Advanced Traveler Information System Study:
Task 3 Findings
prepared for
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
prepared by
Kimley-Horn and Assoc., Inc.
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
technical
technical memorandum
Advanced Traveler Information
System Study:
Task 3 Findings
prepared for
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
prepared by
Kimley-Horn and Assoc., Inc.
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Table of Contents
1.0 Evaluation of Existing ATIS ... 1-1
1.1 Background ... 1-1 1.2 Purpose of Evaluation of Existing ATIS ... 1-1 1.3 San Francisco Bay Area, California ... 1-2 1.4 Houston, Texas ... 1-13 1.5 Salt Lake City, Utah ... 1-21 1.6 London, England ... 1-30 1.7 Munich, Germany ... 1-36 1.8 Emerging ATIS Technologies and Trends ... 1-41 1.9 Conclusions ... 1-46
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Homepage of http://www.511.org/ ... 1-3 Figure 1.2 MTC 511 Traffic Data Flow ... 1-6 Figure 1.3 MTC 511 Driving Times ... 1-8 Figure 1.4 MTC 511 Transit Trip Planner ... 1-9 Figure 1.5 Homepage of http://www.houstontranstar.org/ ... 1-14 Figure 1.6 Houston TranStar Traffic Map ... 1-17 Figure 1.7 Homepage of http://www.utahcommuterlink.com/ ... 1-22 Figure 1.8 Homepage of http://www.rideuta.com/ ... 1-24 Figure 1.9 Utah CommuterLink ATIS Data Flows ... 1-25 Figure 1.10 Homepage of http://www.tfl.gov.uk... 1-31 Figure 1.11 Transport for London Trip Planner Results ... 1-34 Figure 1.12 Homepage of http://www.muenchen.de/verticals/Traffic_
Transport/227515/index.html ... 1-36 Figure 1.13 BayernInfo Traffic Map ... 1-37 Figure 1.14 Munich Transit Trip Planner ... 1-40
1.0 Evaluation of Existing ATIS
1.1 B
ACKGROUND
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) has requested that the Cambridge Systematics, Inc. (CS) team assess the feasibility of a regional multimodal advanced traveler information system (ATIS) in central Ohio.
The central Ohio region already has some ATIS in place, including the Ohio Department of Transportation‟s (ODOT) Buckeye Traffic web site (http://www.buckeyetraffic.org/), the city of Columbus‟ Paving the Way web site (http://www.pavingtheway.org/), the Central Ohio Transit Authority‟s (COTA) web site (http://www.cota.com/), and MORPC‟s RideSolutions web site (http://ridesolutions.morpc.org/). While the agencies managing and operating these ATIS do sometimes coordinate with each other, the various ATIS are not linked together and there is no “one-stop shop” where travelers can get the information they need to make informed decisions about how they should travel. MORPC envisions developing an ATIS that allows travelers to compare available transportation modes for a particular trip based on factors such as travel time, length, and cost. This ATIS also would serve as a clearinghouse for information about existing travel conditions (e.g., construction restrictions, congestion levels, and impacts of incidents). The ATIS would be recognized by travelers, the media, and transportation system operators as a reliable source of static and dynamic traveler information.
1.2 P
URPOSE OF
E
VALUATION OF
E
XISTING
ATIS
A review of existing ATIS deployments in other locations across the United States as well as international locations can provide MORPC with excellent information in terms of being able to see what features those other ATIS include, how those traveler information systems were implemented, how travelers are using those systems, what resources are required to implement and maintain those systems, and what lessons the managing and operating agencies have learned through the deployment and operation of their ATIS.
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., as part of the CS team, surveyed five existing top-tier national and international ATIS deployments to evaluate their relevance to the ATIS efforts and traveler information needs in central Ohio. For the national ATIS surveyed, information was gathered from agency web sites,
deployment and “lessons learned” information and analysis on the national ATIS than the international ATIS.
The purpose of the evaluation was to determine what features are included in the surveyed ATIS, how those features were implemented, how travelers are using those features, what resources are required to implement and maintain those features, and what lessons have been learned by the agencies managing and operating the surveyed ATIS that may be applicable to the ATIS efforts in central Ohio.
It is envisioned that the findings of this evaluation will help guide MORPC and its partners in deciding if the envisioned ATIS in central Ohio is feasible, and if so, how, when, and by whom it should be deployed and operated.
The locations of the five operational ATIS that were evaluated are:
San Francisco Bay Area, California (ATIS web site: http://www.511.org/); Houston, Texas (ATIS web site: http://www.houstontranstar.org/);
Salt Lake City, Utah (ATIS web site: http://www.utahcommuterlink.com/); London, England (ATIS web site: http://www.tfl.gov.uk); and
Munich, Germany (ATIS web site: http://www.muenchen.de/verticals/ Traffic_Transport/227515/index.html).
Emerging ATIS technologies and current ATIS business model trends also were briefly evaluated to provide MORPC and its partners with a sense of where the ATIS industry appears to be headed in the future in areas such as private sector involvement in traveler information and different partnership strategies.
1.3 S
AN
F
RANCISCO
B
AY
A
REA
,
C
ALIFORNIA
The San Francisco Bay Area is home to approximately seven million people and is a densely populated area. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the San Francisco Bay Area. MTC operates an ATIS web site at http://www.511.org/. MTC has branded its ATIS as “511,” which includes both the web site and the companion phone-based ATIS that is accessible by dialing 511. Figure 1.1 shows what the homepage of the 511.org web site looks like.
Figure 1.1 Homepage of http://www.511.org/
Relevance to Central Ohio ATIS Efforts
MTC‟s 511 ATIS was included in the survey because it is widely recognized as one of the leading ATIS in the United States in terms of comprehensive multimodal and trip planning information available on both the web site and phone system. Like MORPC, MTC is the MPO of a metropolitan region within a state that contains multiple metropolitan areas. MTC has contracted out the operations and maintenance of its ATIS to the private sector because MTC does not have the necessary in-house resources, although MTC does provide program oversight and is responsible for coordinating with the various transit and transportation operations agencies within the region. MTC‟s ATIS incorporates traveler information gathered from numerous sources, including the state Department of Transportation (DOT), regional transit agencies, local transportation agencies, toll tag transponders, and a private data provider.
