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Table of Contents

[1. Background 2](#background)

[2. Implementer Self-Assessment Checklist
6](#implementer-self-assessment-checklist)

[3. Why is Public Transportation Content on 511 an Issue?
7](#why-is-public-transportation-content-on-511-an-issue)

[4. Overview of Implementation Guidelines
8](#overview-of-implementation-guidelines)

[5. Consumer Research Findings 13](#consumer-research-findings)

[6. Current Services Scan Results: What is Being Provided?
18](#current-services-scan-results-what-is-being-provided)

[7. Marketing Materials 27](#marketing-materials)

[8. So You Want to Start a 511 Service?
28](#so-you-want-to-start-a-511-service)

[9. Implementer Self-Assessment Checklist for 511
30](#implementer-self-assessment-checklist-for-511)

#   {#section .unnumbered}

# Background

*What is 511?*

On March 8, 1999, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT)
petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to designate a
nationwide three-digit telephone number for traveler information. On
July 21, 2000, the FCC designated 511 as the United States' national
travel information telephone number. The FCC ruling leaves nearly all
implementation issues and schedules to state and local agencies and
telecommunications carriers. In 2005, the FCC will review our progress
in implementing 511.

*What is the 511 Deployment Coalition?*

In early 2001, mindful of both the opportunity and challenge that 511
presents, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO), in conjunction with many other organizations
including the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the
Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), with the
support of the U.S. DOT, established the 511 Deployment Coalition
(Coalition). An executive-level Policy Committee and a supporting
Working Group were established to conduct the work of the Coalition.
Membership of the Coalition draws from all levels and types of
government agencies, various segments of the telecommunications industry
and the fields of consulting, system integration and information service
provision.

The Coalition has made its goal -- "the timely establishment of a
national 511 traveler information service available to a majority of
Americans by 2005 that is sustainable and provides value to users." The
Coalition recognizes that 511 services will be developed in a bottom-up
fashion with state and local transportation agencies establishing
services in areas and timeframes determined by them.

As of February 28, 2003, 511 was available statewide in nine states --
Arizona, Kentucky, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah and on a limited basis in the State of Washington --
and in Cincinnati; the I-81 Corridor in Virginia; Orlando, Miami and
Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties in Florida; and San Francisco.
With these deployments, 511 serves ten of the top 60 metropolitan
markets in the United States. Some implementers are already providing
public transportation information via 511.

511 services are also expected to launch in 2003 in Alaska, Boston,
Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North
Carolina, Oregon and Vermont. In total, thirty-nine states and the
District of Columbia have received federal grants to begin planning
their 511 deployments.

The Coalition has developed "Implementation Guidelines for Launching 511
Services" to assist implementers in their efforts to develop quality
systems and to lay the foundation for ultimately establishing a
consistent nationwide 511 service. The Implementation Guidelines are
comprised of both Content and Consistency Guidelines. 511 deployers' use
of these Guidelines will lead to a certain level of expectation where
users will understand the level of highway, public transportation and
weather information that they will receive.

The Guidelines are available at
<http://www.its.dot.gov/511/511ver11.htm>

*What is a Deployment Assistance Report?*

The Guidelines cover both content and consistency for 511 systems and
this Deployment Assistance Report (DAR) is a further examination and
refinement of the guidelines relating to public transportation. This DAR
also looks at the public transportation information currently offered by
511 deployers and attempts to share their body of knowledge and
experience.

This DAR is the fifth in a series published by the Coalition:

-   DAR #1: 511 Business Models and Costs Considerations
    <http://www.its.dot.gov/511/511_Costs.htm>

-   DAR #2: Transfer of 511 Calls to 911

> <http://www.its.dot.gov/511/511to911.htm>

-   DAR #3: 511 and Homeland Security

> <http://www.its.dot.gov/511/511secur.htm>

-   DAR #4: Regional Interoperability Issues

> <http://www.itsa.org/511.html>

-   DAR #5: Public Transportation Content on 511 Services

> <http://www.itsa.org/511.html>

-   DAR #6: Weather and Environmental Content on 511 Services

> <http://www.itsa.org/511.html>

-   DAR #7: Roadway Content Quality

> <http://www.itsa.org/511.html>

DARs result from the focused efforts of Coalition volunteers. While in
each prior case, these efforts originated to support development of the
Guidelines; the Coalition members determined that much was learned in
exploring each area that should be shared with the broader deployment
community. Thus, each volunteer effort has concluded its activity by
electronically publishing an information report.

*Purpose of this Deployment Assistance Report*

The Coalition recognizes that 511 services will be developed in a
bottom-up fashion with state and local transportation agencies -- with
the close collaboration of the private sector -- establishing services
in areas and timeframes determined by them.

The purpose of this DAR is to share information regarding the types of
public transportation data that can be provided via 511 and the issues
associated with this provision. This DAR's main audience is the transit
community, 511 planners and implementers.

The rationale for this DAR is to produce a "511 basics" guide for
transit agencies to both address getting started with 511 and also
planning for enhancing basic services as experience and demand warrant.
It is about providing the public with information about your agency and
its services so that travelers may make informed decisions as they
travel through the transportation system.

The transit community is very interested in playing an important role in
511 without increasing the number of calls to already busy customer
service centers. There may be some misconceptions about what 511 has to
be to be considered "successful." Some agencies may believe that if they
cannot provide certain types of information, then they cannot
participate in 511. 511 and the provision of public transportation
information on it is *not* only about real-time information.

There is hope of reducing the number of calls to transit customer
service centers and 511 is another outlet for the information required
by those callers. 511 may not reduce the number of calls to customer
service centers overall, but it may enable transit agencies to provide
their public transportation information to a new audience. With the
increasing coverage of 511 systems, more sophisticated marketing,
growing brand awareness and continually improving content, overall usage
of 511 is likely to soar in the future.

*Where to Find More Information on 511?*

Information on the 511 Deployment Coalition, including DARs, educational
and marketing materials, supporting resource materials and additional
useful references for 511 implementers may be found at the following
websites:

-   [http://www.deploy511.org](http://www.deploy511.org/)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   <http://www.its.dot.gov/511/511.htm>

-   <http://www.itsa.org/511.html>

-   <http://511.transportation.org/511/site.nsf/HomePage/Overview>

-   <http://www.apta.com/services>

Join the 511 listserv at: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/511WG>

*Acknowledgements*

The Coalition Working Group established a task force with the purpose of
developing this DAR to examine public transportation content on 511
services. All members of the task force contributed their time,
expertise and energy to enable the assembling of this report:

-   Ronald E. Boenau, FTA

-   Sandra Check, New Jersey Transit *(Leader)*

-   Matt Coogan, Transportation Consultant

-   Pete Costello, PBS&J

-   Melanie Crotty, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (CA)

-   David Fierro, SmartRoute Systems

-   Garry Glazebrook, Glazebrook & Assoc.

