ARTIMIS Telephone Travel Information Service: Current Use Patterns and User Satisfaction

Abstract

In February and March 1999, an ARTIMIS (advanced regional traffic interactive management and information system) traffic advisory telephone service (TATS) user satisfaction survey was conducted. Evaluation of the Greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky service had the following objectives: (a) to assess overall satisfaction; (b) to determine the preference of access with an N11 dialing code; and (c) to determine the influence on travel behavior. A total of 65 percent of users indicated they would be willing to pay for the service. On average, the maximum amount people would pay per call is $0.25. Users were asked what portion of the time the traffic information affected their travel behavior: route taken (average, 71 percent of the time), departure time (average, 34 percent), and destination (average, 25 percent). The information rarely affected mode used; however, users indicated that, on average, they postponed their trips 14 percent of the time. About 80 percent of the users believed they would personally benefit from a nationwide N11 dialing code. The study results suggest that a nationwide three-digit access code for traffic information would be a benefit to overall system performance. According to the analysis, the respondents indicated they make an average of 19 trips per year to other areas where they could use a service like ARTIMIS TATS. Users change their travel behavior as a result of the traffic information. They were very satisfied with the service. There was a preference, and good recall, for the 211 number currently provided by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Ohio Department of Transportation in northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, which replaced a seven-digit number.