Significant public funds have been invested in Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) so there is a logical desire to quantify benefits. This study is concerned with the unfamiliar driver making a trip for which it is important to be on time. Unfamiliar drivers are defined, for purposes of this study, as drivers making a trip they do not make on a regular basis. However, unlike commute trips for which travelers are familiar with the typical travel time and variability from day to day, unfamiliar trips involve a good deal of uncertainty. ATIS seems to be tailor-made for this type of trip. Many companies have introduced technology to provide route guidance systems in personal automobiles and rental cars (e.g., Hertz NeverLost, GM's OnStar). The rental car market seeks to capitalize on providing information en route to the unfamiliar traveler as described here. While these are en route systems, many of the benefits of ATIS are realized pre-trip because such information can alert the traveler that he should leave earlier or may leave later to avoid unusual delays.
Abstract