-   Gary Googins, RTD-Denver

-   Art Handman, Greater Hartford Transit District

-   Richard Hodges, Utah Transit Authority

-   Randy Isaacs, Greyhound

-   Les Jacobson, PB Farradyne

-   Duana Love, Chicago RTA

-   Jim Macrae, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (CA)

-   Bob Major, Central Arkansas Transit Authority

-   Mike Nevarez, Phoenix Transit

-   Sari Radin, U.S. DOT Volpe Center

-   Terry Russell, Valley Metro (VA)

-   Lou Sanders, APTA

-   Hallie Smith, ITS America

-   Jerry Strigari, New Jersey Transit

# Implementer Self-Assessment Checklist

Please check off the types of information your agency currently provides
to the public:

-   General Agency Information

-   Schedule / Timetable

-   Website

-   Fare Information

-   Information Phone Number

-   Toll Free Information Number

-   Customer Service Center

-   Customer Service Center Hours

-   Automated Messages

-   Interactive Voice Response System

-   Service Description

-   Service Hours

-   Service Disruption Information

-   Service Change Information

-   Service Notices

-   Service Alerts

-   Special Event Information

-   Real-time Information

-   Special Pass Information

-   Parking Information

-   Elevator / Escalator Information

-   Bike Information

-   Accessibility Information

-   Paratransit Information

-   Quality Checked Information

-   Trip Planning

-   Bus / Train Arrival Times

If you checked off at least one of the above, your agency has
information that it can begin sharing with the public via 511.

# Why is Public Transportation Content on 511 an Issue?

Along with highway and travel-related weather information, public
transportation information is one of the basic categories in the
Implementation Guidelines related to content that should be available on
511 systems.

All transit agency staff from executives, senior level decision makers,
511 implementers and those with traveler information or technology
responsibilities are interested in serving the needs of the traveling
public in their area. This DAR is intended to enable them understand the
premise and benefits of 511 and to incorporate 511 into their planning
process, so that they may provide their information on an existing
system or consider initiating the service with their region's
transportation partners.

There is an abundance of public transportation information available
today in many forms and in many places and 511 is another outlet for
that information. The U.S. DOT's Volpe Center regularly looks at transit
agency websites to determine what types of information are provided and
how it is portrayed. In 2002, they examined over 600 agency websites and
only a few offered real-time information, temporary notices or special
events, alerts and trip planning. Most transit websites though did have
some data, information and static timetables on the Web and this data,
by itself, may be enough to start providing information to a 511
service. The Volpe Center did not assess the accuracy of information on
transit websites, though, only its availability.

The accuracy, timeliness and reliability of information on 511 is an
important issue for the 511 community and consumers as well. ITS America
in its national consumer research on 511 determined that "those surveyed
said that if they used 511 and found the information to be inaccurate in
their first few uses, they would be unlikely to give the service another
chance."

Consumers do not care about political boundaries and jurisdictions, they
want information to make their commutes and travels more bearable and
predictable. Through this DAR, the Coalition encourages all transit
agencies to actively pursue 511 as a means to give consumers the
information that they desire.

# Overview of Implementation Guidelines 

Content Guidelines Applying to Public Transportation Content

Regardless of the size and nature of a 511 service area, there are
likely to be one or more public transportation service providers in
operation. In many cases, these public transportation operators already
have established methods of communicating to the public about their
services, including web sites and customer service centers accessible by
telephone. If properly utilized and coordinated with these existing
communications methods, 511 can assist public transportation operators
in better serving their customers and even attract new customers. The
following guidelines should be considered when developing the public
transportation information component of a 511 service. There are many
different approaches public transportation operators could take to
implement their portion of 511 services. These guidelines are intended
to maintain this implementation flexibility.

*Principles*

Information access via telephone has proven to be extremely important in
transit customer service. The principal purposes for these services are
for general agency and service information, communicating service
disruptions and changes, and trip planning. At the basic content level,
511 should assist in providing callers general agency and service
information, and communicating service disruptions and changes. Also,
callers could be directed to where they can obtain more detailed
information and trip planning. The following basic principles should be
followed:

-   Information on all transit agencies in area should be available --
    Often, one or two dominant public transportation agencies exist in
    an area, but many more exist that collectively provide a region's
    public transportation system. All of these operators should be
    accessible via 511. In complex or large geographic areas, it may be
    necessary to subdivide areas before identifying specific agencies.

    -   The San Francisco Bay Area does not use sub-regions, which is
        one of the benefits of having a voice recognition system. Their
        system asks callers to say the name of the transit agency that
        they want and if they do not know, then the system asks them to
        say the name of the city or county from which they are
        traveling. The 511 system returns with the agencies serving that
        city / county. If the caller still does not know which agency to
        say, the system takes the caller to the menu of the largest
        transit agency for the selected city or county.

-   511 works in conjunction with transit customer service centers --
    511 is not intended to replace these operations, but to provide
    compatible and supplemental information, usually in the form of
    recorded scripts. Further, the vision is that callers would have
    direct access to customer service centers via 511 and how this
    occurs is an agency decision.

-   511 should minimize additional customer service center overload via
    automated messages -- Collective wisdom is that 511 access could
    increase the number of callers seeking public transportation
    information. If 511 were merely designed as a shorter number to
    access the service center, this could significantly increase total
    calls to the customer service center. However, 511 systems can and
    should be designed to provide automated messages described in these
    guidelines that will answer many callers' questions prior to seeking
    assistance from customer service center operators. Ideally,
    thoughtful design will reduce the number of calls to be fielded by
    operators, while increasing the total number of calls successfully
    managed.

-   Each agency responsible for their information -- To ensure
    information quality and agency autonomy, any information provided
    via 511 for a particular public transportation operator must be
    provided or quality-checked by that operator. Callers will perceive
    agency specific information as coming from that agency, thus the
    agency must either directly provide or ensure the accuracy of the
    information.

-   Provide sufficient "context" for an unfamiliar user of the service
    -- If one asked for information from one 511 system to another,
    would that service provide sufficient "context" for the information
    to an unfamiliar user of the service? Are there transportation terms
    and locations such as "The Mixing Bowl" in Northern Virginia and
    "The Stack" in Phoenix that an unfamiliar user would not recognize?
    If so, have alternate designations that would make sense to
    unfamiliar travelers. This would also be the case on your 511 system
    if there are "locals" and through travelers accessing the system.

*Guidelines*

![](media/image11.wmf){width="1.5925196850393701in"
height="1.5811023622047244in"}The fundamental structure of a 511
telephone system design matches public transportation operations.
Telephone systems are usually accessed through a "menu tree" that is
navigated by voice commands or by touching a phone's keypad. Eventually,
a caller reaches their desired destination in the system and gets either
a recorded or digitized voice message or possibly a live operator. In
complex or large areas, the 511 service area may be segmented in
sub-areas to simplify agency identification. Sub-areas may be dealt with
by using voice recognition as described in San Francisco above.

Once the 511 service knows the specific public transportation agency
that the caller is interested in, it then provides the caller a report
of the relevant basic content. This process is graphically illustrated
in Figure 1, with "geographic sub-area," "agency" and "content" serving
as the key descriptors of the content guidelines.

