FHWA-HRT-19-033: Traveler Information Requirements During
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Traveler Information Requirements During Nonrecurring Events PUBLICATION NO. FHWA-HRT-19-033 JUNE 2019 Research, Development, and Technology Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 6300 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101-2296 FOREWORD Developments in advanced traveler information systems (ATISs) have enabled the broadcast of ever-growing quantities of traveler information. This information is particularly valuable during nonrecurring events, which lead to unexpected reductions in the capacity or travel time reliability of a roadway. For the information generated by ATISs to improve safety and mobility during nonrecurring events, traveler information messaging needs to promote desired changes in traveler behavior. This report documents a series of experiments aimed at exploring the specific traveler information messages that are most likely to result in changes in traveler behavior during nonrecurring events. The study highlights the value of information in helping drivers make informed travel decisions and reducing driver stress during nonrecurring events. The report also provides information about how specific components of travel messages are interpreted by drivers and provides recommendations regarding the type of messaging that can be used to influence travel behavior. This report should be of interest to traffic management center operators, agency leadership, transportation engineers and researchers, and others who share an interest in promoting safe and efficient traffic flow. Brian Cronin Director, Office of Safety and Operations Research and Development Notice This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. Quality Assurance Statement The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement. TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA-HRT-19-033 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Traveler Information Requirements During Nonrecurring June 2019 Events 6. Performing Organization Code: 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Starla M. Weaver (ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9559-8337), Stacy A. Balk (ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3886-5117), and Michelle Arnold 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Leidos, Inc. 6300 Georgetown Pike 11. Contract or Grant No. McLean, VA 22101-2296 Contract DTFH61-13-D-00024 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Office of Safety Research and Development Final Report, August 2016–December 2018 Federal Highway Administration 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 6300 Georgetown Pike HRDS-30 McLean, VA 22101-2296 15. Supplementary Notes The Contracting Officer’s Representative was Brian Philips (HRDS-30). The Government Task Manager was Michelle Arnold (HRDS-30). 16. Abstract Three experiments explored the traveler information messages most likely to result in desired changes in traveler behavior during nonrecurring events. Experiment 1 focused on pretrip traveler information needs. Event type and trip importance were found to have a greater effect on intended behavior than delivery mode. Experiments 2 and 3 evaluated the effect of specific variable message sign (VMS) message components on reported and simulated driving behavior. Information disseminated on VMSs was most likely to influence behavior if it included a specific action request. Participants also preferred messages that made declarative statements about the actual state of the road to those that provided speculative information about portions of the roadway. Drivers who were provided traveler information prior to driving past a simulated nonrecurring event reported a less stressful drive than those who were not given any information. The study highlights the value of traveler information and provides recommendations regarding the type of messaging that is likely to influence traveler behavior. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Traveler information, nonrecurring events, No restrictions. This document is available to the public variable message signs through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. http://www.ntis.gov 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 81 N/A Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized. SI* (MODERN METRIC) CONVERSION FACTORS APPROXIMATE CONVERSIONS TO SI UNITS Symbol When You Know Multiply By To Find Symbol LENGTH in inches 25.4 millimeters mm ft feet 0.305 meters m yd yards 0.914 meters m mi miles 1.61 kilometers km AREA in2 square inches 645.2 square millimeters mm2 ft2 square feet 0.093 square meters m2 yd2 square yard 0.836 square meters m2 ac acres 0.405 hectares ha mi2 square miles 2.59 square kilometers km2 VOLUME fl oz fluid ounces 29.57 milliliters mL gal gallons 3.785 liters L ft3 cubic feet 0.028 cubic meters m3 yd3 cubic yards 0.765 cubic meters m3 NOTE: volumes greater than 1000 L shall be shown in m3 MASS oz ounces 28.35 grams g lb pounds 0.454 kilograms kg T short tons (2000 lb) 0.907 megagrams (or "metric ton") Mg (or "t") TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) oF Fahrenheit 5 (F-32)/9 Celsius oC or (F-32)/1.8 ILLUMINATION fc foot-candles 10.76 lux lx fl foot-Lamberts 3.426 candela/m2 cd/m2 FORCE and PRESSURE or STRESS lbf poundforce 4.45 newtons N lbf/in2 poundforce per square inch 6.89 kilopascals kPa APPROXIMATE CONVERSIONS FROM SI UNITS Symbol When You Know Multiply By To Find Symbol LENGTH mm millimeters 0.039 inches in m meters 3.28 feet ft m meters 1.09 yards yd km kilometers 0.621 miles mi AREA mm2 square millimeters 0.0016 square inches in2 m2 square meters 10.764 square feet ft2 m2 square meters 1.195 square yards yd2 ha hectares 2.47 acres ac km2 square kilometers 0.386 square miles mi2 VOLUME mL milliliters 0.034 fluid ounces fl oz L liters 0.264 gallons gal m3 cubic meters 35.314 cubic feet ft3 m3 cubic meters 1.307 cubic yards yd3 MASS g grams 0.035 ounces oz kg kilograms 2.202 pounds lb Mg (or "t") megagrams (or "metric ton") 1.103 short tons (2000 lb) T TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) oC Celsius 1.8C+32 Fahrenheit oF ILLUMINATION lx lux 0.0929 foot-candles fc cd/m2 candela/m2 0.2919 foot-Lamberts fl FORCE and PRESSURE or STRESS N newtons 0.225 poundforce lbf kPa kilopascals 0.145 poundforce per square inch lbf/in2 *SI is the symbol for the International System of Units. Appropriate rounding should be made to comply with Section 4 of ASTM E380. (Revised March 2003) ii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1 HOW TRAVELER INFORMATION CAN BE DISSEMINATED .................................. 1 Pretrip Dissemination Sources ............................................................................................ 1 Mid-trip Dissemination Sources ......................................................................................... 2 WHEN TRAVELER INFORMATION IS UTILIZED....................................................... 3 WHAT MESSAGES MOST INFLUENCE TRAVELER BEHAVIOR ............................ 6 Current Experiments ........................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2. EXPERIMENT 1: PRETRIP TRAVELER INFORMATION ........................ 9 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................... 9 METHOD ................................................................................................................................ 9 Participants .......................................................................................................................... 9 Apparatus and Stimuli....................................................................................................... 10 Experimental Design ......................................................................................................... 12 Procedure .......................................................................................................................... 12 RESULTS .............................................................................................................................. 13 Open-ended Responses ..................................................................................................... 13 Rating Responses .............................................................................................................. 14 Reported Experiences with Pretrip Information ............................................................... 18 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................ 20 CHAPTER 3. EXPERIMENT 2: MID-TRIP TRAVELER INFORMATION .................... 23 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................