Francisco Bay Area as a Field Operational Test for ATIS in 1993. The ATIS developed by MTC was originally known as TravInfo and it officially deployed in 1998. The TravInfo ATIS provided basic information on current traffic conditions and available transit services in the region. Much of the traffic and transit information in TravInfo was previously available on multiple agency web sites and phone systems, but MTC‟s ATIS brought several different traveler information resources together into a centralized regional system. Providing this regional traveler information clearinghouse was no small feat from both an institutional as well as a technical perspective. Few MPOs besides MTC have made the investments to successfully bring together state, county, city, transit and private sector data to create a one-stop, multimodal regional traveler information resource.
In 2002, MTC launched a cobranded 511 web site and phone system that were much more robust than the previous TravInfo ATIS. The selection of the “511” number as the name of MTC‟s new ATIS reflected the Federal Communications Commission‟s decision in 2000 to reserve the phone number 511 for travel information. MTC has upgraded its ATIS several times since 2002 based on feedback from users and the emergence of new data and new technologies to include features such as point-to-point current freeway driving times, real-time transit predictions, and personalized profiles. The San Francisco Bay Area MTC 511 ATIS is considered by many to be among the top publicly operated ATIS in the United States.
Modal Components
MTC‟s 511 ATIS contains the following information on the various modes of travel (more detailed and interactive information is provided on the web site than on the phone):
Trains – Train schedules, route maps, fares, announcements, and agency
profiles for four heavy rail and two light rail commuter train providers;
Buses – Bus schedules, route maps, fares, announcements, and agency
profiles for 20 bus providers plus external site links to 2 other bus providers;
Automobiles – Construction closures and restrictions, incidents, cameras,
traffic congestion map, both typical and current driving times between predefined points, and links to seven local traffic conditions web sites;
Bicycles – Locations of bike lockers and racks, bikes on public transit and
across toll bridges, riding safely in traffic, tips on commuting by bike, existing bike facilities maps, 511 ridematch subscription service to help locate biking partners, and other bicycle resources;
Airplanes – External links to web sites of four airports in the region where
users can get information on flights, rental cars, airport maps and directions, and airport policies;
Ferries – Ferry schedules, route maps, fares, announcements, and agency
profiles for seven ferry providers;
Shuttles – Information on numerous shuttles, mostly through external site
links;
Carpool/Vanpool – Map and detailed information on carpool lane locations,
park-and-ride lot locations, and bridge toll locations, 511 ridematch subscription service that e-mails users a list of potential carpool or vanpool partners who live and work nearby, ideas on how employers can provide commuting options, and a calculator that helps the user determine the financial and environmental cost of various commuting options; and
Others – Information on commercial bus, paratransit, and out-of-region
transit providers, carsharing.
Data Flows
MTC, through its 511 Traffic Contractor, collects freeway traffic data from the following three primary data sources:
– MTC manages the FasTrak electronic toll collection program, known as TrafficWatch, and utilizes travel information provided by the FasTrak probe transponders to keep driving times up to date.
– Caltrans (the state DOT) monitors traffic volumes and speeds on the region‟s freeway system using loop detectors embedded in the pavement, off-pavement sensors, and closed circuit television cameras (CCTV). This data is reported back to the Caltrans‟ District 4 Transportation Management Center (TMC) in Oakland, which also is where MTC‟s 511 Traveler Information Center (TIC) is located. This allows Caltrans‟ TMC staff to efficiently share traffic data with TIC staff, who then upload that data to the 511 web site and phone system using a custom interface developed by MTC.
– SpeedInfo, a private traffic content and data wholesale company, has deployed low-cost, solar-powered Doppler radar sensors to fill gaps in coverage for over 250 miles of highways in the San Francisco Bay Area. MTC purchases the spot speed data from SpeedInfo.
MTC‟s 511 Traffic Contractor has developed algorithms that fuse the data provided by the three aforementioned data sources into speeds and travel times that are then disseminated to the 511 web site and phone system, as well as to multiple information service providers and media outlets (via an XML data feed), as shown in Figure 1.2.
MTC manually uploads incident information to the 511 web site and phone system from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system on accidents, stalled vehicles, and other incidents such as debris in the road. CHP personnel are located in the District 4 TMC and coordinate directly with TIC staff when necessary to provide updated traveler information related to incidents.
MTC‟s Rideshare Contractor is responsible for collecting, processing, and disseminating rideshare and bicycling information for the 511 ATIS.
Figure 1.2 MTC 511 Traffic Data Flow
Source: MTC, 2005.
Transit agencies transmit their data at regular intervals in predefined formats to MTC‟s transit clearinghouse database. MTC‟s 511 Transit Contractor then processes and disseminates the transit information on the 511 web site while the 511 Traffic Contractor is responsible for disseminating the transit information on the 511 phone system. Specific real-time transit information is transmitted to transit hub signs. A real-time transit data feed is provided to transit agencies upon request but this transit data feed currently does not go to third-party information service providers.
MTC has partnered with more than 60 other agencies to either provide their static information on 511 or to at least provide an external link to the agencies‟ web sites or a call transfer from the 511 phone system.
Display, Mapping, and Visualization Approaches
MTC‟s 511 Marketing Contractor designs and manages the 511 web site homepage and provides design guidance on other web pages that are part of MTC‟s 511 ATIS web site.
The transit trip planner and traffic congestion maps are both shown on the homepage, along with links to the major categories of available information. The traffic congestion map allows users to toggle map features on and off, pan and zoom in and out of specific map areas, and click on map items to get more detailed travel information.
The traffic congestion map color scheme has four choices: standard colors, high contrast, red/green color blind, and blue/yellow color blind.
Traffic conditions and driving times information can be shown graphically or in text format. Figure 1.3 shows the driving times graphic format from the 511 web site.
Trip Planning Capabilities
Transit trip planning is available on the 511 web site and provides estimated travel time using various transit options as well as the walking time to/from transit stops, as shown in Figure 1.4.
Historical average and current driving times between points on the traffic congestion map are available on the 511 web site and phone.
The 511BikeMapper shows bicyclists where bike facilities are in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Alert and Personalization Capabilities
My511.org is a web site where the user can personalize the 511 web site or phone system to quickly get desired travel information for specific routes or locations, such as current driving times and preset camera views. Users can also sign up to receive text messages and e-mail alerts for status updates at a preset time of day or whenever driving times are worse than a preset severity threshold.
The text on the 511 web site (excluding the text embedded in graphics) also is available in Spanish and Chinese.
Figure 1.3 MTC 511 Driving Times
Event Information
Special event information is included in the traffic conditions map.
A web ticker allows MTC to post urgent messages that scroll across the top of the 511 web pages. On the 511 phone system, floodgate messages serve a similar function.