-   Geographic Sub-area -- In large or complex 511 service areas, the
    service area can be subdivided for navigating and providing transit
    reports. This subdivision should be developed locally and represent
    a logical characterization of the service area, such as by travel
    corridor, geography (e.g., "The Northwest Suburbs" the "Southeastern
    Part of the State") or common name or nickname of a given sub-region
    (e.g., "Long Island"). Of course, 511 services that utilize
    sub-areas in their menu will require callers to make at least two
    navigating commands to select their agency, thus care should be
    taken so callers can reach their desired report as swiftly as
    possible.

-   Agency -- Each agency that provides public transportation services
    in the 511 service area or sub-area should be accessible. A single
    report for each agency is the basic guideline. Agencies have the
    option to add more layers and depth to their content. For public
    transportation agencies with large or complex operations, a single
    automated report may either be too long and cumbersome or
    potentially confusing for callers. Therefore, basic content as
    described in the following section should be provided in a logically
    segmented fashion (e.g., by mode or by region).

-   Content -- For each public transportation agency, the 511 system
    should have at least a single automated report that provides:

    -   A brief description of the agency's operations -- Quickly
        address the type of transportation services provided and the
        geographic area served by the system. For example, "XYZ Transit
        agency, providing bus service in the greater ACME region." This
        element must be brief to minimize caller wait time.

    -   Major service disruptions, changes or additions -- Provide
        information on temporary changes in services (specific routes,
        vehicles or access), alerts and/or summaries of scheduled
        services changes, and details of extra services being used for
        current or upcoming special events.

    -   Where appropriate, an option to be transferred to the agency's
        customer service center.

        -   Convey the hours of operation of a customer service center
            before transferring a caller to it, since it may not be
            operational at the time.

        -   It is recommended that direct transfer options be
            established so that callers will directly transfer to an
            agency's customer service center without hanging up,
            essentially creating a seamless system from the caller's
            perspective. (Note: Care should be taken to understand the
            call volume of the centers to which the 511 system will
            transfer calls. It may be necessary to segregate outbound
            lines that the 511 system will use for this purpose and
            allocate unique outbound lines for each center. This will
            help avoid the traffic destined to one call center from
            saturating the capacity of the 511 system and therefore
            blocking any additional calls from being directly
            transferred to other centers.)

    -   Other broadcast information at discretion of agency -- Static
        information such as fare and pass information, real-time parking
        availability information, and the agency's Internet address are
        a few of the examples of the information an agency could provide
        via automated messages on 511.

    -   Agencies may add more "layers" to reports at their option

*Content Quality*

In an increasingly advanced information society, callers are generally
accustomed to high quality information. 511 content must be no
different. Specifically, 511 implementers must focus on the following
quality parameters:

-   Accuracy -- Reports must contain information that matches actual
    conditions. If the system reports service disruptions are not
    occurring (or worse, does not report a service disruption), callers
    will come to distrust the information provided. If inaccuracies
    persist, callers will discontinue their use of 511.

-   Timeliness -- Closely related to accuracy, information provided by
    511 must be up-to-date. While it is recognized that smaller agencies
    will have more difficulty inserting and updating information
    quickly, every attempt must be made by both large and small agencies
    to update information as soon as there is a known deviation from the
    current report.

-   Reliability -- Methods must be developed to provide callers a
    reliable stream of information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
    Also, the inherent reliability of the 511 system needs to minimize
    the amount of time that callers will be unable to obtain a report
    along a route segment due to equipment or process failures.

-   Quality---Information quality is a major concern to the 511
    Deployment Coalition. The quality of basic content information will
    largely determine the success of 511. 511 services should give
    callers the ability to gauge the quality of the reported information
    to enable them to properly weigh the information in their
    decision-making (e.g. "there is an unconfirmed report of delays on
    bus routes 7, 12, and 15..." vs. "because of a street blockage on
    Maple, bus routes 7, 12, and 15 are experiencing delays...").
    However, the Coalition has not included specific quality parameters
    as part of this version of the guidelines. This is for two reasons:

    -   More collective deployment experience and user feedback is
        needed prior to determining optimal quality parameters.

    -   The Coalition hopes that a special focus on information quality
        by implementers will lead to quality services.

*Implementation Recommendations*

The following "implementation recommendation" addresses a content topic
that has been demonstrated to provide value to callers, but is
recognized as difficult to uniformly implement. Thus, providing the
following content is recommended if possible, but not explicitly part of
the basic content package for public transportation.

-   Regional or corridor specific transit information -- The basic
    content guideline for public transportation indicates that each
    public transportation agency should have automated reports. As
    technical capabilities and information collection techniques
    improve, it is desirable in areas served by multiple public
    transportation providers to allow 511 callers to request information
    based on location, instead of by public transportation provider.
    Infrequent users may not be familiar with the transit properties
    that serve their area and allowing them to request the availability
    and status of services based on location would permit them to make
    wiser travel choices. In addition, frequent users may be able to
    access status information about their usual routes more quickly than
    hearing a report for the entire transit property.

    -   Where multiple agencies operate, enable search / sort by region
        or corridor in addition to by agency.

    -   In complex areas, callers may not know what agency they are
        seeking information from.

    -   May result in additional complexity to the 511 system in some
        regions.

# Consumer Research Findings

*Deployer Consumer Research Results*

The Utah 511 efforts; led by a 511 Advisory Group whose members included
the Utah Department of Transportation (lead agency), Utah Transit
Authority, two local Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Salt Lake
City, Utah Department of Public Safety, the Utah Motor Trucking
Association and others; produced design specifications in the spring of
2001. Working simultaneously with the National 511 Policy Committee and
Working Groups, the Utah 511 Advisory Group developed multi-modal design
under the umbrella of Utah's CommuterLink ITS Partnership. Based on the
design and some preliminary technology demonstrations, the group held
four focus groups in June 2001 to talk directly with auto commuters,
transit customers and leisure travelers to guide the content of the
system. In the focus groups, the participants were asked about their
expectations and concerns about traveler information and 511 and who
they thought that primary users would be. They also reviewed several
types of automated and recorded information from established systems
both in Utah and outside the state. Initially, the groups thought that a
live operator must answer the call, but after hearing a concatenated
voice response system, they indicated that such a system would be
acceptable as well. The primary messages that the focus groups provided
were that they wanted more than the traditional DOT road conditions
phone number typically provided and that, more importantly, the
information must be accurate and up-to-date.

The TravInfo^®^ system in the San Francisco Bay Area conducted consumer
research which determined that callers typically want to know about the
trip that they are on vs. planning a trip, which is less important to
have via the phone. Travelers in the Bay Area heavily use the traveler
information service on Monday morning, Friday afternoon, when it rains,
during special events and on weekends for traffic information, as they
want to make the unfamiliar familiar. The needs for transit information
are for out of ordinary trips, during a service disruption and when
taking trips for leisure purposes, a job change or to the airport.
Rideshare inquirers want to save time and money, are concerned about
safety and want an online ride match service. Bicyclists want
information on bike parking, bikes on transit and terrain. The primary
association with 511 for the consumers is a phone number and awareness
of the previous phone-based traveler information number (817-1717) is
under 10%.

