Transit agencies hoping to attract and retain riders constantly look for ways to enhance the user experience. In the effort to boost transit ridership, reliability and predictability of transit services remain key. At the heart of this issue sits real-time transit information, or RTTI.
RTTI is the information communicated to riders about the current and near-future status of transit – such as predicted arrival time – representing the interface between transit agencies and the users of their systems.
Given today’s ubiquitous use of technology, providing RTTI is both critical and challenging. It is critical since this information plays a significant role in people’s perceptions and use of public transportation, as much previous research has shown. And it is challenging because technology raises the bar, with riders now expecting highly accurate and ever-more customizable information.
Arlington County’s Mobility Lab produced this report – Market Research on Real Time Transit Information Needs and Users’ Expectations – through grant funding from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and with assistance from WBA Research. It consists of extensive focus groups and online surveying of people who live, work, and/or go to school in Arlington, and shines a light on how those riders view the importance of RTTI.
In the specific context of Arlington’s RTTI, several key findings are worth mentioning. Focus groups highlighted that phone-call technologies (information via operator) received the least positive feedback and dynamic message boards the most positive feedback, perhaps reflecting a more general preference for technological interfaces rather than phone-based operator information. Respondents were satisfied with all of the RTTI technologies presented in the online survey (which also included online arrival prediction tools, text messaging, and the BusFinder display at Arlington’s ART bus stops), and found them valuable, but lacked awareness that those technologies even exist.
A good percentage of those surveyed use RTTI, are relatively satisfied with it, and find it valuable. (Breakdowns of these percentages are located in the key findings and in the full report.) The study also provides insights into how and where RTTI fits into the transit experience, with riders predictably using RTTI when planning their trips but also valuing as they plan on-the-go at key junctures along the way.
In terms of content, travelers look mostly for information on cost, time, and convenience. They want the information to be accurate, forward-looking, and providing solutions when communicating service issues. In particular, user responses point to the potential value of RTTI – and public transportation itself – extending beyond strict single-station tracking (arrival times) and increasingly towards customization and integration of dynamic information throughout the entire trip (such as arrival times at upcoming stops or information on connections).
The preliminary results of this research – specific to Arlington’s RTTI – suggest that Arlington County could consider the following next steps:
- Re-evaluate phone-call technology – go straight to the information avoiding lengthy automated messages
- Implement highly customizable or on-demand text message updates avoiding texting spams
- Modernize BusFinder – add features and instructions such as routes and schedules
- Continue providing real-time transit information through the County’s website and LED displays, and
- Diversify the locations of dynamic message boards.
All in all, this research is an important effort at gauging the opinion of a sample of the Arlington population regarding the types of RTTI it needs and prefers and its overall satisfaction with existing services. Addressing and building upon the findings could be valuable steps towards making transit more attractive in Arlington – and beyond – and maximizing ridership. Still, the results should be examined as exploratory research, providing an important roadmap to more focused research and analysis. Extrapolation to other areas and RTTI applications should be done with caution as demographics, transit conditions, and RTTI performance likely differ.