# Presentation: 317623

## Overview of Advanced Traveler Information Systems Evaluations

- Joseph I. Peters, Ph.D.
- Manager, ITS Program Assessment
- U.S. Department of Transportation
- Transportation Research Board 85th Annual Meeting
- Session 208 Recent Advances in Advanced Traveler Information Around the World
- January 23, 2006	8:00 am  - 9:45am	January 23, 2006

## ATIS: What is this?

**INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE**

**INTELLIGENT VEHICLES**

**INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS**

**Source: www.itsoverview.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What is this?

**Intelligent Infrastructure:**

**Source: www.itsoverview.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What is this?

**ATIS applications:**
- Use a variety of technologies, including:
- Internet websites
- Telephone hotlines
- Television
- Radio
- Allow users to make more informed decisions regarding:
- Trip departures
- Routes
- Mode of travel
- 511 promotes ATIS integration across:
- Agencies
- Jurisdictions
- Media

**Source: www.itsoverview.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What are the benefits?

**Phoenix, AZ**: 82% of repeat callers to a 511 system perceived the traffic information to be timely and accurate.  95% of first time callers said that they would use the system again.

**Source: www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What are the benefits?

**Virginia statewide**: 90% of survey respondents found the state’s 511 phone service “useful”.

**Source: www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What are the benefits?

**Yellowstone National Park, MT**: 81% of respondents said that they were “satisfied” with the system, which gives location-specific road weather reports.

**Source: www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What are the costs?

**Where does your money go?                            ATIS cost components:**
- Data collection
- Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and field sensors, e.g., microwave, infrared, loop detectors, machine vision
- Data processing and analysis
- Integration of data from multiple sources and packaging of information
- Information dissemination
- Media, e.g., 511, dynamic message signs, Internet, wireless

**Source: www.itscosts.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What are the costs? 

|  |   |
| --- | --- |

**Notes: **One sensor both directions of travel. Includes sensor, transceiver, cabinet, electrical service, and pole.

|  | Capital Cost ($K) | O&M Cost ($K/yr) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Low | 9 | 0.1 |
| High | 13 | 0.58 |
| Adjusted From Date | 2004 | 2004 |

**Index: 2**

|  |   |
| --- | --- |

**Notes: **One sensor both directions of travel. Includes sensor, transceiver, cabinet, electrical service, and pole.

|  | Capital Cost ($K) | O&M Cost ($K/yr) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Low | 9 | 0.1 |
| High | 13 | 0.58 |
| Adjusted From Date | 2004 | 2004 |

| Component | Cycle Life (Years) | Total Capital Cost | Annual Maintenance Cost | Annual Operational Cost |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 230 CCTV Cameras (capital includes cameras and installation) | 10 | $8,400,000 |   | $75,600 |
| Traffic Monitoring Stations (placed every 1⁄2 mile) | 10 | $2,100,000 | $42,000 | $37,800 |

***ATIS: What are the costs? ***

**Salt Lake City, UT**: Data collection system
- Estimated date of costs: 2003 dollars

**Source: www.itscosts.its.dot.gov**

**Notes:**
Dollar year of costs data is not explicitly stated in the Utah report; however, based on content in the report we estimate that the costs are in 2003 dollars.  Note that dollar values used to estimate benefits were in 2003 dollars.

## ATIS: What are the costs?

**Phoenix, AZ**: Data analysis system
- Date of costs: 1998 dollars

| AzTech Server Hardware & Installation | Total Start-up Costs | Annual O&M | Total O&M Costs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AZTech Server  | $35,154 | AZTech Server Recurring Costs | $209,551 |
| AZTech Network Management Server  | $26,434 |  |  |
| AZTech Workstation  | $6,786 |  |  |
| WAN/CODEC  | $364,856 |  |  |
| Video Switch Expansion  | $20,257 |  |  |
| AZTech Server Planning and Development Labor Costs | $1,166,659 |  |  |
| Operator Training  | $72,281 |  |  |
| Total | $1,692,427 | Total | $209,551 |