Focus groups were conducted in November, 2001, among Bay Area residents
who take transit and access transit information over the phone or Web.
The purpose of this research was to understand attitudes and behaviors
related to transit information usage, in general, and with respect to
their current Internet service and potential enhancements. The research
findings and other learning was applied primarily to marketing
communications planning and product development in preparation for the
launch of a new website. A secondary application of these findings was
for planning 511 phone services, which offers transit information as a
key component.

The focus groups' agenda applicable to 511 covered these areas of
discussion:

-   Category definition, salience and options -- a discussion of how
    participants define transit information, its importance, what their
    options are for this type of information and how they choose between
    those options.

-   Usage occasion / relevance -- an exploration of the specific factors
    that trigger awareness and usage of any / all sources of transit
    information, with emphasis on when these triggers occur, how they
    may vary and how they influence information search / selection.

Respondents defined \"transit information\" in terms of seven categories
of information in order of importance to them:

-   Schedules and on-time status

-   Transit news / updates

-   Routes and maps

-   Conveniences (such as elevators and bike racks)

-   Fares

-   Contact information for transit operators

-   System regulations

The focus groups indicated that there were three situations that create
a strong need for transit information:

-   "Out-of-the-ordinary\" -- how respondents referred to transit trips
    other than their routine commutes -- trips to the airport, for
    example. Such trips trigger a need for transit information because
    they might require travel on an unfamiliar system, to an unfamiliar
    part of the Bay Area or occur during nights, weekends or Holidays
    when services are less regular and predictable. Respondents
    currently plan out-of-the-ordinary trips with multiple information
    sources and indicated that a single source for any / all transit
    trip planning would be a great convenience.

-   Service disruptions during routine commutes -- transit strikes,
    mechanical problems, power outages and other emergencies seemed
    quite top-of-mind as occasions when transit information is
    particularly important. Respondents said that they hear about
    service disruptions from traditional news media and word-of-mouth,
    but indicated a desire for more reliable, timely or in-depth
    information.

-   Next bus or train location and arrival -- an indication of where the
    next bus or train is and when it will arrive is important when
    consumers are trying to "time" a bus or train. Respondents advocated
    systems to time the next train or bus as it seems that the next bus
    always arrives just as one has given up waiting and started to walk
    away. The respondents did not want to "just miss" a train or bus and
    then be "trapped" for 30-40 minutes until the next one arrived and
    agreed that real-time next train and information should be available
    especially before entering a train station.

*FTA Sponsored Research*

The FTA has sponsored a study that conducted 12 workshops in 4 cities
(Seattle, Salt Lake City, Columbus, OH, and Providence, RI) with about
300 transit riders in late 2002. The study seeks to understand from
these customers what their information needs are -- what do they want in
the way of information, where do they want to get it and how do they
want to get it. The study will be focusing more on the newer information
technologies seeking guidance for transit agencies as they consider
implementing these systems. The study asks transit travelers:

-   What kinds of transit information do customers want and expect
    agencies to provide?

-   Where should the information be made available to transit travelers?

-   What are the preferred alternative ways to provide the information?

-   When should the information be made available to be most useful to
    transit travelers?

-   What are the critical human factors issues in presenting and
    displaying transit information?

Among the findings are:

-   Riders want basic information before they felt that they would want
    more complex information. They want the information to be "solid"
    (quality, reliability, usability) and they want to have it with
    them.

-   Effective marketing is critical as rider awareness of high tech
    information is not high (e.g., Internet trip planners).

-   Customers want information for pre-trip planning of most trips;
    there is less of a demand for en route information (wayside and
    on-board).

-   Real time vehicle status at the wayside is valued.

-   On-board, riders want to know when they reach their stop and where
    to get off by visual / auditory means.

-   Cost is a concern with new, wireless technologies.

-   Automated phone information systems are viewed as complicated,
    especially for unfamiliar riders.

-   Count down arrival signs were deemed to be useful -- riders do not
    have reliable watches and they also want accurate clocks at the
    wayside.

*ITS America 511 Consumer Market Research Results*

In late 2001, ITS America conducted 511 consumer research during August
-- October 2001 consisting of a national telephone survey, a mail-in
survey of Landstar long-haul truck drivers and focus groups in November
2001 in Philadelphia, Minneapolis / St. Paul, Lincoln, NE and Los
Angeles. The respondents to the research were commuters, through
travelers and commercial vehicle operators.

Transit users comprised 20% of the respondents with 7% using bus and
rail, 7% using rail only and 6% using bus only. 54% of the respondents
were aware of telephone-based traveler information services and almost
10% were aware of 511. 34% of the bus users said that they had called a
telephone-based traveler information service. 58% of the commuters
surveyed said that they were extremely or somewhat likely to use 511.
Extremely likely users of 511 want speech recognition (68%) and believe
that consistency is critical (51%).

The public transportation users thought that it was critical or useful
to have 511 offer: public transportation delays (70%); travel time
estimates (65%); a connection to a live operator (63%); and information
on the level of crowding on trains or buses (51%).

Respondents said that information provided by 511 would effect change in
their travel behavior with 89% changing their time of departure and 77%
changing their travel route. Rail users would: change their time of
departure (98%); change their travel route (90%); and use another mode
(44%). 50% of the bus riders surveyed would use another mode.

*Customer Expectations for 511*

The Coalition used the findings from the ITS America 511 consumer
research to develop its Customer Expectations for 511:

1.  Over one-half of consumers are aware of advanced traveler
    information systems' telephone numbers and websites. 10% of
    consumers have heard of 511.

2.  Over one-half of consumers would use 511 daily, weekly or a few
    times a month.

3.  Commercial vehicle operators, commuters with commutes of 30 minutes
    or more and consumers making longer trips or trips to unfamiliar
    areas are most likely to use 511.

4.  Public transportation users want to know about Transit Delays,
    Travel Time Estimates and Crowded Trains or Buses.

5.  Motorists want to know about Weather Related Road Surface
    Conditions, Accident or Road Incident Reports, Construction Updates,
    Freeway and Arterial Traffic Congestion, Special Events, Travel Time
    and Speed Estimates and Parking Information.

6.  Consumers want 511 information to be updated at least every 10 to 15
    minutes.

7.  Consumers feel that consistency of service is a critical aspect of a
    national 511 system.

8.  Consumers would like 511 to use voice response technology.

9.  Consumers are more comfortable with the phrase "travel information"
    and encourage its use in 511 signage.

10. Over one-half of consumers are willing to listen to a short
    advertising message for the call to be free.

11. Consumers are open to additional premium, value-added 511 services.

-   511 will effect change in consumers' behavior by using its
    information to change their time of departure, travel route or to
    choose another mode of public transportation.

*Needed Consumer Research*

The Task Force recognizes that, while the ITS America research is
valuable, more consumer research on 511 is needed. Rural, fixed route
transit, demand responsive and paratransit customers and their concerns
and needs also have to be addressed as well as more research with
transit users.

