Details:

Creators:
Englisher, Larry S. ; Bregman, Susan ; Pepin, Stephen ; Wilson, Alicia Powell
Englisher, Larry S. ; Bregman, Susan ; Pepin, Stephen ; Wilson, Alicia Powell Less -
Subject/TRT Terms:
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Advanced Traveler Information Systems Cellular Telephones Demonstration Projects Evaluation And Assessment Marketing Operational Tests Public Relations Telephone
Resource Type:
Proceedings
Geographical Coverage:
Boston Metropolitan Area
Corporate Publisher:
United States. Joint Program Office for Intelligent Transportation Systems
Abstract:
In 1993 the SmarTraveler advanced traveler information system (ATIS) was introduced to travelers in the greater Boston area as part of an operational test jointly funded by FHWA and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation and Construction. The service offers real-time, route-specific travel information by phone for major highways and public transit. During the 3-year test period from January 1993 to January 1996, service usage grew to nearly 60,000 calls per week, made by an average of more than 20,000 users. To achieve this growth, SmarTraveler was marketed to both cellular and land-line phone users using a variety of strategies over the course of the test. Evaluation and monitoring studies were commissioned to examine the degree to which users responded to SmarTraveler and the marketing program. The evaluation included extensive surveys of users and nonusers as well as tracking of calls and call frequency. The findings of the independent evaluation team on the success of various promotional efforts associated with the SmarTraveler operational test are presented. Overall, the marketing program aimed at the broad target market during the first 2 years appears to have been only partly successful in increasing the public’s level of awareness of SmarTraveler, in convincing its target market of SmarTraveler’s superiority to radio and TV travel reports, and in inducing trials. As a result of the second-year evaluation, changes were made to marketing and pricing during the third year of operation to target cellular telephone users. Further surveys were conducted to examine cellular telephone user response to these changes. SmarTraveler experienced a large increase in calls and users in the third year, especially in the cellular telephone market. Among the survey findings was that this market is quite price sensitive.
Format:
PDF
Collection(s):
ITSJPO Digital Library
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:e1284c1db408fa40f15e7e279db5145d1dfc53e644d79826f1ecbea567c1f883
Download URL:
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/2805/dot_2805_DS1.pdf
File Type:

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