1. 1
What do the public want to know?
Customer based research detailing wants, needs and expectations
of travel information, and how to measure success
“Travel information provision includes any type of information that
could be collected and displayed/sent to travellers, which allows
travellers to make informed decisions regarding whether to change
their route, mode, departure time, and/or destination.”
2. 2
Current Activities
• Optimising Strategic Corridors
• Enhancing Systems to Coordinate
Rebuild Activities
• Extending Traveller Information
• Enhancing Monitoring
• Adapting the Temporary Traffic
Management system
6. 6
The Aim of the Research
• How do customers want to access travel information?
• What are the preferred channels?
• What content do various customer groups want?
• What can we learn from the transport industry
overseas?
• How can we measure our success and customer
satisfaction?
• Where are we succeeding? Where are the gaps?
• Provide next steps for the transport industry
7. 7
What are the benefits of high
quality Travel Information?
•Influence travellers’ mode choices (walk, cycle, car, ferry
train, bus)
•Reduce lost productivity due to delays
•Improvements to road network performance
•Increased safety
•Reduce customer frustration around congestion and delays
•Less complaints and customer queries
•Improved accessibility for people with different abilities
By doing this well we build our reputation in the communities
8. 8
How was the research
conducted?
• Project setup
• Literature and best practise review
• A review of what is currently being used by customers
• A review of what is currently available in New Zealand
• Customer workshops
• Establishing an implementation plan
• Final testing component
• Delivery of the final report
10. 10
Honest information
“It would appear that like the general public, commercial operators
prefer fast information even if it is not completely verified.”
If you’re travelling to Central Otago the road might be blocked
because of snow, I’d like to know about that rather than them
wait till its closed and for me to find out once I’ve already left
the house.
Researchers recommendation: Use a consistent approach
for verified and unverified information (note: the approach
may be to let the user select either option).
11. 11
The Gaps
• Highest priority: Keep travel information accurate and up to date in
real time.
• Information for civil defence scenarios were inadequate
• Lack of customisability
• Lack of consistency between sources eg. digital time tables vs paper
time tables and differences between cities
• Information not updated often enough
• Lack of comprehensive information
• Inability to compare travel modes
• Noting available facilities eg. Parking, toilets, height restrictions etc.
• Mobile phone apps
13. 13
The Target Groups
• Public transport users
• Bus
• Ferry
• train
• Motorists
• Commercial road users
• Bus
• Freight
• Taxi
• Couriers
• Pre-trip
• In-trip
• Urban users
• Regional users
• Locals – Good knowledge
• Visitors – Poor knowledge
• Tech savvy
• Not tech savvy
14. 14
The Findings - Channels
• Channels Currently Used
1. Websites
2. Paper maps/brochures
3. Real time info at stops
4. Signage (static and VMS)
5. GPS systems
6. Radio
7. Smartphone app
• Channels best to
develop/most wanted
1. Smartphone app
2. Websites
3. Brochures/Paper maps
4. GPS systems
5. Signage (static and VMS)
6. Email (No.2 for commercial)
7. Radio
Others: In person, voice announcements, over the phone
15. 15
Commercial – Channels
• Channels Currently used
1. Websites
2. GPS system
3. Dispatcher
4. Electronic signs (VMS)
5. Other drivers
6. Radio
7. Paper based information
8. Phone apps
• Channels Best to develop most
wanted
1. Websites
2. Regular Email notifications (eg.
Every Monday morning)
3. Push out via email
4. Smartphone App
5. VMS
16. 16
Commercial – Information
needs
Information currently being sought
•Delays or re-routing information (detours) with details
•Planned events/road works with details
•Status of mountain passes during bad weather
•50MAX route information
•HPMV approved route information
Note: 80-90% of 50MAX and HPMV operators said route planning tools would be useful.
Researchers recommended the NZ Transport Agency implement route planning/
navigation tools specific to 50MAX and HPMV operators
17. 17
Public Transport - Channels
• Channels Currently Used
1. Websites
2. Paper maps/brochures
3. Real time info at stops
4. Signage (static and VMS)
5. GPS systems
6. Radio
7. Smartphone app
• Channels best to develop/ most
wanted
1. Smartphone app
2. Website
3. Signage (static and VMS)
4. Paper timetable/brochure
5. Voice announcements
18. 18
Public Transport – Information
needs
Pre-trip information
•Where do the routes go?
•What service do I catch?
•What stop do I get off at?
•How will I recognise my stop?
•When will my bus arrive
•How much will it cost
•How long will my trip take
In-trip information
•How will I know when I have
reached my destination?
