Text from '511 Services Hit the Road' PowerPoint Presentation

Slide 1

511 Services "Hit the Road"

Speaker Notes: 511 is marketed with most deployers using the national 511 logo or a slight variation of it - marketing may be the key piece to all of our 511 activities.

Logos: Marketing 511 differs slightly from state to state. Examples include 511 marketing pieces from Kentucky, Iowa, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, Montana and San Francisco.

Slide 2

Agenda

Background
Consumer Market Research
511 Deployment Progress
Performance Measures for 511
511's Future
Wrap-up

Slide 3

Background

March 1999 - US DOT's N11 Petition to FCC
July 2000 - FCC designated 511
2005 - FCC will review progress in implementing 511

Slide 4

Background
511 Deployment Coalition

Policy and deployment guidance in an entrepreneurial and institutional home.
- Led by AASHTO and includes ITS America, APTA, states, metro areas, transit properties, associations, private sector providers, telecommunications
- Support from US DOT
Goal Statement: "The establishment of a national 511 system available to a majority of Americans by 2005 that is sustainable and provides value to its users."

Speaker Notes: AASHTO will assemble and chair the coalition with the vice chair from ITS America and APTA, and representation from States, metropolitan areas, transit properties, associations (e.g., APWA, NACO, ITE), private providers of information, and telecommunication firms.

The coalition's work is divided into 2 phases:

Phase 1 will establish 2 groups: a Policy Group made up of CAOs and other high level decision makers, and a Working Group that will craft options & issues papers for consideration by the Policy Group in assessing the need for guidance and framing the development of any guidance (i.e., crafting a work plan for Phase 2).
Phase 2 will develop guidance based on the decisions made in Phase 1 as to user access, information quality, and whatever other issues of national significance the Policy Group may have decided.

Slide 5

Gallup Research

Conducted surveys (August - October 2001)
- National Telephone Survey
- Main-in Survey of Landstar Long-haul Drivers
Audience
- Commuters/Through Travelers - 920
- Commercial Vehicle Operators - 131
- Long-haul CVO - 42
Conducted Focus groups (November 2001)
- Philadelphia
- Minneapolis/St. Paul
- Lincoln, NE
- Los Angeles

Speaker Notes: This is a TRUE national survey that is statistically valid.

We especially wanted to get the views of commercial vehicle operators and transit users.

Slide 6

Demographics

South - 35%
Midwest - 23%
West - 22%
Northeast - 20%
Suburban - 50%
Urban - 28%
Rural - 22%

Speaker Notes: CVO is under "motor vehicle only"

Slide 7

Modes

Motor Vehicle Only - 79%
Transit 20%
- Rail, No Bus - 7%
- Bus & Rail - 7%
- Bus, No Rail - 6%

Speaker Notes: CVO is under "motor vehicle only"

Slide 8

Awareness

Bar Graph: Awareness of Automated Telephone Traveler Information Systems

511 Awareness is highest (13%) in the Midwest and lowest (10%) in the south.

Speaker Notes: 511 in OH, KY, NE & MN might explain the Midwest & South´s higher awareness.

Slide 9

Information Sources

Television -- 72%
Radio -- 70%
Internet -- 40%
Telephone System - 20%
- 34% of Bus Users Have Called
- 34% of Those in the West Have Called

Speaker Notes: We find radio lagging behind TV to be surprising, but we did not ask when these were used. Perhaps most people would say TV when they hear traffic reports during morning shows like Today and GMA.

Slide 10

Likelihood of Using 511

Extremely or Somewhat Likely to Use 511

Long-haul CVO - 74%
Telephone System User - 72%
Internet User - 71%
CVO -- 68%
Radio User - 63%
5+ Trips of 50+ Miles - 63%
Television User - 62%
Through Travelers - 61%
Commuters - 58%
1 - 4 Trips of 50+ Miles - 56%
No Trips of 50+ Miles - 45%

Speaker Notes: The high numbers show us where to possibly market 511 like at truck stops and to existing ATIS phone and web users

Slide 11

Estimated Use

CVO - 61% Daily or Weekly
Long-haul CVO - 57% Daily or Weekly
Daily or Weekly & Few Times a Month - 54%
- Daily or Weekly - 25% of TOTAL
- Few Times a Month - 29% of TOTAL
Commute of 30+ Minutes - 43% Daily or Weekly
Northeast - 35% Daily or Weekly
Commute of 16 - 30 Minutes - 29% Daily or Weekly
Commute of 15 Minutes or Less - 24% Daily or Weekly

Speaker Notes: More than half of the respondents expect to use 511 a few times per month

Slide 12

Desired Features

Public Transportation Users

Public Transportation Delays - 70%
- 25% Critical
- 45% Useful
Travel Time Estimates - 65%
- 23% Critical
- 42% Useful
Connection to Live Operator - 63%
- 17% Critical
- 46% Useful
Crowded Trains or Buses - 51%
- 15% Critical
- 36% Useful

Speaker Notes: A majority of respondents expect these features until we get to crowding

Pete says -- TRANSIT FIRST!!!!

