TravInfo Field Operational Test Evaluation: Target Study Final Results

Problem

TravInfo is a regional traveler information system in the San Francisco Bay Area. The goal of TravInfo was to broadly disseminate accurate, comprehensive, timely, and reliable information on traffic conditions and multi-modal travel options to the public in the Bay Area through a public-private partnership.

The TravInfo Field Operational Test (FOT) was comprised of four elements: institutional evaluation, technology assessment, traveler response, and transportation network performance. The traveler response evaluation had four coordinated studies:

1. Broad Area,
2. Target,
3. TravInfo Traveler Advisory Telephone Information System (TATS), and
4. Information Service Provider (ISP) Customer Studies.

This paper presents the final results of the Target Study, a case study of commuter response to traffic information on incidents along US-101 south of San Francisco. This corridor was selected because it offers several alternate roadways and mass-transit options for commuters who utilize it.

The Target Study objectives are to understand the extent to which incident information influences travel decisions, to measure the effects of incident information on overall travel patterns, and to assess the benefits of incident reports to travelers.

Findings

Within three to four days following a major traffic incident along the highway segment, a sample of commuters who used the highway during the time of the resulting congestion was interviewed. At the time of publication, four such incidents had been covered.

Results included the following:

• Generally, commuters have the opportunity to obtain traffic information both before departure and en route. However, those who obtain information don't necessarily use it, and those who endure bad traffic one day may not be affected enough by it to obtain more information the next day.
  
• Of those respondents who actually encountered traffic on US-101, 64.8% said that they were no more likely to obtain traffic information prior to departure, and 54% said that they were no more likely to obtain traffic information after departure.
  
• Of those who obtained traffic information, 36.8% thought the information helped them save time and 9% thought the information made them waste time. Over half (52.3%) were unsure.
  
• Of those who said the information they received made them waste time, half (50.0%) said they were nonetheless more likely to obtain traffic information during their commute in the future. Of those who said the information saved time, 66% said they were nonetheless more likely to obtain traffic information during their commute in the future. Of those who were unsure of whether the information saved them time, 63% said they were no more likely to obtain traffic information en route in the future.
  
• Of travelers who obtained traffic information, only 17% changed their departure time, 9% changed their mode of travel, and 24% took an alternate route.