Private Sector Data for Performance Management
Final Report

July 2011

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Operations has lead several congestion-related performance measure efforts, with the focus primarily on large urban areas and freight-significant corridors. The data sources for these efforts have included public agency Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) sensor data, as well as some fleet-based global positioning system (GPS) vehicle probe data. Recent developments in private sector historical speed data have prompted an increasing interest in its application for performance monitoring purposes.

The objective of this research project was to examine technical and institutional issues associated with the use of private sector travel time and speed data for public sector performance management. This report summarizes key findings in the following areas:

• CHAPTER 2. DATA REQUIREMENTS – Focuses on several data issues and technical challenges.
  • Identifies data requirements for congestion-related performance measures.
  • Discusses metadata and other methods to ensure consistency among providers.
  • Considers the effects of blended real-time vs. pure historical data.
  • Summarizes methods for combining private sector speed data with suitable public sector traffic counts.
• CHAPTER 3. PRIVATE SECTOR DATA MARKETPLACE REVIEW – Reviews data products and services.
  • Summarizes data products or services offered and by which companies.
  • Discusses experiences with data quality.
  • Summarizes public sector experience with private sector data for performance measures.
• CHAPTER 4. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND VALIDATION – Describes methods for data quality.
  • Outlines quality-based specifications to ensure consistency between private sector data providers.
  • Summarizes technologies and processes for quality assurance.
  • Presents approximate quality assurance costs.
• CHAPTER 5. LEGAL ISSUES – Examines legal and institutional issues related to implementation.
  • Describes basic principles and data rights-related issues to know when procuring and licensing private sector data.
  • Summarizes issues related to privacy and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) concerns.