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Phoenix’s Experience with Traveler Information Dissemination Using WAP-Enabled Cell Phones. Chris Cluett (Battelle Seattle) Jeff Jenq (Battelle Phoenix) Faisal Saleem (MCDOT Phoenix) ITS America Annual Meeting: Session #34 Minneapolis, MN May 20, 2003. WAP Phone Experiment.
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Phoenix’s Experience withTraveler Information DisseminationUsing WAP-Enabled Cell Phones Chris Cluett (Battelle Seattle) Jeff Jenq (Battelle Phoenix) Faisal Saleem (MCDOT Phoenix) ITS America Annual Meeting: Session #34 Minneapolis, MN May 20, 2003
WAP Phone Experiment • WAP = Wireless Application Protocol • WAP-enabled cell phones allow access to e-mail and the Internet • Maricopa County DOT distributed WAP phones to 14 local transportation personnel in Phoenix metro area in the fall of 2000 • TrafficStation offered traffic information on phones (service terminated 8/01) • Battelle asked to survey WAP phone users
Evaluation Objectives • Document phone use • Characterize users • Measure user perceived benefits • Obtain user feedback on: • Message content • Information presentation format • Information reliability • Assess ease of learning WAP functions • Assess future potential for WAP technology
Evaluation Approach • 12 of 14 WAP phone users interviewed (plus 1 written) • Telephone interviews conducted Oct. 5-19, 2001 • Interview guide prepared and distributed ahead • Amount of usage (WAP and/or other cell phone) • Training? Ease of learning? • Usual travel patterns • Use and perceived usefulness of WAP features • Experience with setting up and using travel profiles • Use and usefulness of traffic information • What works & what doesn’t work well with WAP phone • Attitudes and opinions regarding WAP
What Can We Learn from this WAP Experiment? • Reliability • Service reliability problems reported by many users • Design of WAP experiment • Separation of voice and data modes affects ease of use; users had to check email to see pushed traffic alerts • Convenience versus purposive user sample selection • WAP is very new; users needed more training • Contextual issues as factors affecting WAP use • Availability of alternate routes • Relatively low overall levels of traffic congestion • Quality of information
What Can We Learn? (continued) • Lessons from the WAP experiment • Guidance for the service providers • Deployment of Arizona’s 511 traveler information system benefited from the WAP experience • AZTech is expanding the quality and coverage of data under their Data Quality Initiative, including integration of transit, airport, event, and RWIS data in urban and rural areas