Ideally, a focus group of transit 511 users would present valuable
information to deployers. These individuals could be identified either
in the customer service center or on an opt in basis on 511 itself.
Among the topics to be addressed are: how do you use the phone / web for
transit information; trip planning issues; types of questions about the
current trip; and about using other modes like commuter rail, bus,
ferry, vanpool, carpool, trolley and intercity bus.

*Needed Transit Industry Research*

The Task Force believes that a survey of transit properties is necessary
as well and the Coalition and APTA are developing a survey instrument
for dissemination to APTA members and possibly to the Community
Transportation Association of America (CTAA).

Among the topics to be addressed are:

-   Do they have a transportation information number?

    -   How can that information be implemented on 511?

-   Does the transit property utilize interactive voice response (IVR)?

    -   Is traveler information included in its IVR?

-   Is there technical expertise available to convert information to
    511?

-   What information is available from a small transit property?

-   What are the "buts" to offering 511?

-   What is the level of commitment to 511?

-   Are there resources available for 511?

-   What are the needs of rural and state DOT public transit divisions?

-   Is there active data on their websites?

# Current Services Scan Results: What is Being Provided?

*511 Services*

The following 511 services offer transit-related information to callers
on both landline and cellular service. The cost of the call to consumers
is no more than a local call or airtime minutes on their wireless plans.
Some of the services are voice enabled, while others rely on touch tone
entry, and offer recorded agency information and call transfer to agency
customer service centers. Contact information is provided after each
description should you have more questions for the 511 deployer.

[Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky]{.underline} -- the ARTIMIS 511
information service offers information on alternative transportation
options: buses, to / from special events, carpools and airports.
Information, including static arrival times, is available for Metro Bus
(Cincinnati), TANK Bus (Northern Kentucky) and Jetport. Rideshare
information is also available. Call Transfers are available to Butler
County Regional Transit Authority, Clermont County Transportation
Connection, Warren County Transit Service and Transportation Resources
and Information Project (provides transportation services to low-income
job seekers for whom lack of public transportation is a barrier to
finding and maintaining employment). Callers wishing to call Greyhound
commuter bus and other bus services in greater Cincinnati are given a
long distance number and are asked to hang up and call the number. *Leon
Walden, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, (502) 564-4556,
[**leon.walden@mail.state.ky.us**](mailto:leon.walden@mail.state.ky.us)*

[Utah]{.underline} -- the 511 service was implemented in December 2001
and Utah can look at the 2002 Winter Olympics as a unique, large special
event for an indication of 511's impact on everyday transit during
similar conditions. The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) provided transit
information on 511 in time for the Olympics. In Utah, it was not that
hard to get transit information on 511 with only a little \"selling\" of
the benefits within UTA. Utah DOT, working through the joint
CommuterLink ITS partnership, established an advisory group that
designed and implemented the deployment of 511 statewide that included
UTA from its beginnings. This partnership and the definitive Olympics
deadline helped move the process along with great success.

Higher than \"normal\" usage of the system occurred during the Olympic
Games because 511 was communicated to the public and Olympic visitors as
a specific portal for transportation information. UTA and Utah DOT,
however, did not want to implement any technology \"just for the
Olympics.\" This was a major event and UTA had to ensure that accurate
information was available then and now as the system is working during
\"normal\" times.

During the Olympics, the 511 system received 71,216 total calls and
nearly fifteen percent (10,319) of the calls to 511 were for transit
information and another 14,367 were for specific Olympic transportation
information. The UTA Call Center handled almost 350,000 calls during the
same period. 511, by design, was able to deliver real-time information
with alerts and announcements and information on the TRAX light rail
service, buses and shuttles as well as detours and additions to regular
services for the Olympics. Utah also had rural event venues and with
UTA\'s large service area, one can consider some of its services rural
in nature. Through the summer of 2002, normal call volumes to the system
averaged about 10,000 per month with significant peaks associated with
special events and weather.

UTA tried to take advantage of and improve the integration of
information available to all of its customers. The 511 system\'s
information all runs off the same UTA database that powers multiple
information outlets and the call center to ensure consistency for the
customer. Successful customer acceptance depends entirely on the
accuracy of the data in the database -- if one knows how to operate
their data system effectively, then it is not a challenge to deliver
this information to the public via 511 and other methods. The agency
people involved need technology skills and an openness to trying new
things and ideas. UTA has kept its 1-888-RIDE-UTA phone service in place
and converted critical customer information on that service to 511. This
was not a massive or expensive undertaking and it actually improved the
flow of useful information to the customer.

Utah felt that on a caller\'s first call to 511, the content and
experience must be high quality and the information must have value.
There were some compromises that were made due to deadlines, data and
technology, but the basic design allows for the phasing in of additional
information in the future. UTA feels that it is important to get quality
information to its customers using the right technology tools and 511 is
part of that integrated customer information delivery program. This also
includes the customer service center, Internet and wireless technologies
(handhelds and Wireless Application Protocol WAP site:
[**http://www2.ut511.com**](http://www2.ut511.com/)) -- so that the one
UTA database delivers information via multiple dissemination outlets.

Utah 511 provides a wealth of transit-related information via recorded
messages: schedules; Lake Powell Ferry services; carpool; information
related to on-demand paratransit service; the call centers' hours of
operation before transferring callers to the center; a brief description
of the agency's operations; major service disruptions, changes or
additions; other broadcast information; regular fares; the agency's
Internet address; and public transportation trip itinerary planning
where callers can obtain transit trip plans through the customer service
center.

Enhancements planned for the future include: updated real-time alerts
and announcements; adding information from two additional transit
agencies that cover the balance of the state; increasing call volumes;
airport information; National Parks and intercity bus information.

According to the UTA, 511 services have an important role in an
integrated information delivery strategy, but are not a \"magic bullet\"
for information delivery. A well designed and executed 511 system will
enhance and complement existing services and provide a foundation for
new services if the capability for expansion is designed in.
Multi-partner cooperation and coordination are critical for ensuring
funding and content. Overall, UTA feels that if an agency manages its
data well in its operations, then it is not too difficult to convert it
for distribution via 511. *Richard Hodges, UTA, (801) 262-5626 x 2354,
[**rhodges@uta.cog.ut.us**](mailto:rhodges@uta.cog.ut.us)*

[Arizona]{.underline} -- offers a transfer to operators at the Valley
Metro (Phoenix) and Sun Tran (Tucson) transit customer service centers
and wants to include Flagstaff transit information in the future as
well.