The 511 web site home page also features emergency alerts when there is a significant closure or major disruption to transit services.
In the event of a major emergency, both the 511 web site and phone system can be converted to an abbreviated form that provides emergency information quickly and simply while conserving system capacity.
Figure 1.4 MTC 511 Transit Trip Planner
Additional Features
There are external links to local Chambers of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureaus, and other 511 services in California.
The 511 web site and phone system allow callers to provide comments and occasionally also to participate in surveys.
MTC transmits its driving times back to Caltrans, so Caltrans can post the driving times information on its dynamic message signs (DMS).
Current departure times are now available for San Francisco Muni buses and trains on the 511 phone system and on signs at transit hubs and they will become available on the web site and through a phone texting service later this year. Other Bay Area transit agencies, including ferries, will be added in the future as well.
MTC will soon be implementing a personal digital assistant (PDA)/mobile phone-enabled application that would be a scaled down version of the 511 ATIS that provides a convenient way for users to access information.
Costs
According to the Request for Proposal for a new 511 Traffic Contractor, published by MTC in October 2008, the 511 Traffic Contractor contract for operating and maintaining the 511 ATIS is anticipated to cost MTC more than $4 million per year. This cost is comprised of 10 percent Project Management costs, 25 percent Data Collection costs, 35 percent Data Dissemination costs, 5 percent Real-Time Transit costs, and 25 percent TIC Operations costs. Costs for operating and maintaining the transit component of the 511 ATIS are anticipated to be more than $2 million per year.
Marketing costs to promote the 511 ATIS vary by year depending on what marketing tools are utilized. In 2008, a radio advertising campaign cost $350,000. Planned enhancements to the 511 ATIS are projected to average about $2 million per year.
Funding Sources
The 511 ATIS currently is funded by a mix of Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ), along with some local Service Authority for Freeways and Expressways (SAFE) and State Transit Assistance (STA) funds.
The San Francisco Bay Area was awarded $158.7 million in Federal funds by the U.S. DOT in 2007 as part of the Urban Partnership Program. Approximately $4.3 million of this grant will be used to fund enhancements to provide real-time transit information, a multimodal trip planner, and parking information on MTC‟s 511 ATIS.
As a means of generating additional revenue to fund the 511 ATIS, MTC is considering permitting advertising and sponsorships of the 511 ATIS, as well as charging subscription fees for the MY 511 personalized profile service and for the 511 XML data feed.
Institutional Arrangements
An MTC employee serves as the 511 Program Manager, who is responsible for managing the 511 Traffic Contractor, 511 Transit Contractor, 511 Rideshare Contractor, 511 Marketing Contractor, 511 Data Collection and Data Dissemination Server Contractor, and 511 Program Technical Advisor. The MTC 511 Change Control Board, which consists of MTC and contractor staff, meets regularly to discuss potential optimizations and enhancements, review issues, make decisions, and set priorities regarding the 511 ATIS.
MTC‟s contracts contain a provision allowing for a contractor payment deduction if certain performance standards are not met for data accuracy, system availability, and voice response quality (for the phone system).
As was mentioned in the Data Flows Section, MTC collects data from and disseminates data to multiple partners. Data-sharing agreements have been developed between each of these partners and MTC.
MTC currently is in the process of procuring a new 511 traffic contractor. The new contract will be for a five-year period, and can be extended by up to five additional years at the discretion of MTC.
Usage Statistics
According to data provided by MTC in March 2009, 511 ATIS web user sessions now average more than 2,100,000 per month with 511 phone calls totaling on average about 400,000 calls per month.
The 511 web site has on average more than five times as many users as the 511 phone system.
511 usage increases dramatically due to large-scale events and emergencies. For example, a severe weather event on January 4, 2008 resulted in daily 511 web usage that was 535 percent higher than typical and daily 511 phone usage that was 770 percent higher than typical.
The 511 Strategic Plan, published by MTC in April 2006, includes the following usage statistics for the 511 web site and phone system:
– Traffic and transit information requests make up 97 percent of all requests via 511 phone and web while rideshare requests make up 2.5 percent and bicycling requests 0.5 percent of all requests;
– Traffic information is the information type most requested by phone (~80 percent of all phone requests);
– Transit information is the information type most requested through the web site (~60 percent of all web requests);
– Traffic information seekers are about as likely to use the 511 phone as the web site to access traffic information;
– Transit information is primarily accessed through the web site (~89 percent of all travelers seeking transit information use the 511 web site as compared to the 511 phone system);
– The 511 phone system has experienced average annual call volume growth of 60 percent; and
Promotion of ATIS
To promote the 511 ATIS, MTC created the 511 Brand and has utilized focus group market research, radio spots, phone/web surveys and user feedback capabilities, roadside signs, billboards, light pole banners, and print media to reach their target audience.
MTC issued a report in September 2008 that quantified the traveler benefits derived from routine use of the 511 ATIS. Routine use of the 511 ATIS was calculated to result in fewer late arrivals, fewer very early arrivals, and annual travel cost savings of up to $3,000 for users of 511 in the San Francisco Bay Area.
To date, MTC has provided its traffic data feeds in XML format at no cost to interested information service providers. MTC is considering strategies to obtain in-kind advertising in exchange for use of the XML data feed.
MTC has developed guidelines for how to use the 511 logo and tag lines so that partners who use the 511 „brand‟ help to promote it in a consistent manner.
MTC developed a tag line for its 511 ATIS: “On the phone. On the Web. On Your Way.”
Lessons Learned
Data quantity and quality are critical to a successful ATIS. Approximately 90 percent of 511 ATIS users surveyed in 2008 currently are at least somewhat satisfied with the quality and accuracy of MTC‟s 511 ATIS, and a similar percentage plan to continue obtaining traveler information from MTC‟s 511 ATIS because it is seen as better or about the same as other available traveler information sources.
Failure of data collection field equipment is a constant challenge that impacts the accuracy of the data used in the 511 ATIS.
Obtaining current construction closure/restriction information is difficult because contractors do not always make Caltrans aware when there are changes in the order or duration of their projects.
Marketing can have a significant impact on ATIS usage. For example, MTC‟s fall 2008 radio campaign resulted in higher than typical usage in response, and awareness of the 511 ATIS program increased from 48 percent in 2008 to 61 percent in 2009 according to a poll conducted by Godbe Research.
Focus group market research and user surveys can provide valuable feedback on how well the current ATIS is doing and on what kinds of enhancements would provide value to travelers. It also is true, however, that travelers do not always use various ATIS features to the degree anticipated based on focus group and survey findings.
