Assessment of Public–Private Partnership in Traveler Information Provision

Abstract

Making efficient use of transportation infrastructure has always been a concern. Traveler information provisions (TIPs) assist commuters in making better travel decisions and therefore lead to increased mobility and more efficient travel. The ongoing economic crisis and shrinking public funding have made the public–private partnership (PPP) an at tractive instrument for promoting TIP. Such initiatives have been much discussed in developed countries. The use of PPP to fund public projects in developing countries, however, is in its infancy, and the related issues do not receive adequate attention in the literature. In this study, PPP opportunities in TIP were assessed in the case of a city in a developing country, Tehran, Iran. Factors contributing to TIP effectiveness were studied by analyzing commuters’ behavioral changes in response to current radio traffic information. Analysis was conducted with multinomial logit and nested logit models. From this analysis, commuter characteristics, trip purpose, and content of radio traffic information were identified as factors contributing to drivers’ willingness to divert. These findings directed the research to some potential markets and strategies for investment in TIPs. The literature was reviewed to identify some challenges and opportunities of PPP in past experience as well as special regional constraints. On the basis of the modeling results and literature review, business models for PPP in TIPs were outlined. Key findings are that (a) data integration and customization are essential; (b) with respect to purchasing behavior, the market has to be stratified into commuter and corporate markets; and (c) the market for Global Positioning System–based services is promising.