Foreman and Tucker – ASSESSMENT OF TRANSIT INFORMATION MATERIALS AND DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA FOR PROTOTYPE TRANSIT MATERIALS 2003

Description

This FDOT-funded National Center for Transit Research report documents an intermediate project to develop prototype transit information materials for a follow-up field test. Researchers collected and classified schedules and maps from 34 agencies to catalog variations in key design elements—format, layout, font, stop alignment, legend, color use, time/day scheduling, map detail, time/transfer labeling, and directional symbols—and assessed how each affects usability, particularly for first-time and elderly users. The report inventories common practices (e.g., many timetables do not separate a.m./p.m. columns; ride guides more often use separate tables and maps; system maps usually show route color/number, legends, POIs, transfer points, and north arrows) and summarizes an earlier field test that indicated overall design effects but couldn’t isolate specific elements. Using criteria of feasibility, cost, user difficulty, and perceived importance, the team prioritized elements for prototyping. A secondary field test will evaluate ~25 prototype variations with 150–250 novice users, scoring trip-planning performance on ten measures and analyzing quantitative and qualitative results to identify effective design practices.