PUBLIC INTEREST IN, AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR, ENHANCED TRAVELER INFORMATION AS PROVIDED BY IVHS IN THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA

As part of developing a strategy for implementing an intelligent vehicle-highway system (IVHS)/intelligent transportation system (ITS) in the 16-county New York metropolitan area, a survey was conducted on travelers' attitudes regarding availability of real-time information on travel conditions. The telephone survey, conducted among a proportionate cross-section of travelers in the region, identified a high level of support for enhanced traveler-information systems among all commuters and a strong willingness by travelers of all income groups to pay for access to the improved information. The survey indicated substantial interest in a variety of traveler-information enhancements, including computerized maps and travel directions as well as real-time information on current delays and estimated travel times on alternate routes and on competing forms of transportation.