ASSESSING USER NEEDS IN DESIGN OF A MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR RURAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. (ABRIDGMENT)

The feasibility of designing a comprehensive management information system (MIS), which will assist in the performance of management and operations tasks involved in the provision of rural public transportation, depends on the definition and understanding of the relations among information gathering, processing, and reporting activities and those areas of administration and operations that might avail themselves of the advantages of a comprehensive MIS. The initial analysis of user needs and constraints, which is the focus of this paper, should indicate in specific terms the ways in which an MIS will contribute to the performance of information-related activities within the transportation operation. A step-by-step process is outlined to provide guidance to the initial MIS development activities and to assist in the structuring of a low-cost, comprehensive and efficient MIS that will meet the information gathering, processing, and reporting requirements of rural public transportation authorities and operators.