Arterial Management Systems
	Arterial management systems manage traffic along arterial roadways,employing traffic detectors, traffic signals, and various means of communicating information to travelers.
	Benefits
	To improve air quality in downtown Syracuse and Onondaga County, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) installed a computerized traffic signal system and optimized the signal timing of 145 intersections. The project resulted in a reduction of total delay experienced by vehicles during the a.m.–peak, mid–day, and p.m.–peak periods by 14–19%.

	Freeway Management Systems
	Freeway management systems employ traffic detectors, surveillance cameras, and other means of monitoring traffic flow on freeways to support the implementation of traffic management strategies such as ramp meters, lane closures, and variable speed limits. These sensors can alSo be used to monitor critical transportation infrastructure for security purposes.
	Benefits
	Mail–back questionnaires were sent to 428 drivers living near major freeways in Wisconsin to assess the impacts of posting travel time and traffic information on dynamic message signs throughout the state. A total of 221 questionnaires were returned and analyzed. The results indicated that 12% of respondents used the information more than five times per month to adjust travel routes during winter months, and 18% of respondents used the information more than five times per month to adjust travel routes during non–winter months.

	Transit Management Systems
	Transit ITS services include surveillance and communications, such as automated vehicle location (AVL) systems, computer–aided dispatch (CAD) systems, and remote vehicle and facility surveillance cameras, which enable transit agencies to improve the operational efficiency, safety, and security of the nation's public transportation systems. Public access to bus location data and schedule status information is increasingly popular on transit Internet websites and at bus stops.
	Benefits
	At the Acadia National Park in Maine, electronic message signs were installed to inform visitors of updated bus arrival and departure times at three popular visitor destinations. A survey of park visitors who used the signage found that 90% indicated transit information signs made it easier to get around.

	Incident Management Systems
	Incident management systems can reduce the effects of incident–related congestion by decreasing the time to detect incidents, the time for responding vehicles to arrive, and the time required for traffic to return to normal conditions. Incident management systems make use of a variety of surveillance technologies, often shared with freeway and arterial management systems, as well as enhanced communications and other technologies that facilitate coordinated response to incidents.
	Benefits
	Delay savings identified in studies of freeway service patrols implemented in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; and Northwest Indiana documented annual benefits of $1.2 to $1.8 million, through reductions in the duration of incidents, and related congestion.

	Emergency Management Systems
	ITS applications in emergency management include hazardous materials management, the deployment of emergency medical services, and large– and small–scale emergency response and evacuation operations.
	Benefits
	The Life Link project in San Antonio, Texas, enabled emergency room doctors to communicate with emergency medical technicians (EMTs) using two–way video, audio, and data communications. EMTs and doctors had mixed opinions about the system; however, it was expected that this technology would have more positive impacts in rural areas.

	Electronic Payment Systems
	Electronic payment systems employ various communication and electronic technologies to facilitate commerce between travelers and transportation agencies, typically for the purpose of paying tolls, transit fares, and parking fees.
	Benefits
	Three projects in Europe demonstrated the coordinated use of a smart card as a payment system for public transit, shops, libraries, swimming pools, and other city services. User acceptance and satisfaction with these systems was very high, ranging from 71–87%.

	Traveler Information
	Traveler information applications use a variety of technologies, including Internet websites, instant messaging, telephones, satellite radio, and local television and radio, to allow users to make more informed decisions regarding trip departures, routes, and mode of travel. Ongoing implementation of the designated 511 telephone number will improve access to traveler information across the country.
	Benefits
	In Montana, 81% of survey respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with road conditions information available through a 511 telephone service provided by the Greater Yellowstone Regional Traveler and Weather Information System (GYRTWIS ). 14 In Virgimia, 90% of users who agreed to participate in a follow–up telephone survey found the 511 service deployed there useful, and nearly half of them indicated they had changed their travel plans on at least one occasion as a result of the information provided.

	Information Management
	ITS information management supports the archiving and retrieval of data generated by other ITS applications and assists in analysis functions that benefit transportation administration, policy evaluation, safety, planning, program assessment, operations research, and other applications. Data archiving systems are scalable to support a single agency's operations center and to support multiple agencies through regional data warehouses.
	Benefits
	No data to report.

	Crash Prevention and Safety
	Crash prevention and safety systems make use of sensor technology and active warning signs, including flashers, beacons, and dynamic message signs (DMS), to warn drivers of dangerous curves, excessive speed on downhill road segments, at–grade rail road crossings, and other dangerous conditions.
	Benefits
	Installation of a "Second Train Coming" warning system at a light rail transit grade crossing in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, led to a reduction of 26% of vehicles crossing the tracks between the two trains. The number of drivers beginning to move their vehicles under the rising crossing gate before realizing a second train was approaching decreased by 86% after the system began operation. These benefits were determined by comparing data from a one–month evaluation period just before the system was installed and data from the two months immediately after installation.

