Rural public transportation technologies: User needs and applications -- executive summary. Final report, October 1996--January 1998

The Rural Public Transportation Technologies: User Needs and Applications Study was conducted as part of the US Department of Transportation (DOT) overall Rural Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Program. The study examined the opportunities and challenges of planning and deploying advanced public transportation systems (APTS) technologies in rural and small urban areas. The purpose of the study was to gain a better understanding of the state of the practice of rural APTS and to determine where the US DOT could best direct its resources to close the gap between current practice and the state of the art. User and operator surveys and site visits were conducted to determine information requirements, problems, interest, and concerns of both operators and passengers of transit systems in rural and small urban areas. A state-of-the-art technology assessment was also conducted to determine the potential for current and emerging technologies to satisfy the requirements of rural transit users and operators. Nine rural ITS action items are recommended to address the identified needs. This volume is the second in a series. It summarizes the findings documented in the study's Final Report.