•How much time until the next
stop?
•When does my connecting
service leave?
•Are there any delays?
•Are there any changes to my
route?
•Is the service running on time?
19. 19
Motorists - Channels
• Channels Currently Used
1. Websites
2. Paper maps/brochures
3. Real time info at stops
4. Signage (static and VMS)
5. GPS systems
6. Radio
7. Smartphone app
• Channels best to develop
/ most wanted
• Smartphone app
• Website
• GPS navigation
• Radio/TV
• Electronic signs (VMS)
20. 20
Motorists – Information needs
Pre-trip information
•Are there any delays?
•How long can I park at a
location?
•What is the cost of parking?
•Where can I park near my
destination?
•How long will it take me to drive
this trip?
•What is the time difference
between PT and car?
•What is the cost difference
between PT and car?
In-trip information
•Is all the parking taken?
•How long can I park there?
•What is the cost of parking?
•Are there any delays or closures
ahead?
•Are there any major delays that
will affect my trip?
21. 21
Recommendations
• Agreeing priorities and getting ‘buy-in’ within the wider
transport industry
• Improving the data quality and ease with which it can be
exchanged
• Developing operating procedures for people putting out
information to ensure consistency
• Formalising incident management communication between
agencies involved in distributing information
• Applying the developed standards to existing trials and
implementations
• Undertake ongoing monitoring
23. 23
Take aways
• Customers want simple helpful travel
information
• Helpful travel information is reliant on all of
us in the industry working together
• Accurate and timely information from you is
important
• Know how to use your computer systems
properly – train your staff
• Better travel information will lead to less
complaints, queries and happier customers
24. 24
Want more info?
Email: luke.thomas@tfc.govt.nz
Website: www.tfc.govt.nz
Facebook: Transport for Christchurch
Twitter: @Transportchch
Editor's Notes
I am a senior travel information advisor for CTOC. Our aim is speak as an advocate of the public and to communicate information on significant works, incidents and hot spots around city to the public and media so they can make smarter travel choices and optimise the use of the network. We also work on other initiatives to improve the accessibility and availability of travel information.
(Quote from page 14)
Four strategic corridors are being studied and schemes established i.e. adjustments to traffic signal settings and minor physical works changes i.e. extending RHT lanes
Working with Partners to coordinate rebuild works through planning (LINZ Forward Works Spatial Coordination Tool (note commonly referred to as the SDI)), approval (traffic management plan approval) and delivery phases (site checks during delivery).
Delivering a number of traveller information initiatives including working with construction teams to have better information about the state of the network, email notification of changes to your subscribed travel routes, sharing data with other travel information providers so they can republish it and installing permanent VMS at strategic locations.
Enhanced use of existing traffic flow data (traffic signal information and public transport information) and extending monitoring using Bluetooth monitoring.
Adapting COPTTM so we have fit for purpose procedures for the rebuild. Establishing Local Operating Procedures.
So how do we do this? We take the information from the TMPs and other sources, such as email, and deliver travel information via a number of channels including via our Transport for Christchurch website, Twitter account, Facebook account and Email. The idea being we take the most significant works on the strategic arterials and display and communicate them in a simple format that the public understand. Including real time information for crashes and other unexpected incidents on the network.
So this includes morning and afternoon emails updates to media on the latest impacts on the network, we provide a week ahead email every Friday, and we talk live on the Breeze radio station every Monday morning. We even share videos on social media so people can actually see how the traffic is moving.
Most importantly we aim to provide a one stop shop for travel information at our Transport for Christchurch website.
Now we can't do this for every TMP. There are just too many. That's why we focus our communications on the major impacts on the major arterials around the network. What we think the public will most want to know.
What some of you may not know is that the information you put into your computer systems like TMP for Christchurch automatically feeds to other public systems like the Automobile Association, and car navigation systems and apps.
And to do this properly we are reliant on you. The timeliness and accuracy with which you put the information into your systems is critical. Such as TMP for Christchurch, TREIS and other systems.
Not only do we pull the information from TMP for Christchurch to put together advisories for the media and public it also automatically feeds to other websites too.
Such as Transport for Christchurch. Public friendly feeds from this site are made available to website and app developers so they can create state of the art apps and websites in the transport space.
So if the information in the system is wrong, the information we are putting out to the public is going to be wrong.
So recently to find out what the public want to know about we decided to carry out some research. And this wasn’t just about roadworks in Christchurch is was a national brief targeting freight, Public transport users and general motorists.
Advances in technology and an ever-increasing consumer uptake in a wide range of apps and technology
provide the us with multiple new ways to communicate with their customers.