511 usage significantly can spike when incidents and events have widespread adverse impacts on travel conditions. The 511 ATIS needs to be sized to accommodate those spikes as that is when 511 users consider the 511 ATIS to be most valuable.
An ongoing challenge in enhancing the 511 ATIS is in designing different user interfaces for the 511 web site and the 511 phone system.
Traveler information can improve – but not eliminate – traffic congestion, and it is important to communicate this to travelers and the media so as not to set unrealistic expectations for the anticipated benefits of ATIS.
MTC should provide focused outreach and training for traffic anchors, producers, and other media partners to educate them about 511 and what it has to offer.
Some transit operators are not very supportive of MTC‟s 511 ATIS because they believe it pushes potential riders to a less direct route to the information they seek or could even cause riders to try alternate transit choices or other modes of travel, with the net result that transit ridership for a particular transit agency could go down.
The ongoing collection of transit data for use in the transit trip planner has required more funding and resources than originally anticipated.
Transit riders value the convenience provided by MTC‟s centralization of transit data.
Transit data quality and accuracy are a problem, especially for transit schedules and transit trip planner information.
Good communication between 511 staff and Caltrans and CHP staff in the TIC/TMC is needed to improve the accuracy of the data provided in the ATIS.
Linking the performance of the ATIS to the payment of the contractors has resulted in quality service and performance from contractors.
Procurement approaches need to be flexible to adapt to changing technologies needs.
Longer-term contracts coupled with options for contract extensions ensure continuity and quality of service.
In some cases, a joint procurement can efficiently support multiple projects, reducing the duplication of staff project management resources.
the Houston area, a consortium known as Houston TranStar was created in 1993 comprised of four partners. The four partner agencies that signed an interlocal agreement to share their resources and find solutions to better provide these services are:
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT); Harris County;
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO); and The City of Houston.
The Houston TranStar ATIS web site address is http://www.houstontranstar.org/. Figure 1.5 shows what the homepage of the Houston TranStar web site looks like.
Relevance to Central Ohio ATIS Efforts
Houston‟s TranStar ATIS was included in the survey because TranStar is a unique partnership of four governmental agencies responsible for transportation management and emergency management services in the Houston area. The TranStar ATIS is regional in scope and has a large incident/emergency management component. The State DOT plays a large role in the data collection, data fusion, and data dissemination ATIS efforts. TranStar recently implemented mobile web capabilities so travelers can access the main components of the TranStar web site through mobile devices. There is no companion ATIS phone system provided by TranStar.
History
The TranStar organization was established in 1993 to provide for multiagency management of the region‟s transportation system. A major milestone for the four-agency consortium was the construction of a joint traffic management and emergency management operations center in 1996. TranStar has evolved into a primary resource from which agencies respond to incidents and emergencies in the Houston area. The Houston TranStar ATIS web site was created in 1994 by TxDOT with the help of the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). The web site went through some major upgrades in 2003 and 2004 that resulted in the web site receiving numerous awards for being one of the best ATIS web sites in the country. There also is a statewide closures and restrictions web site operated by TxDOT (http://www.dot.state.tx.us/GIS/HCRS_main), but the TranStar web site ATIS provides more specific, dynamic, and detailed road conditions information for the Houston transportation network, including freeway speeds and travel times, and links to multimodal information.
There is not yet a phone component to the TranStar ATIS (such as 511), nor are there any regional or statewide 511 phone services in Texas. TxDOT does, however, have a toll-free statewide hotline (1-800-452-9292) that includes recorded information about construction-related and weather-related closures and restrictions on TxDOT-operated highways and roadways. Transit information in the Houston area is available by phone through the METRO customer service hotline (1-713-635-4000).
Modal Components
Houston TranStar‟s ATIS web site contains the following information on the various modes of travel:
Trains – Cameras show current railroad grade crossing status and train
detection in the Sugar Land rail corridor; there also is an external link to the METRO web site that provides train schedules, route maps, fares, a trip planner, and announcements;
Buses – Locations of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
(METRO)‟s park-and-ride lots and transit centers are provided on the traffic condition map, with an external link to the METRO web site that provides bus schedules, route maps, fares, a trip planner, announcements, as well as a commute calculator that compares the costs of traveling by bus versus car;
Automobiles – Real-time and historical speeds and travel times on map,
freeway incidents and road closures, construction closures, cameras, DMS messages, and a link to road weather information;
Ferries – Trip length and duration, camera images, current estimated wait
times during peak periods, and a link to TxDOT‟s Ferry Operations web site that contains more info on schedule and locations; and
Carpool/Vanpool – Information on the QuickRide program for tolled
high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) travel, with an external link to the METRO web site map of HOV lanes.
Data Flows
TxDOT‟s Computerized Traffic Management System (CTMS) is the principal clearinghouse for traffic data in the Houston area. This freeway management system has been in use since the late 1980s but has undergone several major upgrades as more data sources have become available. Traffic data sources that feed into CTMS include cameras, DMS messages, highway advisory radio (HAR), ramp meters, and speed data from the Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system.
Construction- and weather-related closure and restriction information is automatically uploaded to the TranStar web site from TxDOT‟s statewide Highway Condition Reporting System (HCRS), which is maintained and manually updated by TxDOT.
Incident information is manually entered into the TxDOT-developed Regional Incident Management System (RIMS) by TranStar partner agency operators, with TxDOT operators entering in the bulk of the entries based on information derived from their camera views and from travelers calling in. TranStar travel times are calculated using an algorithm developed by TxDOT that is based on the speed data collected from the nearly two million “EZ-Tag” AVI toll transponders in use in the Houston metropolitan area. In-pavement detectors and historical averages are utilized to calculate travel times whenever the AVI data is not available or appears to be inaccurate. Customized data interfaces were developed by private contractors for TranStar that automatically display the data collected in CTMS, HCRS, and RIMS on the TranStar web site.
TranStar operators manually disseminate traveler information via DMS and HAR.
Houston TranStar ATIS information is available for viewing by a mobile device (color Palms, Pocket PCs, Blackberries, and many cellular phones) using the mobile web site address of http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/mobile/.
Houston TranStar‟s incidents, lane closures, and travel times are available via various automated Really Simple Syndication (RSS) data feeds using Extensible Markup Language (XML) on the TranStar web site that anyone can access.
Camera images and AVI speed data also are provided to the major media outlets in the Houston area as well as private traffic data outlets such as Metro Traffic Network and Traffic Pulse Networks.