In May 2002, Arizona was selected by the U.S. DOT as the site of the 511
Model Deployment that will be operational in late 2003. One component of
the Model Deployment is a Bus Arrival Time Trial pilot, which will
incorporate static and / or real-time schedule bus arrival information
for one or more trial bus routes and multiple bus stops along the trial
route(s) into the Arizona 511 System. *Tim Wolfe, ADOT, (602) 712-6622,
[**twolfe@dot.state.az.us**](mailto:twolfe@dot.state.az.us)*

[Minnesota]{.underline} -- offers live transfer to Metro Transit
(Minneapolis / St. Paul and their suburbs) and a brief description of
their operations, Internet address and phone number. Minnesota is
planning on adding paratransit information to describe the service's
name, area, type of service (fixed vs. on-call), phone number and will
also offer a call transfer to these 67 services throughout the state.
*Ginny Crowson, Mn/DOT, (651) 284-3454,
[**ginny.crowson@dot.state.mn.us**](mailto:ginny.crowson@dot.state.mn.us)*

[SE Florida]{.underline} -- offers reports on transit problems or delays
in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. The 511 service offers
call transfers to: the Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade County transit
systems; the Tri-Rail customer service center; South Florida Commuter
Services; and Miami International Airport.

Later in 2003, the Consumer Information Network (CIN) will be unveiled
which will feature real-time transit information through the
establishment of a regional transit database. Callers using the 511
system will be able to select transit and retrieve information from the
regional database or be routed to a transit call center as well.

*Fred Levinson, SmartRoute Systems, (305) 914-3900,
[**FLevinson@smartroute.com**](mailto:FLevinson@smartroute.com)*

[Washington State]{.underline} -- offers local and toll free phone
numbers for every public transportation agency throughout the state with
callers identifying the major city or county through voice activation. A
call transfer is also available to Washington State Ferries for
information. *Eldon Jacobson, WSDOT, (206) 685-3187,
[**eldon@u.washington.edu**](mailto:eldon@u.washington.edu)*

[San Francisco]{.underline} -- features the most ambitious public
transportation offering to date on 511 providing either transit
information or call transfers to nearly three dozen Bay Area transit
operators, twenty operators of paratransit services for elderly or
disabled riders and nine transit agencies outside the Bay Area.

Bay Area transit agencies were interested in the 511 concept when the
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) presented it to them. The
agencies were interested in 511 as it was a easy number to remember,
could provide some types of information 24 hours a day and was an easy
interface for customers. A few agencies are even interested in using 511
to discontinue their own information numbers and one Bay Area transit
agency does use 511 as their customer service number.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission took many steps to ensure
that transit was a key element of 511 in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Introductory meetings were held with the Operations / Customer Service,
Information Technology and Marketing departments of some of the larger
transit agencies. 511 was introduced and talks began on the specific
menu options and scripts that agencies wanted in the system. Also, MTC
kept two regional transit committees informed of 511's progress. The
committees were the Regional Transit Marketing Committee and Partnership
Transit Coordination Committee.

The transit agencies helped to develop many key transit information
enhancements on the 511 system including:

-   Adding extensive transit submenu options

-   Mirroring of some agency's IVR menus (This feature prevents callers
    from having to navigate two IVR menus. 511 provides both scripted
    information and transfers to backdoor phone numbers where live
    operators answer transfer calls.)

-   Providing the option to use 511 instead of the agency's IVR

-   Recorded information on the 511 system available to callers 24 hours
    a day, seven days a week

-   Transferring directly to the appropriate agency phone number

-   Ability to use voice recognition to assist new transit users in
    determining which transit agency they need

-   Transit service disruption information via real-time recorded
    messages for every transit agency

-   Plans to add a web-based interface to allow transit operators to
    enter service information

-   Plans to add transit arrival times

The participating agencies saw many benefits to participating in 511
including: an easy to remember number to market; a natural speech
platform for the service; an opportunity to provide service disruption
information; the ability to offer a majority of the options offered
currently on agency phone systems; a toll-free number; the possibility
to reduce telecommunication infrastructure costs; and, in the future,
the ability to add real-time bus / train arrival times.

Many agencies have many types of information (e.g., fares, recorded
messages, lost and found, etc.) on the 511 platform with a call transfer
available, if needed, to their staff for trip planning and other
information. Pre-recorded information like fares is scripted and changed
when appropriate. Real-time bus arrival information is being planned but
there is no timeframe for implementation. A Web interface is coming soon
that will allow agencies to update service announcements and changes on
the 511 system. Agencies can also call, fax or email in floodgate
messages. Floodgate messages are recorded messages that play before
callers hear a transit agency's menu. In addition, the system is
designed to help callers unfamiliar with the 45 transit agencies in the
Bay Area. If the caller is unsure of the transit agency's name, 511 will
prompt her for the name of the city where she is beginning her trip. 511
will return with a short list of agencies for that location and then
will default to the predominant local carrier if the caller still does
not know which agency to choose.

Automated transit agency information on the 511 system is available on:

-   Fares

-   Ticket Sales and Passes

-   Service Announcements

-   Bicycle Information

-   Access for Persons With Disabilities

-   Event Hotline

-   Lost and Found

-   Ferry Schedules

Here is a sample script for bicycles on AC Transit:

"AC Transit has equipped nearly all buses with exterior bike racks that
can accommodate up to two bicycles. No extra fare or permit is required.
Bicyclists must load and unload their own bikes; the driver cannot leave
the bus to provide assistance. Bicycles are allowed on the racks 24
hours a day. Between the hours of 12 midnight and 5:30am, if the bike
rack is full, bicycles may be brought inside the bus if space permits."

Additional information on 511 is available on: traffic, carpools and
vanpools; airport parking; bicycling; airports; and Spare the Air.

The system also has a feature where callers can press "7 7" to leave a
voicemail message. The MTC reviews all messages and if any are addressed
to a specific transit agency, they are forwarded to the appropriate
agency for action.

There were some implementation obstacles and lessons learned in the
areas of system design and confirmation of system design with transit
agencies (e.g., their contact information, menu items, scripts, transfer
numbers, hours of operation, call center greeting, cities located in
each service area and a list of alternative names for each agency for
voice recognition purposes).

Among the future plans for the 511 system are the placement of highway
signs and an advertising campaign in early 2003 and real-time transit
arrival information on the system in late 2003. The MTC is developing
final maintenance plans for the 511 system in which they will be
contacting all partner agencies on a quarterly basis to review their
information on 511. Any changes, or planned changes, will then be
incorporated into the 511 system.

For the MTC, a key to making transit a major element in 511 was to take
the time and effort to include transit agencies in the decision-making
process. This required much coordination and collaboration and an
openness to modify concepts somewhat to meet individual agency needs.
*Jim Macrae, MTC, (510) 464-7700,
[**jmacrae@mtc.ca.gov**](mailto:jmacrae@mtc.ca.gov)*

*Transit Telephone-based Traveler Information Services*

The following telephone-based services also offer related-related
information to callers on both landline and cellular service. These
descriptions are provided to illustrate other transit services that are
being offered through a telephone around the country and the world.

[Denver]{.underline} -- Pick up the phone and dial 1-888-RTD-TRIP
(783-8747) to access the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD)
Talk-n-Ride system and tell it which route you want, which way you are
heading and where you want to pick up the bus or light rail. The voice
of retired bus driver Mickey Froid will tell you when the next three
buses will pass by that very stop heading in the direction you want to
go.

