Hickman and Wilson – PASSENGER TRAVEL TIME AND PATH CHOICE IMPLICATIONS OF REAL-TIME TRANSIT INFORMATION (abstract) 1995

Description

Authored by Hickman and Wilson in 1995, this document presents the abstract of a foundational academic paper on real-time transit information systems. Though only a single page, this abstract signals a comprehensive study examining the implications of real-time data on projected vehicle travel times for passenger path choices and travel time benefits. The research, rooted in a behavioral model, innovatively incorporates stochastic and time-dependent network travel times, elements often neglected in prior analyses, lending significant trustworthiness to its methodology. Applied to a case study corridor at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) using computer simulation, the paper offers a quantitative assessment. While lacking imagery, its clear, concise academic format and early publication date make it a crucial historical reference for understanding the initial evaluations of transit technology, particularly its somewhat skeptical findings regarding the modest quantitative benefits of real-time information for passenger service and trip time variability.