Display, Mapping, and Visualization Approaches
The TranStar web site homepage contains links to specific information within each of the major categories of available information, but there is no map of the Houston area on the TranStar web site homepage.
The traffic congestion map allows users to toggle map features on and off, pan and zoom in and out of specific map areas, and click on map items to get more detailed travel information.
Traffic conditions and driving times information can be shown graphically or in text format. Figure 1.6 shows the traffic conditions map from the TranStar web site.
The traffic condition map can be combined with an up-to-date Microsoft Virtual Earth map.
Trip Planning Capabilities
Houston TranStar‟s Route Builder allows user to determine current speeds and travel times along a user-defined route.
There is an external link to the METRO web site that has transit trip planning capabilities. By entering a date, time, origin, and destination, the trip planner can provide available transit options, sorted by number of transfers, total trip time, or walking distance.
Alert and Personalization Capabilities
The Traffic Alert System enables registered users to receive notification of incidents and travel times on freeways. The alerts can be sent to any device capable of receiving e-mail or text messages, such as personal computers, cellular phones, PDAs, and text pagers. Users customize their alert profiles detailing the times, locations, and types of alerts they want to receive.
TranStar recently began using Twitter, a microblogging web service, to post alerts regarding incidents and other large-scale travel impacts. Travelers can sign up for alerts for the entire Houston metropolitan area or for specific freeway corridors at http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/twitter/.
Event Information
The TranStar web site includes quick-click banners during various large-scale events such as Amber Alerts, hurricanes, and floods.
TranStar has deployed notification software that will notify key staff during emergencies via pager, e-mail, and phone.
The State of Texas has designated the Houston TranStar operations center as its Regional Operations Center for evacuations because TranStar and its partner agencies have the combined ability to monitor and coordinate regional transportation evacuation routes.
In August 2005, TranStar provided messages on DMS signs to instruct incoming Hurricane Katrina evacuees on shelter locations and phone numbers for aid.
In September 2005, when the Houston area was evacuated in anticipation of the landfall of Hurricane Rita, TranStar‟s web site provided evacuation information and was accessed more than 9.8 million times by 475,000 unique visitors during the event.
Additional Features
The TranStar web site includes an After-Hours Maintenance/Signal Operations Personnel Call-Out System (POCET) link for internal agency maintenance use that allows automated maintenance task entry and status reporting by TranStar partner agency staff.
There is an external link to U.S. Homeland Security and Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management web sites for information on homeland security and emergency management resources.
Other external links are provided to web sites addressing weather, hurricanes, evacuation procedures, Amber Alerts, parental notification of unscheduled school closings, and current ozone levels in the Houston area. TranStar partner agencies are looking at providing arterial street speed and travel time information in the future using Bluetooth technology to obtain probe data.
Houston TranStar calculates benefit/cost ratios comparing the benefits derived from TranStar in the reduction of travel time, fuel consumption, and emissions to the costs of operating and maintaining TranStar. The benefit/cost ratio has generally increased over time and currently is calculated to be 12.9.
Costs
The annualized cost of operating TranStar was $23.2 million in 2007 according to the 2007 Annual Report. This annualized cost includes capital costs, operations costs of the TranStar data collection, fusion, and dissemination systems, and operations and maintenance costs of field devices.
The annual cost of operating the TranStar center (excluding capital costs and operations and maintenance costs of field devices) is about $5.8 million. This cost is roughly split evenly between the four partner agencies, with TxDOT contributing much of its share through in-kind services such as technical support and upgrading equipment.
Developing RIMS cost TxDOT approximately $350,000.
The TranStar ATIS web site costs approximately $100,000 to operate and maintain annually and this cost is absorbed by TxDOT.
Funding Sources
TranStar, through TxDOT, has participated in the Federally sponsored Priority Corridor program and ITS Deployment program. These programs have provided significant funding to TranStar for items such as expanded deployment of DMS and HAR units in the region, development of RIMS, development and expansion of environmental monitoring systems on roadways, and planning and initial deployment of the regional hurricane evacuation camera and radar system.
Institutional Arrangements
Houston TranStar has a three-level organizational structure that includes representation from each of the four consortium agencies on each level. The Executive Committee sets policy and manages fiscal and staffing matters while the Leadership Team administers implementation of various projects and activities and reviews funding commitments. The Agency Managers Committee is responsible for daily operations. Employees from each member agency work in the Houston TranStar center to conduct the day-to-day operations at the center.
TranStar has an agreement with the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) to utilize the information available from its “EZ-Tag” AVI toll transponders to calculate travel times.
TranStar has agreements in place with the major media outlets in the Houston area as well as private traffic data outlets regarding the use of TranStar camera images and AVI speed data.
TranStar requires all users of its RSS/XML data feeds to sign an agreement governing use of the data feeds.
The four partner agencies have an agreed upon cost-sharing arrangement for TranStar. The City of Houston provides an administrator who manages the day-to-day finances of TranStar.
TxDOT utilizes private consultants to design and build upgrades to TranStar. A private consultant also operates and maintains the TranStar web site for TxDOT.
Usage Statistics
Unique monthly TranStar web user sessions averaged nearly 350,000 in 2007, a 26 percent increase over the prior year.
Annual unique access of the TranStar web site‟s information exceeds the 100 million mark.
There were over 7,000 traffic alert subscribers at the end of 2007.
Mobile traffic data web accesses increased by 3.29 million in 2006 to 8.15 million in 2007, a 147 percent increase.
Promotion of ATIS
The Houston TranStar brand has helped put a face on ATIS for Houston travelers.
The Houston TranStar center hosts visitors and media personnel on a regular basis, with over 2,000 visitors in 2007.
Combining traffic management and emergency management services into a single consortium and building has resulted in the TranStar center being the focal point during emergencies such as hurricane evacuations. As such, travelers have associated TranStar with the place to go when traveler information is needed during events.
TranStar utilizes public service announcements on radio and television to promote TranStar.
TranStar occasionally has advertised in the newspaper to increase awareness. The data-sharing agreements with the major media outlets and private traffic data outlets regarding the use of TranStar camera images and AVI speed data require that they mention TranStar as the source of the data.
TranStar requires all users of its RSS/XML data feeds to agree to mention TranStar as the source of the data.
Lessons Learned
The benefits of ATIS are far greater than the costs of developing and operating the ATIS.
Placing traffic management and emergency management staff in the same location has been mutually beneficial, especially during major emergencies and events.
