Technology–Based Policy for Transportation Sustainability: Insights into the Design of Advanced Traveler General Information Systems

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Transportation is a consumer-driven industry. Therefore, a revolution in transportation energy use will not happen if travel demand does not change. The key question is how to promote energy and environmental efficiency among transportation users. The solution to that question could help in mitigating severe congestion and air pollution problems in Canadian urban systems. One important approach to promote efficiency is to raise transportation users’ awareness about the energy and environmental footprints of their travel. The advanced traveler information system (ATIS) field has been developed based on the notion that schemes providing exact and online travel-time information could effectively change users’ travel behavior. One major area that has not been studied is the possibility of providing real-time fuel consumption and emissions information, in addition to travel-time information that has been examined already. In this regard, the principal investigator (PI) proposes a detailed study of a more advanced ATIS called an advanced traveler general information system (ATGIS) scheme. The ATGIS informs transportation users of their fuel and emissions costs. Through informing drivers about social and environmental consequences of travel, a carefully designed ATGIS could provide huge benefits for a large metropolitan area like Montreal, where a small positive change in travel behavior could save millions of dollars of time, fuel, and emissions costs. The PI has identified Montréal and Toronto as case studies because both cities face major transportation problems typical of many global megacities. However, the outputs of this research can be used by other Canadian cities to implement similar travel information systems. The ultimate goal of the proposed research program is to conduct a study on the potential and feasibility of an ATGIS for Canadian cities. The proposed research team will estimate the overall impact of ATGISs for Canadian cities by examining/controlling several key factors, including users’ perceived fuel and emissions costs, fuel prices, and travel demand levels under various conditions. According to the impact analysis, the research team will provide fundamental insights into how transport modelers should modify travel demand models and include perceived fuel and emissions costs. Finally, integrating the insights from outreach to local potentials, we will examine the most effective mechanism(s) to inform users and the most appropriate instrument(s) to provide the information under various conditions.