United States Department of Transportation
i
Providing Advance and Real-Time Travel Information to Tourists: San Antonio Case Study
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2001-02-01
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[PDF-2.49 MB]
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Edition:Research Report (Interim Report)
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Abstract:Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) acquire, analyze, communicate, and present information for use in assisting surface transportation travelers in moving from a starting location to their desired destination (Strategic Plan for Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems in the United States, IVHS America 1992). The basic objectives of ATIS are to enhance the efficiency of travel, alleviate traffic congestion, minimize air pollution, and increase traffic safety. ATIS provides information both pre-trip (through television, radio, telephone inquiry, kiosks and displays at terminals and interest points, and computer on-line services) and en-route (via traffic information broadcasting services, cellular telephone, radio, in-vehicle navigation systems, route guidance systems, and variable message signs), to assist trip makers in trip planning and decision making with regard to destination selection, departure time, mode choice, route choice, congestion avoidance, and navigation to improve the efficiency of travel. In Texas, tourists (i.e., trip makers unacquainted with the state) constitute an important user group for ATIS. Given that tourism represents a sizable industry and, consequently, has an enormous impact on the state's economy, technology that enhances the tourist's experience can help sustain this large industry. However, such enhancement requires that traveler guidance be adequately provided. While tourists provide the principal users for this study, the development of ATIS is best accomplished by a comprehensive ATIS development approach that considers all possible user types. In this study, a synthesis of pertinent ATIS implementation and field tests, including methodologies for evaluating systems/technologies, was performed. Interviews with district-level staff in Texas were conducted to define the focus issues and the target users within each locality. On-location surveys were conducted and statistically analyzed according to the specific information needs of users. The study identified candidate systems/technologies that match the information needs, technical regulations, legal constraints, and compatibility with ITS standards and systems in Texas. Possible public and private sector roles and cost/benefit analyses were performed to identify the leading candidate system/technology alternatives.
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