Collocating multiple agencies has resulted in reduced capital and operating costs compared to what costs would have been if each agency had its own facility.
TranStar looked at developing a companion ATIS phone system but determined that it was not worth the cost of developing and operating the phone system. Operating costs in particular would be much higher for the phone system than they are for the TranStar web site, while the number of travelers using the phone system would likely be significantly less than the number of travelers that already use the web site. Plus, with mobile web-based technology, travelers already can use their phones to access TranStar information – and it‟s in a user-friendly graphical format that is not available via a phone system.
1.5 S
ALT
L
AKE
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ITY
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U
TAH
There are close to two million people in the Salt Lake City, Utah metropolitan area. The Salt Lake City area is generally a narrow north-south corridor surrounded by mountains and the Great Salt Lake. Adverse weather conditions
includes the web site, the companion phone-based ATIS that is accessible by dialing 511, as well as the DMS, CCTV cameras, HAR, Road Weather Information System (RWIS), and other field devices. Figure 1.7 shows what the homepage of the CommuterLink web site looks like.
Figure 1.7 Homepage of http://www.utahcommuterlink.com/
Relevance to Central Ohio ATIS Efforts
Salt Lake City‟s CommuterLink ATIS was included in the survey because the Salt Lake metropolitan area is similar in population size to the central Ohio region and adverse winter weather conditions are common to both locations. The CommuterLink ATIS is operated by the state DOT and actually is a statewide system, although it began initially as a system focused just in the Salt Lake metropolitan area. CommuterLink is primarily focused on automobile travel conditions on state roads (both freeways and arterials), although there is some information, primarily through external links (web site) or call transfers (phone), on other modes of travel. CommuterLink has recently implemented mobile web capabilities so travelers can access the main components of the CommuterLink web site through mobile devices.
History
CommuterLink began in 1995 with the establishment of a Traffic Management Committee (TMC) that works with UDOT to better manage traffic flow and improve the efficiency of existing state highways. The TMC is comprised of representatives from Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UDOT, Wasatch Front Regional Council, Mountainland Association of Governments, the Department of Public Safety, and the Utah Department of Air Quality, with input from the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and the Federal Highway Administration where appropriate. When Salt Lake City was selected to host the 2002 Winter Olympics, a significant investment was made in developing and implementing a state-of-the-art ATIS web site and 511 phone system in 2001 that would be available to provide both local residents and tourists with traveler information in the Salt Lake City area during the Olympic Games. Since the Olympic Games, the CommuterLink ATIS has been upgraded several times and has been expanded to include traveler information for other areas of the State.
Modal Components
UDOT‟s CommuterLink ATIS contains the following information on the various modes of travel (more detailed and interactive information is provided on the web site than on the phone):
Trains – External link to the UTA web site (see Figure 1.8) that provides
light-rail and commuter-rail train schedules, route maps, fares, a trip planner, and announcements;
Buses – External link to the UTA web site (see Figure 1.8) that provides bus
schedules, route maps, fares, a trip planner, and announcements;
Automobiles – Real-time speeds on map, travel times, freeway incidents and
road closures, construction closures, cameras, DMS messages, and road weather information, with external links on the web site to information on rest areas, seasonal road closures, and scenic byways;
Airplanes – External link on the CommuterLink web site to the web site of
Salt Lake International Airport where users can get information on flights, rental cars, airport maps and directions, and airport policies; and
Carpool/Vanpool – External link on the web site to TravelWise, a web site
developed by the State of Utah that promotes Transportation Demand Management (TDM), which is a set of strategies that encourages travelers to use alternatives such as carpools or vanpools rather than driving alone.
Figure 1.8 Homepage of http://www.rideuta.com/
Data Flows
Figure 1.9 shows the flow of data through the CommuterLink ATIS. The majority of data collected for the ATIS comes from the TranSuite Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) that UDOT utilizes to manage the detectors, cameras, DMS, RWIS, and HAR on the State roadway network. An ATMS server fuses the data from the ATMS and sends it to the ATIS server. Incident and construction closure/restriction information is entered by UDOT employees into UDOT‟s Event Tracking Software (ETS), which is then sent to the ATIS server as shown in Figure 1.9.
The UDOT Traffic Operation Center (TOC) houses and operates CommuterLink and is connected to smaller Traffic Control Centers (TCC) in Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County, as well as UTA‟s three Radio Control
Centers. After traffic, weather, and incident information is provided by these agencies to UDOT‟s TOC, it is then disseminated by UDOT, through interfaces developed by private contractors, to travelers via the web site, 511 phone system, DMS, radio, and television.
CommuterLink ATIS information also is available for viewing by a mobile device (color Palms, Pocket PCs, Blackberries, and many cellular phones) using the same web site address as the regular CommuterLink web site. The web server is able to detect if a mobile device is being used, and if a mobile device is detected, the user is redirected to a web page specifically designed for mobile device users. This mobile device web page is actually hosted by a private contractor who pulls the XML feeds from the regular CommuterLink web site of the pertinent ATIS data.
Figure 1.9 Utah CommuterLink ATIS Data Flows
ATIS Dissemination Telephone (1-866-511-UTAH) 511 Web (CommuterLink.com)
Radio and Media Private ISP
– Real-Time Conditions (freeway and major arterial) – Incident Data – Closures/Restrictions – CCTV Views – Weather/Road Conditions – Event Information – Links to Transit/Trip Planning – Links to Other Multimodal Providers – Links to Other Agencies
– Real-Time Conditions (freeway and major arterial) – Incident Data – Closures/Restrictions – CCTV Views – Video Feed – Weather/Road Conditions – Links to Transit/Trip Planning – Links to Other Multimodal – Event Information – Concierge and Subscription Services – Links to Other Agencies – Real-Time Conditions (freeway and major arterial) – Incident Data – Closures/Restrictions – CCTV Video Feed – Weather/Road Conditions – Event Information – Freeway and Arterial Conditions – Incidents – Closures – Weather/Road Conditions – Transit Information – Event Information – Other Television Radio Stations Public Telephone Service Web / Internet Mobile / PDA In-Vehicle Systems Fleet Systems Other/Future
ATIS Data Sources Consolidation/Fusion
Private Future National Park Service
UDOT Regions and Districts University of Utah
Salt Lake Int'l Airport
Local Municipalities' TOCs/TMCs Neighboring States Utah Highway Patrol
UTA Public Agency ATIS Devices ATIS Server ATMS Server RWIS Closures Event Parking Incidents Closures Restrictions Transit Arizona Idaho Nevada P U B L I C P R I V A T E Parking Airport Info. Field Devices – VMS – Kiosks – HAR Future
Utah ATIS Conceptual Block Diagram
MOU/Agreements for Data Sharing Telecom Data Quality Parameters
Disclaimer Terms of Use: – Usage . – Reporting – ISP Registration Park Information – TMS (freeway, arterial) – CCTV S ta n d a rdize d I n te rfa ce A u to m a te d Fe e d a n d E TS E n try P lat fo rm
Display, Mapping, and Visualization Approaches
The homepage contains the traffic conditions map for the Salt Lake City area, a camera or DMS image, detailed text on high-priority events or incidents, the weather forecast, and links to other travel-related information and maps of other areas of the State.
