Managing the Big Picture

Managing the Big Picture

Travel Information For The 21st Century

Steve Kuciemba

Parsons Brinckerhoff

May 6, 2009

Managing the Big Picture

“We must find 21st-century solutions to 21st-century mobility challenges”

Mary Peters

Former US DOT Secretary

(January 2008)

Managing the Big Picture

Operations, ITS, and ATIS

• The culture of operations – a focal point for agencies and providers

• ITS is an enabler of operations, and ATIS is that portion of ITS that public most often interacts with

• Customer driven, performance measurement, continuous improvement

• It’s all about the customers…

Managing the Big Picture

The ABC’s of ATIS

• Electronic sensors, human observations, CCTV cameras, GPS devices and cell phone frequency patterns collect traffic flow information.

• Computer algorithms are used to analyze the data and communications technologies are used to convey continuous traffic and road condition information.

Managing the Big Picture

The ABC’s of ATIS

• Pre-Trip– Internet– 511 travel information systems– TV & Radio– Mobile devices

• Enroute– Dynamic message signs– Highway advisory radio– 511 travel information systems– Onboard navigation systems– Radio and satellite broadcasts

CUSTOMER

Managing the Big Picture

Regional Success

Managing the Big Picture

The ABC’s of ATIS

• Work Zones– Pamphlets, radio/tv ads, campaigns– Short or long term construction

• Special Events– Planned events or stadium/sports complex– Parades, motorcades, street fairs

• Specific Locations or Devices– Rest area WiFi– Mobile devices

Managing the Big Picture

Regional Success

Managing the Big Picture

Why ATIS?

• Goods & services flow more freely

• Fuel consumption decreases

• Air becomes cleaner

• Workday commutes are shortened

• Incident response times are faster

• Emergency evacuations are improved

Managing the Big Picture

Why ATIS? • In Houston, 85% of respondents indicated that they

changed their route based on the information provided on dynamic message signs.

• Tests of the Japanese Vehicle Information and Communication System found the amount of time saved using real-time traffic information was approximately 15%.

• In San Francisco, 81% of Internet visitors changed their travel plans after receiving route specific information from the TravInfo website.

• In Washington DC, drivers who used route-specific travel time information were on-time more often than drivers who used either no information or non-specific broadcast information.

• An Australian study found the use of traffic information could produce up to 33% fuel economy improvements.

Managing the Big Picture

Partnerships

• Public/Public

• Public/Private

• Private/Private

• Shared risk/reward

• Focus on customer vs. focus on you

Managing the Big Picture

Partnerships

• Key barrier is typically not money, but it is institutions and jurisdictions

• Our customers don’t see the jurisdictional barrier, they simply see a road or transit service – we must treat it the same way

• Local success once again – Kansas DOT, Missouri DOT, and MARC

Managing the Big Picture

Also Need Champions

• KS and MO both have strong ITS programs, and KS even has an ATIS program manager

• KS and MO have both adopted a strong focus on Operations

• In addition to customers, it’s also all about champions…

Managing the Big Picture

Getting To The Point…

• Culture: Operations

• Value: What & Why ATIS

• Ingredient: Partnerships

• Stability: Champions

• What About…the Technology!

Managing the Big Picture

Moore’s Law

• Keep focus on the customer, and your implementation will remain evolutionary vs revolutionary

• A strong ATIS program/partnership can adapt to the changing environment

• It’s okay if you can’t implement every new device, code, or solution right as it becomes available - incremental change is better than no change

Managing the Big Picture

Ready-Fire-Aim

• Balance between opportunities provided by new technology vs carrying out a plan

Managing the Big Picture

Four Things To Watch…

1. Data collected privately and shared with public/sold to private

2. Customized services

3. Social networking

4. IntelliDrive

Managing the Big Picture

Data Ownership

• Traffic.com, INRIX, Airsage, Westwood One, More coming…

Managing the Big Picture

Custom Services

• My ___________ (insert anything)

Managing the Big Picture

Social Networking

Managing the Big Picture

IntelliDrive

• US DOT sponsored program

• Proof of Concept completed

• Demonstrations and application development ongoing

• Next Steps to be revealed May 19th at public meeting

Managing the Big Picture

Are We Ready?

• A good ATIS strategic plan - like you have in this region - will help prepare you for any changes 

• As long as you revisit periodically, you will be better prepared than many other agencies across the nation

Managing the Big Picture

Managing the Big Picture

Steve KuciembaParsons Brinckerhoff

410-246-0525kuciemba@pbworld.com

Questions?