TravInfo Evaluation Traveler Response Element: TravInfo 817-1717 Caller Study Phase 1 Results

Problem and Method

Key findings of the research are:

An overwhelming majority of the callers were satisfied with the information they obtained from TATS and they mostly (60.4 percent) found the TATS information more useful, reliable, and accurate than radio. Nearly half (46.7 percent) of callers who learned about traffic problems from TATS changed their travel behavior.

TATS has attracted a segment of the driving population which rarely relies on radio or television reports in making travel decisions. Nearly half of the traffic information callers (48.3 percent) seldom or never listen to radio reports. The majority of the traffic information callers (86.2 percent) were repeat users; 51.3 percent of transit information callers were repeat users.

Most participants (98.3 percent of the traffic information survey group and 88 percent of the transit information survey group) said they would use TATS in the future.

Approximately one third (30.5 percent) of the traffic information survey group requested information via cellular phone en route. TATS was found to be better utilized than the traffic information systems offered by cellular providers (GTE Mobilnet, Cellular One).

Findings

TravInfo is a federally funded Field Operational Test (FOT) of an open-access traveler information system for the San Francisco Bay Area. In operation since September 1996, TravInfo Traveler Advisory Telephone System (TATS) disseminates real-time traffic information and multi-modal travel options to Bay Area travelers through a landline telephone system.

The purpose of this research was to measure the effectiveness of TATS in helping callers make informed travel decisions. The initial survey was conducted seven months after TravInfo began operation. The effectiveness of TATS was measured by the satisfaction of callers with the service, the impact on their travel behavior, and the benefits perceived by them. TATS callers made use of either traffic information or transit information services.