Jackson, Burger, Cotton, Linthicum, Mejias and Regan – TRAVELER INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND WAYFINDING TECHNOLOGIES IN TRANSIT SYSTEMS 2011

Description

This FTA–Volpe (May 2011) study evaluates transit traveler information and wayfinding technologies, framing needs across three trip stages (pre-trip, en route, at-station) and three components (information content, formats, delivery media). It documents growing adoption of AVL/GPS, real-time feeds, mobile apps, web/kiosk trip planners, GTFS/APIs, and mashups—driven by smartphones and third‑party developers—enabling richer, lower‑cost personalized information and multi‑modal door‑to‑door planners. Case studies (TriMet, OneBusAway, Bay Area, New York, Seattle, Texas cities) show uneven real‑time data sharing and vendor models. Major barriers are legal (data ownership, licensing), institutional (funding, skills, procurement, resistance), and technical (integration, standards, accuracy, legacy systems, obsolescence). Recommended practices include phased rollouts, interdisciplinary teams, evaluation, transparent communication, flexible contracts, and regional coordination. Agencies seek federal guidance on real‑time standards, data‑sharing, RFPs, accessibility, and security. Findings inform FTA research priorities: open architectures, real‑time data standards, cybersecurity, ITS adoption barriers, and support for small/rural providers.