1997 Intelligent Transit Pioneer

Micro Services provided project management services to the agency from 1996 - successful project completion.

 

ITS- The TR@KS Transportation Information Kiosk Project
Lynn Osborn
Contra Costa Commute Alternative Network Program Manager
Central and Eastern Contra Costa, California
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (925) 407-0353


Background
This project was developed to provide a comprehensive site with real-time traffic, and other Bay
Area transportation information. A total of twelve kiosks were deployed which utilize
touchscreen technology. The “platform” for the kiosksite is an internet-based system using the
TR@KS website (also developed as part of this project) on a Windows 95 operating system.
Both the website (www.traks.org) and the kiosksite provide transportation information for all
transit services in the Bay Area (including route maps and schedules), real-time traffic and
incident reports, airport transportation, bikes, RIDES ridematch lists, TravInfo, carpool and
vanpool information and forms, employer registration and information, Commuter Choice, Park
and Rides, and on-line registration forms for all of the Contra Costa Countywide Incentive
Programs, as well as other transportation project information. There is also an on-line user
survey and comment box.


Kiosk Locations
This project originally deployed twelve kiosks at various locations in Contra Costa County and
also included the on-going maintenance and effectiveness tracking of them. To date a total of
twenty-two kiosks have been installed. The kiosks have been placed at key locations which
provide high pedestrian traffic at the following locations:
• Richmond Social Service Office
• Martinez Social Service Office
• Antioch Social Service Office
• Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Walnut Creek
• Pacific Bell in San Ramon.
• Hercules Social Service Office
• Richmond City Hall
• Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Martinez
• Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Vallejo
• Liberty Adult Education in Brentwood
• Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill
• Center for Higher Education in San Ramon
• Acalanes Adult Education Center
• Four Contra Costa library sites
• Five PIC One-Stop GAIN offices


Tracking Software
Webtrends is the software used to track the use of the website and the kiosks, which provides
data about the number of website and kiosk visitors, what pages were viewed most often and
other useful information. In addition to this tracking software, incentive registration forms,
RIDES ridematch requests, and user surveys are tracked from both website and kiosk users.
Based on information received, all eligible respondents are sent the appropriate information, or
incentives. The information gathered includes the pages on the kiosksite and website that
individuals either “touch” or “click”, as well as other useful tracking information. Over 1400 user
surveys have been submitted via the web or the kiosks with information about the extent to
which users plan to use the system. Over 86% of the surveys indicated that the visitors would
use the site on a regular basis in the future to access Bay Area transportation information.


Effectiveness
Approximately 3,600 internet and kiosk users visit the site monthly, viewing an average of 8
pages per visit. Interestingly enough, the most frequently visited page of the website is the Real
Time Traffic, whereas the most frequently visited page of the kiosksite is the Bus/BART page,
with its route maps and schedules.
In addition to user surveys received, the following results were tracked based on incentive forms
submitted for FY 1998/99 alone:
• 118 carpool trips X 180 days of effectiveness X 32.5 miles =345,150 vehicle miles reduced
• 72 GRH trips X 250 days of effectiveness X 34.5 miles =310,500 vehicle miles reduced
• 664 BART trips X 90 days of effectiveness X 37 miles =2,211,120 vehicle miles reduced
• 484 bus trips X 90 days of effectiveness X 4.3 miles =187,308 vehicle miles reduced
• 2 ACE train trips X 90 days of effectiveness X 72 miles =12,960 vehicle miles reduced
• 60 Vanpool trips X 240 days of effectiveness X 60 miles =864,000 vehicle miles reduced
• A total of 3,931,038 vehicle trips were reduced as a result of this project, with an average of
2,500 web/kiosk visitors a month (this is now up to 3,600 per month)
The TR@KS website is regularly updated with current transportation information. Employers are
accessing the site more often, as new announcements are added regularly. Check it
out!….www.traks.org.

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