The Talk-n-Ride information is in real-time, so if you are standing at
the bus or light rail stop and are wondering when and if the next one
will ever get there, the system will tell you that too. With
Talk-n-Ride, the RTD was the first mass-transit agency in the US to
couple voice recognition and text-to-speech technology to a real-time
global-positioning system using VoiceXML. The system\'s designers say
that it is 95 percent accurate in recognizing words, but if the system
does not understand the caller after three tries it will transfer them
to a live operator. The system also uses the Internet, hooking into
RTD\'s GPS locator system to get an up-to-date location of the bus and
estimated arrival time.

RTD expects Talk-n-Ride to redirect many of the almost 5,000 calls a day
that are received by its information center. Half of the calls ask about
schedules or the time for the next bus or train, which is the same
information that Talk-n-Ride offers.

More details at:
[**http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2002/01/21/story8.html**](http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2002/01/21/story8.html)

[Washington, DC]{.underline} -- Trip planning is best done on the Web or
via an agent -- the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation
Authority (WMATA) is doing work in this area via voice though. There is
a concern that if people are not very aware of the area there can be a
lot of confusion when receiving a long list of instructions. Some may be
going in a different direction than the starting point assumes. San
Francisco Bay Area consumer research says that a caller typically wants
to know about the trip that they are on vs. planning a trip, which is
less important to have via the phone. Many have access to the Web for
trip planning via work, library or kiosk, but the trip planning issue is
a big one for rural and statewide systems.

WMATA became the first transit agency in the United States to launch a
telephone trip-planning service that uses computers that can interpret
human speech and tell callers how to reach any destination in the area.
Starting in November 2002, anyone trying to figure out how to get from
Point A to Point B by Metrobus or subway can get help from an automated
voice at the end of a telephone line. The service operates 24 hours a
day, seven days a week and can be accessed from any type of telephone:
touch tone, rotary, cellular or public pay phone. It began on November
18, 2002 and the telephone number is (202) 637-7000 (WMATA's main
customer service number).

Currently, Metro staffs information telephone lines 16.5 hours on
weekdays and 14 hours a day on weekends. The 55 operators field about
2.7 million calls a year from people asking about bus routes and rail
lines. If a caller has trouble getting directions through the automated
service and three-quarters of the callers do not, the call will be
routed automatically to a customer service agent. A caller can even
request a live agent from the start, without using the automated system.
The computerized service may eventually allow Metro to reduce the number
of customer service agents that it employs.

Metro is requiring the firm that designed the service, Logic Tree Corp.
of College Park, MD, to provide a system that is successful 75 percent
of the time. The new telephone service is in English only and the
creation of a Spanish version would double the project cost. Callers who
do not speak English can get directions by talking to customer service
agents, who are able to call on translators for as many as 100
languages.

In 1999, Metro rolled out the Ride Guide, a trip planner available
through its Web site at
[**www.metroopensdoors.com**](http://www.metroopensdoors.com/). The
planner allows a user to type in a starting point and destination and
then they receive a customized itinerary that provides several ways to
make the trip by using bus or rail or a combination. In its first year,
1 million people used the Ride Guide and that number has tripled to 3
million annually. Despite its success, the Ride Guide remains out of
reach for Metro riders who are not online, but telephone access helps to
address this issue. Someday, WMATA sees the service being offered on 511
in the region.

More details at:
[**http://www.logictree.com/pr/WashPost24102002.html**](http://www.logictree.com/pr/WashPost24102002.html)

[The Netherlands]{.underline} -- The Netherlands 9292 system
([**http://www.9292ov.nl**](http://www.9292ov.nl/) in Dutch) or the
Openbaar Vervoer Reisinformatie (OVR) system provides passenger
information at approximately US\$ 0.40 per minute. The information is
available before journeys and via Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)
and iMode during journeys.

The 9292 service receives over 19 million calls per year at 9 call
centers throughout the Netherlands. The 9292 services are provided 7
days a week -- between 6 AM and midnight on weekdays and between 7 AM
and midnight on weekends and holidays. The average call time including
waiting is almost two minutes and 15 seconds.

The call center operator provides door-to-door information on all forms
of public transport including needed interchange and connections. The
operators can handle the inquiry in English as well. Data is collected,
processed and distributed via the phone, the Internet and also to
variable message systems at railroad stations for time of arrival
information. The system covers the entire country on a door-to-door
basis and the information is provided on a personalized basis.

The Netherlands is planning to invest US\$ 30 million over the next 5
years for enhancements to their passenger information systems. The
investment proposals will include facilities for comprehensive and
integrated passenger information for all transit systems nationwide
including the railroads, bus, tram, metro and water transport.

The OVR system has its operators enter requests, and then an automated
response is given. The Dutch, with a significant number of their
population with mobile phones, utilize a 900# type of system when they
realized that was the only way to charge for the information vs. it
being available for free on the Web.

The Netherlands has a population of 16 million in an area less than the
size of the state of West Virginia.

[Scotland]{.underline} -- A comprehensive travel hotline and website
giving information on all of Scotland's buses, planes, trains and
ferries was launched in September 2002 and is also available throughout
the United Kingdom. According to the Transport Ministry, Traveline
Scotland should help a million people a year plan their journeys on the
country's public transport network.

The Scottish government has committed £1.7 million (\$2.66 million) in
grants for capital and set up costs with transportation operators
contributing £500,000 (\$0.783 million). The goal of Traveline is to
attract more and more people to public transport, to improve access by
opening up people's ability to travel and to make public transport a
real and viable alternative to using cars. This information will provide
a one-stop shop for passengers and will ensure that people can quickly
access high quality, consistent information wherever they live and be
able to plan visits across Scotland if they wish to use more than one
mode of transportation.

The Scottish government invested in the system to deliver modern,
reliable, integrated and accessible public transport and remains
committed to providing this kind of service.

The Scottish government believes that access to alternative travel
planning tools can play a vital part in enhancing Scotland's continued
and sustainable economic prosperity.

Commuters make up a large part of peak time travel with those in cars
comprising up to 60 per cent of peak morning traffic with nearly 90 per
cent being single occupant vehicles. This situation is not sustainable
in the long term and by devising tailor-made travel plans to their job
sites, commuters and businesses can address immediate problems with
parking, congestion and transport-related staff recruitment.

Traveline had its official launch in September 2002 and it currently
handles about 6,000 inquiries a week. The number -- 011-44-0870-608-2608
-- gives access to information about all rail, coach, bus, ferry and
internal air services in Scotland and it can also be used from abroad.
The service will operate seven days a week from 8 am to 8 pm and all
calls are charged at the going national rate.

The number is consistent with Traveline numbers elsewhere in the UK to
ensure easy access for passengers and a consistent network of call
centers across the UK.

More details at:
[**http://www.traveline.org.uk**](http://www.traveline.org.uk/)

# Marketing Materials

Effective marketing of 511 is an essential element to successful 511
deployment. To assist implementers with this task, the Coalition\'s
Marketing and Outreach Program has made available an initial version of
a toolkit of resources. We hope that these resources will help
implementers plan more effective marketing programs, more efficiently,
while promoting a "national brand" image for 511.

