SURVEY OF MOTORIST ROUTE-SELECTION CRITERIA (ABRIDGMENT)

A sample of commuters in the central business district of Dallas was given a questionaire about their choice of routes to and from work, the reasons for their choice, their reasons for selecting or not selecting an alternate route in the event of delay, and how advance information would have influenced their decisions. A sample of drivers was also interviewed at rest stops on an Interstate leading to Houston and were asked about the route they planned to take, why they chose it over alternatives, how they would react to information about a delay, and what advance information was desired about a route; a mail-in questionaire asked similar questions about their actual past experience when confronted with a traffic jam. Route selection criteria (i.e. speed, directness, convenience) were fairly consistent suggesting that a message system providing traffic information and positive route could satisfy the needs of a majority of drivers. Many of those who had or would have elected to remain on a congested route did so out of lack of information about the extent of delay and about alternate routes and would have diverted if they had had additional information. It is concluded that real-time signing and the radio can provide the information drivers need and that the public should be made aware that the information these provide is timely and creditable so that drivers can make better route selection decisions.