THE USE OF TRAFFIC INFORMATION IN PRACTICE

The project was carried out with the objective to investigate what information channels travellers, especially drivers in the Stockholm region take advantage of and the way they act when they receive traffic messages. The purpose was further to survey the thoughts of the traffic broadcasting radio station personnel and the way they manage the traffic information business. The investigation included a literature survey, interviews with the managers and traffic commentators of the radio stations, an extensive two week field study including number plate registrations followed by interviews with drivers the same day. The interviews indicate that the radio station representatives have a realistic attitude to what can be achieved by traffic information broadcasts. The prime motive for broadcasting traffic information is its popularity among the listeners. Findings from earlier studies show that a majority of the travelling public listens to traffic information broadcasts. The results indicate that most drivers seldom or never change their route in consequence of received traffic information. A rough estimate based on the survey results shows that around 10% of all car commuters on the main arterial roads in the Stockholm area receive traffic information about incidents potentially affecting them on their route. Conventional radio is by far the best media to submit real-time traffic information according to the respondents, Messages about accidents, road works and queues i.e. performance related information are most wanted by the drivers. (A)