In addition to providing marketing tools, the Coalition\'s Marketing and
Outreach Program supports implementers by promoting communication and
networking. Through workshops, conference sessions, e-mail networks and
conference calls, the program brings together the public information
officers who are working to make the public aware of 511 service.

*Logos*

The Coalition created a national 511 logo that is available to state and
local agencies desiring to use the national 511 identity to support
travel information services in their jurisdictions. Consumers
participating in market research conducted by ITS America in November
2002 selected the logo.

![](media/image2.png){width="1.5in" height="1.0in"}

Logo Description:

-   The telephone is a universal, easily recognized symbol that sends
    the message that 511 is a telephone-based service.

-   The blue double lines and dotted lines evoke transportation and
    transit.

511 logos are available at: <http://www.deploy511.org/logo.htm>

#### Marketing Ideas {#marketing-ideas .unnumbered}

The Coalition's website contains all the marketing materials developed
by the Coalition and examples from deployers as well. There are market
research reports, marketing plans, marketing materials, media kits and
media relations material that will put you way ahead in planning your
511 deployment, launch and promotion. Immediately usable marketing tools
from the Coalition, including the official 511 logos, colorful artwork,
bus and rail advertisements, outreach presentations and road signs also
are available.

511 marketing ideas are available at:
<http://www.deploy511.org/marketing.htm>

# So You Want to Start a 511 Service?

#### Step One... {#step-one .unnumbered}

You like what you have read so far and you have a question -- to whom do
I talk to first about offering our information on 511? The FHWA has made
grants available to each state to begin their planning process for
offering 511 services. As of February 2003, 40 of the 50 states, the
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have received the grants. To find
out the contact from your state that has applied for the grant, please
contact Bob Rupert at (202) 366-2194 or <robert.rupert@FHWA.dot.gov>.

#### 511 Benefits {#benefits .unnumbered}

One of the main benefits of the 511 designation is that it is an easy to
remember 3-digit number vs. the usual ten-digit phone number. 511 also
may be utilized anywhere in the US to provide traveler information. It
is felt that 511 will be easier to "market" to consumers and represents
an opportunity for one-stop shopping for customers looking for
transportation information.

In its petition to the FCC requesting an N11 number, the U.S. DOT
demonstrated a need for the designation and its benefits for the
transportation community. At the time, there were over 300 telephone
traveler information numbers throughout the U.S. making it very
difficult to "know" the appropriate number for information as one
traveled from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The petition also
demonstrated the value of traveler information services to the public
and noted that 10-digit dialing makes numbers harder to remember and
area code expansion was making 7-digit numbers less plausible.

An N11 number has also demonstrated traveler information call volume
increases:

-   When Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky went from its 333-3333 number to
    211, the service saw a 72% increase in the number of calls.

-   Arizona has seen over a 300% increase in call volume since
    converting its toll free number to 511.

-   Minnesota 511 has seen a tenfold increase in usage with 511, but
    this may be dependent upon the level of marketing of the previous
    service, as 511 is promoted heavily including billboards. 511
    awareness increased 250% in Minnesota after its July 1, 2002 launch.

-   Utah saw traveler information requests after the Olympic Games
    sustain an average of 10,000 calls per month through the summer of
    2002 and calls increase up to 40,000 during December 2002. An
    average of 8-10 percent of the calls are specifically for transit
    information with only a very small number exiting the system to the
    UTA call center for further assistance.

Most of the examples above are systems that primarily provide
traffic-related information. It is believed that 511 may offer transit
agencies a "release valve" to answer, in an automated fashion, inquiries
that are now directed to a customer service center. More research is
needed to determine if this is the case.

Sometimes, a customer does not know the information numbers or which
agency serves them and smaller agencies may improve their visibility by
getting information to the customer in an automated way via 511.

#### 511 Resources  {#resources .unnumbered}

[ITS Peer-to-Peer Program]{.underline} -- the Intelligent Transportation
Peer-to-Peer Program is a Federal Highway Administration, Federal
Transit Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Technical Assistance Program that provides public sector transportation
stakeholders with a convenient method to tap into the growing knowledge
base of ITS experience and receive short-term assistance. Peers may be
able to assist you in planning your 511 offering.

The Peer-to-Peer Program can be contacted via:

-   Telephone: 1-888-700-PEER or 1-888-700-7337

-   Fax: 1-410-571-6400

-   Email: <dotpeer@erols.com>

-   US Mail:

    -   Intelligent Transportation Peer-to-Peer Program

> An FHWA & FTA Technical Assistance Program
>
> c/o Michael Baker, Jr., Inc.
>
> 180 Admiral Cochrane Drive
>
> Suite 210
>
> Annapolis, MD 21401

More details at: <http://www.its.dot.gov/peer/peer.htm>

[Where to Find More Information on 511?]{.underline} -- Information on
the 511 Deployment Coalition, including DARs, educational, marketing and
supporting resource materials and additional useful references for 511
implementers may be found at the following web sites:

-   [http://www.deploy511.org](http://www.deploy511.org/)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   <http://www.its.dot.gov/511/511.htm>

-   <http://www.itsa.org/511.html>

-   <http://511.transportation.org/511/site.nsf/HomePage/Overview>

-   <http://www.apta.com/services>

Join the 511 listserv at: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/511WG>

# Implementer Self-Assessment Checklist for 511

The types of information that your agency currently provides to the
public from the checklist in Section 2 may be implemented on 511 as:

  ------------------------- ------------------ ------------- -------------
  **Static Information**    **511 Menu         **511         **CSC**
                            Selection**        Floodgate**   

  Intro Message             x                                x

  General Agency            x                                x
  Information                                                

  Service Description       x                                x

  Service Hours             x                                x

  Service Center Hours      x                                x

  Schedule/Timetable        x                                x

  Fare Information          x                                x

  Special Pass              x                                x

  Accessibility             x                                x

  Paratransit               x                                x

  Trip Planner              x                                x

  Scheduled Arrival Time    x                                x

                                                              

  **Dynamic Information**                                     

  Automated Messages                           x             x

  Service Disruptions                          x             x

  Service Charges                              x             x

  Service Notices                              x             x

  Service Alerts                               x             x

  Special Event                                x             x

  Predicted Arrival Time    x                                x

  ** **                                                       

  **Infrastructure**                                          

  Website                   x                                x

  Information Phone \#      x                                x

  Toll Free \#              x                                x

  Customer Service Center   x                                x
  ------------------------- ------------------ ------------- -------------

## Your information may be conveyed to travelers over 511 either in a menu selection or a floodgate message (one that is heard by all callers or all who choose a menu selection). {#your-information-may-be-conveyed-to-travelers-over-511-either-in-a-menu-selection-or-a-floodgate-message-one-that-is-heard-by-all-callers-or-all-who-choose-a-menu-selection. .unnumbered}

##  {#section-1 .unnumbered}

## Continued Development  {#continued-development .unnumbered}

The Coalition will continue to monitor the issue of public
transportation content on 511 services. If implementers have suggestions
for improvements, please provide this information electronically to
<511feedback@aashto.org>

##  {#section-2 .unnumbered}