**Source: www.itscosts.its.dot.gov**

**Notes:**
We know from the report and detailed cost sheets that the Phoenix costs data are in 1998 dollars.

## ATIS: What are the costs?

**Yellowstone National Park, MT**: Information dissemination system
- Estimated date of costs: 2002 dollars

| Description | Capital Costs | Annual O&M Costs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One-time cost to build associated system interface components (database and weather model for Montana) | $89,700 |   |
| Operating cost for a state-wide 511 traveler information system excluding toll-charges |   | $135,005 |
| Cost for toll charges for public access to 511 infrastructure |   | $51,848 |
| One-time capital improvement for the addition of voice recognition | $5,400 |   |
| Marketing costs.  The O&M cost of $5,000 is for 2004 | $66,000 | $5,000 |
| Estimated one-time capital improvement for AMBER, Homeland Security, and general transportation alerts | $18,046 |   |
| Estimated annual operating cost for statewide alert system |   | $3,600 |
| Estimated one-time capital improvement for the addition of regional reposts over 511 | $8,854 |   |
| TOTAL | $188,000 | $195,453 |

**Source: www.itscosts.its.dot.gov**

**Notes:**
These are the costs for the system near Yellowstone that I mentioned earlier, with the customer satisfaction levels improving from 62% to 81% with the improvement in data provided and the switch to the 511 phone number.

Cost dollar year is not explicitly stated in the report and the cost spreadsheets reported to USDOT; however, we estimate based on the content of the report and when the evaluation occurred that the costs are in 2002 dollars.

## ATIS: How much is out there?

***ATIS: How much is out there?***

**Almost all** freeway and transit agencies use the **Internet** to disseminate traveler info.

**Source: www.itsdeployment.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: How much is out there?

***ATIS: How much is out there?***

**Almost all** transit agencies disseminate **static** traveler info.
**Almost half** of all transit agencies disseminate **dynamic **traveler info.

**Source: www.itsdeployment.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: How much is out there?

***ATIS: How much is out there?***

- Over **3/4** of all freeway agencies disseminate **real-time incident info** to travelers.

**Source: www.itsdeployment.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What are the lessons learned?

**Nationwide**: Provide consistent and high-quality information to influence traveler behavior.

**Source: www.itslessons.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What are the lessons learned?

**Nationwide**: Design the 511 system to handle the surge in call volume during major events.

**Source: www.itslessons.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: What are the lessons learned?

**Acadia National Park, ME**: Develop ways to “market” your ATIS to local businesses, and enlist them to promote ATIS to their customers.

**Source: www.itslessons.its.dot.gov**

## ATIS: How did we learn all this?

- Benefits, costs, and lessons learned:
- U.S. DOT evaluates the following types of ITS projects:
- Field operational tests, e.g.:
- Acadia National Park (Acadia, ME)
- Model deployments, e.g.:
- Metropolitan Model Deployment Initiative (Phoenix, AZ; Seattle, WA; San Antonio, TX)
- 511 Model Deployment (Arizona statewide)
- ITS Integration Program projects (“earmarks”), e.g.:
- Greater Yellowstone Regional Traveler and Weather Information System (Yellowstone National Park, MT)
- Travel Shenandoah 511 (Virginia statewide)
- Special events, e.g.:
- ITS for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Simulation studies

## ATIS: How did we learn all this?

- Deployment trends:
- U.S. DOT surveys extent of ITS deployment in 78 of the country’s largest metro areas, 30 medium-sized cities, 20 tourist cities, and all 50 states.

## Conclusions	

**ATIS: What are the benefits?**
- ATIS improves customer satisfaction by allowing travelers to make informed decisions.
**ATIS: What are the costs?**
- ATIS covers multiples components, such as traffic management centers and field devices.
- Costs vary based on size and complexity of the system.
- Consideration of **both** capital outlay and annual operations and maintenance costs are key to developing an accurate estimate.
**ATIS: How much is out there?**
- Almost all freeway and transit agencies are using some sort of ATIS.
**ATIS: What are the lessons learned?**
- Consistency, data quality, scalability, and marketing are key to deployment success.

## Resources

**ITS Benefits Database**
- _[www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov](http://www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov/)_
**ITS Costs Database**
- _[www.itscosts.its.dot.gov](http://www.itscosts.its.dot.gov/)_
**ITS Deployment Statistics Database**
- _[www.itsdeployment.its.dot.gov](http://www.itsdeployment.its.dot.gov/)_
**ITS Lessons Learned Database**
- _[www.itslessons.its.dot.gov](http://www.itslessons.its.dot.gov/)_
**ITS Technology Overview **
- “One stop shopping” on the costs, benefits, deployment, lessons learned for ITS.  More info available, too!
- _[www.itsoverview.its.dot.gov](http://www.itsoverview.its.dot.gov/)_

**Source: www.itsoverview.its.dot.gov**