	Roadway Operations and Maintenance
	ITS applications in operations and maintenance focus on integrated management of maintenance fleets, specialized service vehicles, hazardous road conditions remediation, and work zone mobility and safety. These applications monitor, analyze, and disseminate roadway and infrastructure data for operational, maintenance, and managerial uses. ITS can help secure the safety of workers and travelers in a work zone while facilitating traffic flow through and around the construction area. This is often achieved through the temporary deployment of other ITS services, such as elements of traffic management and incident management programs.
	Benefits
	Average clearance times for incidents were reduced 44% with the implementation of motorist assistance patrols and a temporary traffic management center during a construction project at the "Big I" interchange in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During weekday operations, the Highway Department allocated two courtesy patrol units to patrol the construction zone between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. and a wrecker was on–call from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

	Road Weather Management
	Road weather management activities include road weather information systems (RWIS), winter maintenance technologies, and coordination of operations within and between state DOTs. ITS applications assist with the monitoring and forecasting of roadway and atmospheric conditions, dissemination of weather–related information to travelers, weather–related traffic control measures such as variable speed limits, and both fixed and mobile winter maintenance activities.
	Benefits
	The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) installed a system in the rural and mountainous region of Spokane to collect and communicate weather and road conditions, border crossing status, and other information to commercial drivers, the motoring public, and WSDOT maintenance crews. Ninety–four percent of surveyed users of a road weather information website covering roadways in Washington state agree that the weather information made travelers better prepared for their trips. More than half of the respondents (56 percent) agreed the information helped them avoid travel delays.

	Commercial Vehicle Operations
	ITS applications for commercial vehicle operations are designed to enhance communication between motor carriers and regulatory agencies. Examples include electronic registration and permitting programs, electronic exchange of inspection data between regulating agencies for better inspection targeting, electronic screening systems, and several applications to assist operators with fleet operations and security.
	Benefits
	Three motor carriers surveyed during the Commercial Vehicle Information System and Network (CVISN) model deployment initiative indicated that electronic credentialing reduced paperwork and saved them 60 to 75% on credentialing costs. In addition, motor carriers were able to commission new vehicles 60% faster by printing their own credential paperwork and not waiting for conventional mail delivery.

	Intermodal Freight
	ITS can facilitate the safe, efficient, secure, and seamless movement of freight. Applications being deployed provide for tracking of freight and carrier assets such as containers and chassis, and improve the efficiency of freight terminal processes, drayage operations, and international border crossings.
	Benefits
	An electronic supply chain manifest system implemented biometric and smartcard devices to automate manual paper–based cargo data transfers between manufacturers, carriers, and airports in Chicago, Illinois, and New York, New York. Although participation was limited, the system was expected to improve efficiency. The time required for truckers to accept cargo from manufacturers decreased by about four minutes per shipment, and the time required for airports to accept the deliveries decreased by about three minutes per shipment.

Vehicle Technology Applications

	Collision Avoidance Systems
	To improve the ability of drivers to avoid accidents, vehicle–mounted collision avoidance systems continue to be tested and deployed. These applications use a variety of sensors to monitor the vehicle's surroundings and alert the driver of conditions that could lead to a collision. Examples include forward collision warning, obstacle detection systems, and road departure warning systems.
	Benefits
	A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) modeling study indicated collision warning systems would be effective in 42% of rear–end crash situations where the lead vehicle was decelerating, and effective in 75% of rear–end crashes where the lead vehicle was not moving. Overall, collision warning systems would be 51% effective.

	Driver Assistance Systems
	Numerous intelligent vehicle technologies exist to assist the driver in operating the vehicle safely. Systems are available to aid with navigation, while others, such as vision enhancement, adaptive cruise control, and speed control systems, are intended to facilitate safe driving during adverse conditions. Other systems assist with difficult driving tasks such as transit and commercial vehicle docking.
	Benefits
	Ten vehicles were equipped with adaptive cruise control, including automatic throttle modulation and down shifting (but not braking) to maintain preset headways during a NHTSA field test. The performance of the system was compared to conventional cruise control and manually operated vehicles. Results indicated that vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control made the fewest number of risky lane changes in response to slower traffic. Manually operated vehicles, however, had the quickest average response time to lead vehicle brake lights. Participants overwhelmingly ranked adaptive cruise control over the manual and conventional cruise control–equipped vehicles for convenience, comfort, and enjoyment, and indicated they would most likely use the system on freeways.

	Collision Notification Systems
	In an effort to improve response times and save lives, collision notification systems have been designed to detect and report the location and severity of incidents to agencies and services responsible for coordinating appropriate emergency response actions. These systems can be activated manually (Mayday), or automatically with automatic collision notification (ACN), and advanced systems may transmit information on the type of crash, number of passengers, and the likelihood of injuries.
	Benefits
	Between July 1997 and August 2000, the impacts of advanced ACN on incident notification were tracked for vehicles with and without ACN systems in urban and suburban areas of Erie County, New York. Based on a limited number of crash events, the average notification time for vehicles equipped with ACN was less than one minute with some notification times as long as two minutes, and the average notification time for vehicles without ACN was about three minutes, with some notification times as long as 9, 12, 30, and 46 minutes.