted, and the means by which benefits will be enumerated. Finally, some conclusions are offered.

University of Virginia

University of Maryland

Presented at the 11th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida

Effects of Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) information on driver en-route decision making were explored through the use of a real-time trip simulator which used computer-controlled video sequences of actual traffic scenes to preserve important real-world cues, and provided a range of ATIS display capabilities (navigation displays, route guidance, traffic and hazard warnings, etc.) using a touch-screen panel to enable en-route navigation decisions to be studied under realistic settings. Seventy-two locally familiar drivers, ranging in age from 18 to 86 years of age, took part in the study. The sample was equally divided between males and females. A network of freeways and surface streets were simulated and available to drivers to navigate to their destination. These trips were fully under the control of the driver in terms of route selection and were experienced in real-time under realistic time pressures.

Westat

Presented at the 10th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, May 1-4, 2000 Boston, MA

The Traveler Information Center (TIC), known as SmarTraveler, is one element of the Orion Program for deploying Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The TIC is an example of an Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) providing real-time traveler information via telephone and Internet services. It has been operational since November 1998. The project is under the overall supervision of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and its management consultant/private sector partner, Lockheed Martin of Canada (LM). The TIC is owned, managed, and operated by SmartRoute Systems under subcontract to LM.

The purpose of this paper is to present the evaluation results which tested the accuracy of the data being provided by the TIC. The hypothesis of the evaluation is that the TIC is providing reasonably accurate information, and that the quality of this information will improve over time. This hypothesis was measured by conducting travel time runs on designated routes covered by the TIC, and comparing the travel conditions observed with the conditions reported by the TIC at the beginning and the end of the travel run. The measures evaluated for accuracy were travel time, accidents, incidents (breakdowns), and construction. The travel time runs were conducted in the spring and fall of 1999.

Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

URS

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Presented at the 10th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, May 1-4, 2000 Boston, MA

Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA) is perceived as a major ITS initiative to manage congestion. DTA algorithms seek to guide “smart cars” along paths to their respective destinations so as to disperse traffic demand over a network in a manner that minimizes vehicle hours or trip travel times. DTA algorithms must be tested before deployed. This paper describes a microsimulation model designed to interface with any DTA algorithm, which simulates the operational performance of traffic comprised of a mix of “smart” cars equipped to be guided during their travel, and those not so equipped. Results obtained by the model simulation a DTA traffic environment are presented.

KLD Associates, Inc.

Presented at the 10th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, May 1-4, 2000 Boston, MA