Slide 13

Desired Features

Motor Vehicle Users

Weather Related Road Surface Conditions - 78%
- 40% Critical
- 38% Useful
Accident or Road Incident Reports - 75%
- 28% Critical
- 47% Useful
Construction Updates - 74%
- 26% Critical
- 48% Useful
Traffic Congestion - Freeways - 69%
- 24% Critical
- 45% Useful
Special Events - 69%
- 19% Critical
- 50% Useful

Speaker Notes: Almost every respondent expects these

Slide 14

Desired Features

Motor Vehicle Users

Traffic Congestion - Arterials - 64%
- 17% Critical
- 47% Useful
Average Travel Time Estimates - 60%
- 11% Critical
- 49% Useful
Average Speed Estimates - 50%
- 9% Critical
- 41% Useful
Parking Information - 44%
- 8% Critical
- 36% Useful

Speaker Notes: A majority of respondents expect these features until we get to parking info

Slide 15

Desired Features

Consistency Critical for Long-haul CVO (53%) and Extremely Likely Users (51%)
68% of Extremely Likely Users Want Speech Recognition

Speaker Notes: The Guidelines support the features that consumers actually desire

Slide 16

511 Effects Change

Total

89% Would Change Their Time of Departure
77% Would Change Their Travel Route

Transit Users

98% of Rail Users Would Change Their Time of Departure
90% of Rail Users Would Change Their Travel Route
50% of Bus Riders Would Use Another Mode
44% of Rail Users Would Use Another Mode

Speaker Notes: 511 usage will have a large impact on the traveling public and the choices that they make

Slide 17

Focus Group Key Findings

"We Do Not Have Someone Who is Responsible for Gathering All That Information"

Speaker Notes: This is a direct quote from one of the focus group participants. And the answer is that YES we do have someone responsible for gathering all that information and then disseminating it to the public and that is all of you and me.

Slide 18

Focus Group Key Findings

What if I Am Not Traveling Out of My Area - It is Not Traveler Information?
Traveler Information Does Not Equate With Your Own City - Think Traveling Down the Highway Like a Tourist
TRAVEL Information

Speaker Notes: Marketing of ATIS to date has used "Traveler Information." From now on, when talking to the public about ATIS we will use the term TRAVEL INFORMATION. Even at this conference where we are "Answering America's Call for Travel Information."

Slide 19

Red Flag

If They Used 511 and Found the Information to be Inaccurate in Their First Few Uses, They Would be Unlikely to Give the Service Another Chance. If 511 is Deployed With Only Limited Features (Such as Weather / Road Conditions) When Users Also Want Accident and Congestion Reporting and They Find the Service Lacking, it may be Difficult to Get These Users to Try the System Later Once Additional Information is Available.

Speaker Notes: It is incumbent upon us to heed this advice and build towards the guidelines. Pete says - get on your soap box if you want!

Slide 20

Background

511 Deployment Coalition: Developed A Vision of a Mature 511 System and the Roles of Players to Make the Vision Reality

Examining two time periods - 2005 & 2010
Performance Indicators - Brand awareness, Customer satisfaction (Information quality, Service quality, Usage), Population Coverage
Roles to Achieve Vision- National Level, Implementers, Private Firms

Speaker Notes: The first version of the Guidelines were on launching 511 systems now the 511 Deployment Coalition is revising the Guidelines to reflect our Vision for 511.

Slide 21 and 22

Background

511 Deployment Coalition Objectives and Outcomes:

Continue to support and assist implementers and operators, planners and later adopters by: 511 Vision Model and Roadmap, Issue Exploration and Resolution, Deployers Assistance, Guidelines Updates, Marketing and Outreach
Continue to ensure national interest is served by: 511 Vision Model and Roadmap, Guidelines Updates, Marketing and Outreach
Increase private sector participation by: Including carriers, Fall 2003 conference
Establish stable Coalition framework through 2005 by: Institutionalizing the Coalition into Sponsoring Organizations
Set path for sponsoring organizations to take more ownership

Slide 23

511 Operational Deployments

Cincinnati / Northern KY
Nebraska
Utah
I-81 Corridor in Virginia
Arizona
Orlando
Minnesota
SE Florida
Washington State (25%)
Iowa
South Dakota
Kentucky Statewide
San Francisco
Montana
North Dakota

