INFLUENCE OF TRAFFIC INFORMATION ON DRIVERS' ROUTE CHOICE BEHAVIOR

Commuters' route choice behavior in the presence of traffic information is analyzed. A modeling framework for the acquisition and processing of pretrip and en-route information, drivers' route switching behavior, and the willingness to pay for more useful information is proposed. The estimation of these models is based on revealed preference data obtained from a 1991 survey of commuters to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Trip characteristics and travelers' perceptions of the relevance and reliability of radio traffic reports were found to be important factors affecting radio traffic information acquisition and its influence on drivers' decisions. The key finding was that en-route diversion is primarily influenced by attitudinal factors and by information acquisition. Moreover, drivers' own observations are important factors affecting route switching. It can be concluded that a reliable and frequently updated traffic information system will stimulate the acquisition of traffic information and affect route diversion.

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