Daily Activity and Multimodal Travel Planner: Phase 1 Report

Problem and Method

The prototype Travel Planner was lab tested for the downtown area of the city of San Francisco. The prototype was limited to a set of 25 possible travel locations within the area. The network in this area consists of five MUNI (bus) lines, one cable-car line, and streets for walking and taxi with access to various attraction points (included in the 25 possible travel locations). This simplified prototype allowed for simpler programming and more timely user testing.

To use the Travel Planner, a user enters travel requirements such as travel destinations, when the user must be at the travel destination(s), how much time the user will spend at the destination(s), and whether certain destinations must be visited before others. The Travel Planner then evaluates each possible sequence, takes into account the feasibility of the possible sequences, and then selects the first and second best solutions. The Planner then outputs the best solution itinerary as a map with marked locations. If requested by the user, the alternate (second-best solution) itinerary can be output.

Several problems were found by the researchers as part of this test, mostly related to sensitivity of the Travel Planner algorithms. For example, when the number of visits selected by the user is relatively small, one or two itineraries in particular sequences appear to dominate. Similar problems occur with transportation mode. These problems can be addressed in the subsequent stage of Travel Planner development

Findings

The objective of this project is to develop an advanced traveler information systems (ATIS) tool that can assist the traveler in developing an efficient itinerary in which multiple locations can be visited efficiently and with minimal waste. Also in the scope of this project is the development of an information system that will aid the traveler in using public transit in a complex tour in which multiple locations are visited. Underlying this are the beliefs that the availability of information affects the decision to use public transit and that people will make complex tours by public transit if they are shown that it is possible and convenient to do so.

The product developed to meet this objective is called the Travel Planner. The Travel Planner consists of two stages: first it is developed as a public kiosk, and second, as a personal unit. The inputs to and outputs from the Planner are identical in both stages. The critical difference is that the kiosk serves many anonymous users and does not retain personal preferences while the personal unit serves as a transportation guide for a specific user and therefore is able to store information about the user's preferences and travel history.

This report (Phase 1) presents the development of the prototype for the public kiosk Planner. The prototype is based on two primary assumptions. First, it assumes that the user will not use a private auto. Second, it assumes that all destination locations are uniquely specified by the user.