Slide 24

511 Deployment Progress for 2003

Nevada
Kansas
New Mexico
Maine
New Hampshire
Boston
Alaska
Illinois
North Carolina
Tampa
Washington State (rest of the state)

511 Deployment Progress for 2004

Michigan
Florida
Virginia

Speaker Notes: 511's next wave

Slide 25

Performance Measures for 511

Tracked Nationally
- Population Coverage
- Usage
Tracked Locally
- Brand Awareness
- Customer Satisfaction

Speaker Notes: We are at the beginning of the 511 "race" and our success will be measured in four areas: Population Coverage, Usage, Brand Awareness and Customer Satisfaction.

Slide 26

Performance Measures for 511

511 Population Coverage

As of February 28, 2003, 511 serves almost 41 M or 14% of the US population
Total US Population 284.8M

Speaker Notes: Almost 14% of the US population can dial 511 - the 511 Deployment Coalition is trying to build momentum for 511 within the states and the ITS and transit communities. Marketing materials have been created with the public in mind as well.

Slide 27

511 Deployment Progess
Bar Chart: This chart shows 511 deployment progress from June 2001 - August 2002. The number of calls has steadily increased from less than 100,000 in June 2001 to over 700,000 in August 2002.

Slide 28

Total 511 Calls per Quarter - From June 2001 through December 2002

Bar Chart: This chart shows an increase of total 511 calls per quarter from June 2001 through December 2002. In the fourth quarter, calls increased from 300,000 in 2001 to over 1,200,000 calls in 2002.

Speaker Notes: As of 12/31/02, there are 13 deployments of 511

Slide 29

Usage for Systems Operational > 1 year
From June 2001 through December 2002

Bar Chart: This chart shows a decrease in usage for systems that have been operational for less than 1 year for the third and fourth quarters from June 2001 through December 2002. In the third quarter, the number of calls remained at approximately 240,000 for 2001 and 2002. In the fourth quarter, calls decreased from approximately 310,000 in 2001 to 300,000 calls in 2002.

Speaker Notes: As of 12/31/02, there are 13 deployments of 511

Slide 30

511's Future

State of Arizona Model Deployment Initiative
- Announced July 11, 2002 for 2003 implementation
Goal is to push the envelope in all areas
- Information Content
- Telephone System Interface
- Marketing
- Business Models
- Quality Control
- Evaluation: Underway with 511 Working Group participation

Speaker Notes: The 511 & ATIS communities are looking to the national 511 Model Deployment Initiative in Arizona to be completed in 2003 for a state of the art 511 implementation.

Slide 31

Border Issues

How Areas Bordering Other 511 Systems Will Be Served

Graphic showing the placement of cell sites in Arizona and New Mexico

Speaker Notes: We are starting to see some "misdirected" calls especially along state borders.

Slide 32

511's Future

Regional Interoperability Issues

Graphic showing the Regional Interoperability Issues: The cell site and MSC layout in coverage areas A, B, and C.

Speaker Notes: The 511 Deployment Coalition is looking at possible solutions for regional interoperability - looking at seeing whether it is best to transfer a call or to share data.

Slide 33

511's Future

Capacity Issues: Managing Call Volume Spikes

Charts: Line graphs and bar charts depicting spikes in call volume for October 2002.

Speaker Notes: We can track which days of the week and times of day see the most usage, but in times of an incident or severe weather and with marketing exposure call volumes spike - how can you plan for these is the big question?

Slide 34

Wrap-up

Near-term Deliverables

National Progress Report
National Performance Measures
Deployment Assistance Reports
- Regional Interoperability
- Transit Content
- Weather Content
- Roadway Content Quality
Guidelines version 2.0
February Policy Committee Direction
- Guidance on Interoperability
- Performance Measures
- Funding Sustainability
- Private Sector Role

Slide 35

Wrap-up

Resources Available

511 Websites
- http://www.its.dot.gov/511/511.htm
- https://https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/511/,
- http://www.itsa.org/511.html
- www.apta.com/news/511/
ITS America E-mail Advisory
Project Websites
Association Websites

Speaker Notes: The Coalition does not have its own web site, rather it relies on the sponsoring organizations, particularly ITS America and U.S. DOT to post and provide material on-line.

ITS America's e-mail advisory also provides ITS America members with alerts when 511-related information has been posted on their web site. We encourage all members to sign up for this valuable service.

Most of the 511 projects in operation or under development that we have referenced have corresponding web sites. Using search engines such as Google are a good way of finding these sites.

Again, each sponsoring organization has 511-related information available through their web sites.

Slide 36

511 Services Hit the Road