This research provides practical market and customer research on the delivery methods that customers
would prefer and identify which would have the greatest impact in improving the quality of customers’
travel experiences.
So what are the benefits of high quality travel information…
Project set up
Steering group established in October 2013 which included the research topic owner, Ministry of Transport representative and a TOC Travel Information representative.
Literature and best practise review
A review on New Zealand and international literature related to the delivery of travel information was conducted to find out what could be learnt from overseas and locally.
A review of what is currently being used by customers
The purpose of this stage was to ensure a good understanding of information delivery methods currently being use in New Zealand, any deficiencies in information provision, and form a platform for the rest of the work
A review of what is currently available in New Zealand
Providers of information, such as local councils, NZ Transport Agency, the Automobile Association, web developers, media etc. were surveyed to find out what was currently being provided and where were the gaps.
Customer workshops
Customer workshops were conducted in Auckland, Palmerston North and Dunedin to find out how the wide range of channels could be used to deliver travel information. These workshops asked customers what were their expectations, favoured channels, what did they want to know, how did they want to find out and what was required to deliver travel information well.
Final Testing Component
A wider survey was conducted to confirm the findings of the work groups.
Implementation Plan
With the input from the steering group an implementation plan including recommendations, conclusions and next steps was created with the aim of helping the industry deliver better travel information.
Delivery of the final report
The final research document was presented to NZ Transport Agency and published.
Customers are realistic. They know it can take time to get information. They know there is a greater need in some places more than others. They also know that in some places there are limitations on resources. However they do expect us to be as up to date as possible regardless of whether the information is verified or not. They would rather know something than nothing at all. This is perhaps one of the most important points for operators to take away from this research.
Include real examples here somehow from the Gaps excerpts?
Once the information is delivered to third party applications via InfoConnect it is tailored and delivered to the public via that application.
The above screenshots are some examples of how the information is delivered to the customer. Note that the content of the applications above is identical to what is entered in the Public Highway Information fields in TREIS. TREIS is the last point where the information is checked before it is delivered to the public. That’s why if you are entering an event, or are communicating the information to the TOC, it is very important the details are correct.
The target groups for the research were Public Transport users, Motorists and Commercial road users
These were also broken down into sub groups. Such as information needs for before leaving for your journey and while you are travelling, Urban users vs Regional users, locals vs visitors, and the tech savvy and non tech savvy.
Interestingly SMS did not feature as being recommended for development, however inter regional bus services and freight said SMS notification would be helpful for them.
One channel that did not feature highly in the customer research was Social Media. This is probably due to customers not thinking of social media as a place they would go to find travel information. However we know from our existing social media channels that travel information is well picked up with real time incident information and project information getting tens of thousands of views. Social media users don’t necessarily go onto Facebook or Twitter to look for traveller information but we capture them online while they browse their newsfeed. This is comparable to advertising on TV. People do not watch TV for the ads but see the ads while watching something else. However the presence of Government departments on social media is still relatively new and as their presence grows the expectation of interaction with government departments via social media is likely to grow as well.
References:
Channels currently used from pg 41
Channels most sought after from table 3.13 pg 206
Agreeing priorities and getting buy-in
We recommend the formation of a working group to agree on the purpose and priorities and get ‘buy in’ for
an improved information provision system. Development of this system will require ongoing inputs from a
wide range of groups from within the transport sector, including from local and regional councils.
Not obtaining accurate information is currently the biggest barrier to implementing a useful travel
information provision system.
Improving the data quality
Once priorities for an improved information provision system are agreed, a review of the available data
used for information provision should be undertaken. Currently, the Transport Agency and partners collect
and analyse a wide range of data for a multitude of purposes. Some of this data may be re-purposed to
provide information to the transport sector and the public in general.
Develop operating procedures
Operating procedures should be developed in conjunction with the people who will be operating the
system. Development of operating procedures for public transport should include participants from local
and regional councils.
Formalise Incident management communication
Agencies in the transport sector should work together to develop and formalise incident management
communication. The goal of this work should be to provide a coordinated information response to
incidents so that one single message goes out.
Apply the developed standards
Once the above steps have been taken, current implementations, apps etc should be evaluated using the
best practice criteria. Areas for improvement should be identified and the appropriate actions taken. User-
testing should be undertaken to ensure that the ‘end users’ find the systems useful and easy to use.
Undertake ongoing monitoring
Using the agreed purpose and priorities of an improved information provision system, standard questions
should be developed for assessing different aspects of the system. Ongoing monitoring of the system should
be undertaken.
