Module 2: Why 511 Matters, Content, and Market Research

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Module 2 Why 511 Matters, Content, and Market
Research
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Overview

• Why 511 Matters?
• 511 Content
• Market Research on 511

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What is 511?

• An abbreviated three-digit dialing code
• A short-cut to a ten-digit telephone number

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511 Services Beyond Just the Number
511 Routing
is the cherry on top
Telephone System
Traveler Information System
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Why 511 Matters?

• Obvious reasons
• Transportation agencies can offer easier access
  to information via telephone
• Same number can work in multiple places
• Important side-benefits
• Increasing attention on the potential for
  traveler information services
• 511 puts a face on ITS and transportation
  operations

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Why 511 Matters?

• By having the best information available and by
  having access to travel options, travelers will
• Make their own best choices
• Help balance the demand on todays multi-modal
  transportation system

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Why 511 Matters?

• Surveys suggest that while ATIS does not
  significantly reduce the amount of in-vehicle
  travel time, it does provide significant user
  benefits
• Time Management better on-time reliability
• Reduced early and late schedule delay
• More predictable travel

Quantified On-Time Reliability Impacts of
Advanced Traveler Information Service (ATIS)
Washington D.C. Case Study
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511 Content

• Basic content to come in two general categories
  Highway and Transit
• Local options, enhancements and premium
  services determined by local needs and
  business model used

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Market Research on 511

• ITS America commissioned Gallup Organization to
  conduct nationwide study
• To determine how the general public likes to
  access telephone information and what kind of
  information interests them
• Focus was on commuters, through-travelers,
  commercial vehicle operators and public
  transportation system users

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Gallup Research

• Conducted surveys (August - October 2001)
• National Telephone Survey
• Mail-in Survey of Landstar Long-haul Drivers
• Audience
• Commuters / Through Travelers -- 920
• Commercial Vehicle Operators -- 131
• Long-haul CVO 42
• Conducted focus groups (November 2001)
• Philadelphia
• Minneapolis / St. Paul
• Lincoln, NE
• Los Angeles

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Current Sources of Travel Information

• Television -- 72
• Radio -- 70
• Internet -- 40
• Telephone System -- 20
• 34 of Bus Users Have Called

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Likelihood of Using 511

• High Likelihood of Use Across Wide Range of
  Audiences
• Long-haul CVO -- 74
• Current ATIS Telephone User -- 72
• current ATIS Internet User -- 71
• Short-haul CVO -- 68
• Current Traffic Radio User -- 63
• 5 Trips of 50 Miles -- 63
• Current Traffic Television User -- 62
• Through Travelers -- 61
• Commuters -- 58
• 1 - 4 Trips of 50 Miles -- 56
• No Trips of 50 Miles -- 45

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Willingness to Pay for 511
Note Consumers tend to over-estimate
willingness to pay in survey research
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Desired Features for 511

• In General
• Consistency Critical for 51 of Extremely Likely
  Users
• Consistency Critical for 53 of Long-haul CVO
• Speech Recognition Wanted by 68 of Extremely
  Likely Users
• Public Transportation Users
• Public Transportation Delays 70
• 25 Critical 45 Useful
• Travel Time Estimates 65
• 23 Critical 42 Useful
• Connection to Live Operator 63
• 17 Critical 46 Useful
• Crowded Trains or Buses 51
• 15 Critical 36 Useful

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Desired 511 Features

• Motor Vehicle Users
• Weather Related Road Conditions 78
• 40 Critical 38 Useful
• Accident or Road Incident Reports 75
• 28 Critical 47 Useful
• Construction Updates 74
• 26 Critical 48 Useful
• Traffic Congestion Freeways 69
• 24 Critical 45 Useful

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Desired Features

• Motor Vehicle Users
• Special Events 69
• 19 Critical 50 Useful
• Traffic Congestion Arterials 64
• 17 Critical 47 Useful
• Average Travel Time Estimates 60
• 11 Critical 49 Useful
• Average Speed Estimates 50
• 9 Critical 41 Useful
• Parking Information 44
• 8 Critical 36 Useful

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511 Can Change Travel Behavior

• Total
• 89 Would Change Their Time of Departure
• 77 Would Change Their Travel Route
• Transit Users
• 98 of Rail Users Would Change Their Time of
  Departure
• 90 of Rail Users Would Change Their Travel Route
  
• 50 of Bus Riders Would Use Another Mode
• 44 of Rail Users Would Use Another Mode

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Additional Market Research by 511 Deployers

• Utah DOT
• Used to design service that was launched prior to
  Olympic Games
• Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in
  San Francisco Bay Area
• Used to plan marketing strategy

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Utah DOT Focus Groups in Summer 2001

• 511 Expectations
• Live person or voice activated
• Accurate, up-to-the-minute reports on traffic,
  road closures, accidents, construction, and
  weather conditions
• Low cost or no cost call
• Save callers time, money, and stress
• Need education on how to use it

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Utah DOT (cont.)

• 511 Concerns
• Dangers of phone calls while driving
• Getting stuck or lost in an automated system
• Inaccurate information
• Availability of information relevant to user
• How will the public find out about it?
• 511 Anticipated Uses
• Winter driving conditions
• Traffic delay
• Road closures
• Event traffic and parking
• Public transit
• Wind conditions

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Utah DOT (cont.)

• Design Recommendations
• Voice activated
• Keep updated
• Give time of last update
• Menu flexibility (ability to move back and forth)
• Ability to interrupt
• Clear menu options, no fluff intro
• Most popular options listed first

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MTC Traffic Focus Groups

• Focus group participants were
• - Likeliest heavy users (80/20 rule)
• - Bay Area daily commuters (gt20 minutes)
• - Use a mobile phone
• - Users non-users of current 817-1717 service
• - Aged 25-54, HHI 65,000

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MTC Traffic Focus Groups (cont.)

• Focus Groups revealed important features for 511
  service
• 3-digit dialing
• Toll free
• Voice-activated (most important to 39)
• Simpler menu
• New technologies for more complete, timely info
• Current conditions estimated travel time (most
  important to 44)
• Weather information

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MTC Traffic Focus Groups (cont.)

• Implications for launching 511
• Radio will be the primary advertising medium
• Want the target to perceive/use 511 as a
  complement to radio traffic reports
• Advertising copy will focus on current
  congestion, estimated travel times and voice
  activation features
• IVR system and the advertising will adopt a
  CHP-like tone, which users like
• Overall launch strategy is to address the mindset
  of commuters who are concerned about getting to
  work on time ...