The traffic conditions map allows users to toggle map features on and off, pan and zoom in and out of specific map areas, and hover over map items to get more detailed travel information.
Traffic conditions information can be shown graphically on the map or in text format while travel times can only be shown in text format.
The traffic conditions map utilizes a Google/TeleAtlas basemap that can show roads, aerial photography, or terrain features. UDOT decided in a recent upgrade of the web site to go with the general public Google basemap interface because it provided a nice-looking map of the entire state at no cost to UDOT that would automatically be updated by Google as road networks change.
Trip Planning Capabilities
There is an external link to the UTA web site that has transit trip planning capabilities. By entering a date, time, origin, and destination, the trip planner can provide available transit options, sorted by number of transfers, total trip time, or walking distance.
Alert and Personalization Capabilities
MyCommuterLink enables registered users to receive notification alerts of incidents on freeways. The alerts can be sent to any device capable of receiving e-mail or text messages, such as personal computers, cellular phones, PDAs, and text pagers. Users customize their alert profiles detailing the level of severity of incidents and the time of day when they want to receive alerts.
Event Information
Special event information is coded as an incident on the speed map with a different color from incidents involving crashes.
The CommuterLink web site contains a list of upcoming planned large-scale special events.
The CommuterLink web site also posts emergency alerts for things such as Amber Alerts, air quality alerts, high-impact construction alerts, and planned special event alerts.
Additional Features
Weather forecasts are available for the entire state on the CommuterLink web site via a free feed from the National Weather Service. Forecast information should be available on the 511 phone system in mid-2009.
Information on fires burning currently in Utah is provided through an external link from the CommuterLink web site to the Utah Fire Info web site. E-mail and phone contact information is provided on the web site so travelers can report problems such as malfunctioning traffic signals or potholes to UDOT.
External links are provided to web sites of CommuterLink partner agencies, local news stations, and DOTs of adjacent states.
UDOT plans to add point-to-point travel times on its CommuterLink web site in the near future.
UDOT maintenance crews can utilize CommuterLink phone or web interfaces to upload road condition information into CommuterLink during the winter months when snow plowing occurs. UDOT hold contests and awards prizes to encourage its maintenance crews to update road conditions information in a timely fashion.
Costs
UDOT spent approximately $1 million initially to develop the ATMS and ATIS software that form the core of CommuterLink.
Annual software support costs for CommuterLink are approximately $50,000. The 511 phone system costs approximately $275,000 annually in usage charges.
UDOT has six full-time staff dedicated to operating and maintaining CommuterLink at UDOT‟s TOC.
UDOT periodically implements enhancements to CommuterLink. The costs of designing and implementing these enhancements varies, but it is typically in the $200,000 to $300,000 range.
UDOT spent $50,000 setting up the mobile web capabilities and has a $25,000 annual maintenance contract.
Funding Sources
UDOT has relied on Federal Earmark and CMAQ funding for CommuterLink enhancements while state funding has been used for
Institutional Arrangements
The TMC that oversees CommuterLink is comprised of multiple agencies, and cooperation among the agencies has been critical to the success of CommuterLink.
UDOT has developed no-cost data-sharing agreements with local media outlets and private information service providers regarding the use of the CommuterLink XML data feed.
UDOT developed data-sharing agreements with local television stations whereby they were required to provide in-kind advertising by mentioning or displaying the CommuterLink logo in exchange for being able to use UDOT‟s live video feeds.
Agreements have been reached between UDOT and participating local governmental agencies that each local partner agency will operate its own traffic management system during normal business hours and then turn system control over to UDOT when local personnel are not on duty. In exchange, UDOT has access to view local agency cameras.
UDOT conducted a business analysis of potential 511 service enhancements in 2007. Some of the recommendations of the analysis included considering partnering with the National Park Service and ski resorts to provide tourism information in CommuterLink in exchange for in-kind advertising. Subsequent internal discussions at UDOT led to the decision that such partnerships with tourism-related entities were not in the best interest of UDOT because they would require UDOT to commit resources on something considered outside of UDOT‟s core mission of providing road conditions information.
Usage Statistics
Unique monthly CommuterLink web user sessions averaged nearly 200,000 in 2008, a 13 percent increase over the prior year.
Annual unique access of the CommuterLink web site‟s information exceeded the 600 million mark in 2008.
CommuterLink 511 phone calls totaled on average about 60,000 calls per month in 2008.
ATIS usage in Utah is usually event-driven, as evidenced by the fact that peak winter month web user sessions typically are four times higher than in summer months and that peak winter month 511 phone call volumes are typically 10 times higher than in summer months.
Traffic and road conditions information are typically requested by more than 90 percent of callers to the 511 phone system as compared to transit or ferry information.
Promotion of ATIS
To promote the CommuterLink ATIS, UDOT created the “Know Before You Go” tagline and has utilized focus group market research, radio spots, phone/web surveys and user feedback capabilities, roadside signs, and print media to reach the target audience.
Leading up to and during the Winter Olympics, UDOT worked with local and national media and Olympic staff to make sure CommuterLink was mentioned in broadcasts and printed material as the place to go for updated traveler information.
UDOT also requires local television stations using its live video feeds to show the CommuterLink logo and cite CommuterLink as the source of the video feed during their broadcasts.
Lessons Learned
Involving other state and local agencies in the planning and development of upgrades and expansion of CommuterLink is integral to obtaining local buy-in and support for the CommuterLbuy-ink upgrades and expansion.
Managing the public‟s expectations is critical to public acceptance and use of the ATIS. It should be clearly communicated that the ATIS is anticipated to help improve traffic operations but will not eliminate all traffic problems. Advance planning for major investments like hardware upgrades and operations and maintenance is critical to making CommuterLink successful. A large-scale investment such as an ATIS should be built incrementally, with regularly scheduled updates to implement enhancements after agency staff and the traveling public have had time to get comfortable with the initial ATIS features.
