HOUSTON SMART COMMUTER ITS OPERATIONAL TEST : FY 1996 STATUS REPORT

The Houston Smart Commuter Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Operational Test is assessing the potential to gain more efficient use of major travel corridors through greater utilization of high- occupancy commute modes, shifts in travel routes, and changes in time of travel through the use of advanced technologies. The project contains two components: 1) encouraging a mode shift from driving alone to riding the bus through the provision of real-time traffic and transit information; and, 2) encouraging carpooling through the use of real-time ridematching services. This report documents the activities conducted on the Smart Commuter ITS Operation Test in FY 1996. These include selecting the vendors and developing the commuter information delivery system, recruiting participants, collecting the baseline data for the local evaluation, and other activities.