UDOT invested a significant amount of effort in trying to integrate the CAD databases from the various law enforcement agencies and then automatically upload that information into the CommuterLink ATIS. UDOT has not been satisfied with the result of the CAD integration and has reverted back to UDOT staff manually entering incidents into CommuterLink from data they receive from various CAD systems, police radios, and UDOT‟s own cameras until the various law enforcement agencies can collaborate on a centralized, standardized CAD database.
The focus group workshops that UDOT conducted during the early days of CommuterLink helped UDOT ensure they would be providing the types and formats of traveler information that travelers desired and would utilize.
The weather focus needs to be statewide in Utah rather than regional because many travelers traverse the State. In fact, UDOT is broadening its weather focus even outside of Utah as weather events in adjacent states impact travel in Utah, especially on the interstate corridors like I-80.
UDOT has determined that providing an external link (web site) or call transfer (phone system) to UTA for transit information is sufficient due to the low interest in transit information by CommuterLink users and the fact that UTA already has its own well-developed ATIS and there is no need to “reinvent the wheel.”
The phone system component of the ATIS is relatively expensive to maintain considering the level of usage it receives and the amount of effort required migrating from one contractor to another. Long-term contracts should be used whenever possible.
It is easiest if the agency with the most data that is going to be part of the ATIS also be the agency developing, managing, and operating the ATIS, with input from other agencies where appropriate.
1.6 L
ONDON
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There are approximately 7.5 million people in the Greater London area, which includes the City of London, City of Westminster, and the other 31 London boroughs. The public transportation network is one of the most extensive in the world. The London area has a multitude of transportation options, including underground rail, buses, light rail, river services, trams, and overground rail. The centerpiece of the public transportation (or transport) network is the London Underground (or the Tube) which has 11 interconnecting lines serving the central area and most suburbs to the north of the Thames. The surface rail network serves the population to the south. Travel in central London is largely public transport-dominated. Travel in outer London is car-dominated with a network of various loop roads that encircle the London area with a number of busy radial routes intersecting the loop roads. Very few of these radial roads penetrate into inner London.
The government entity known as “Transport for London” operates an ATIS web site at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/. The web site includes a trip (journey) planner, maps, live travel news, mobile travel alert services, and information about public transport schedules. Figure 1.10 shows what the homepage of the web site looks like.
Relevance to Central Ohio ATIS Efforts
The Transport for London ATIS web site was included in the survey because it contains comprehensive multimodal information regarding current conditions as well as trip planning. Significant inter-agency and intra-agency coordination, as well as financial investment, have been needed to provide traveler information
on various modes in one central location. Transport for London is a local entity responsible for implementing the city‟s transport strategies. It manages and operates not only the ATIS web site, but also many of the available bus and rail systems themselves. The Transport for London web site also provides extensive personalization and accessibility of the available traveler information through alerts, widgets, and mobile web capabilities.
History
Transport for London was created in 2000 and is the integrated body responsible for London‟s transport system. It was created as part of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and gained most of its functions from the London Regional Transport in 2000. It did not take over responsibility for the London Underground until 2003.
There also is an ATIS for Great Britain at http://www.transportdirect.info that was developed in 2003. While the focus of the Transport Direct web site is more national in scope, it does provide detailed information within the London area that is similar to, but not identical, to the information contained on the Transport for London web site. The focus of this evaluation will be on the Transport for London web site.
Modal Components
London‟s ATIS web site contains the following information on the various modes of travel:
Underground Rail – Tube schedules, frequency of stops, journey times, route
maps, fares, announcements;
Overground Rail – Train schedules, schedule adherence, route maps,
network status, and external site links to 17 National Rail bus providers;
Buses – Bus schedules, route maps, fares, announcements, historical
performance reports;
Automobiles – Works, hazards, and information on roadway map, cameras,
and road weather information, with external links to other traffic-related web sites and media web sites;
Bicycles – Link to Cycle London which provides cycle maps and a journey
planner for cycle routes;
Pedestrians – Provides users with information on different walking routes as
well as a journey planner for specific origin/destinations;
Airplanes – Provides a link to the five external airport web sites and
transportation connections to those airports;
River – Overview maps, schedules, and pier information for the entire River
Thames through London;
Tram – Network map and user guide; and
Display, Mapping, and Visualization Approaches
The homepage provides many of the initial links to find traveler information on the web site.
The “live travel news” link provides current traveler information for all modes of travel. The “Road” sublink allows users to pan and zoom in and out of specific map areas generally located within the M25 loop, and to click on items on the map to get more detailed travel information on camera images, construction activities, hazards, and other information about specific corridors.
Traveler information is provided for current as well as future near-, mid-, and long-term conditions.
Traffic conditions information can be shown graphically on the map or be displayed in text format when an icon is clicked on the map.
The traffic conditions map utilizes a Google/TeleAtlas basemap that shows roads only with no terrain or aerial images available.
Other transportation information for the tube and coaches are provided on maps. Bus, rail, tram, river, and light rail information are provided in text format.
Trip Planning Capabilities
Multimodal trip planning is available by inputting the start and end point and date/time of the trip. The trip planner provides estimated travel times using various travel mode options, as shown in Figure 1.11. The trip options can be sorted by trip length, number of transfers, or least amount of walking. If planned closures or restrictions are known along the planned route, this information also is displayed with the trip information.
Specific requirements/needs for the traveler along the route can be checked to personalize the trip to fit the needs of the traveler.
Step-by-step route information, including when along the route the traveler will need to walk or use an escalator, is provided.
An interactive map with directions and guidance language also is provided for the route.
Transport of London trip planning also is available at kiosks and some payphones throughout London.
A large text version of the trip planner is provided for those with poor eyesight.
Figure 1.11
Transport for London Trip Planner Results
Alert and Personalization Capabilities
The web site provides traveler information in 15 other languages in addition to English that include limited information on route maps, guidance documents, and trip planner information.
A free travel alerts service for real-time information sent to a mobile phone is provided by Transport for London, in association with BBC London;
There is a free weekly e-mail that users can register for that is distributed once a week for advanced warning of weekend closures on the Tube, light rail, and rail services.
A free interactive version of the Tube map can be downloaded to a mobile phone or blackberry.
Widgets can be downloaded of the Tube map, service updates, and the trip planner that allow users to get automatically updated “live” information from the Transport for London web site on users‟ own web sites.
