Acadia National Park ITS Field Operational Test: Island Explorer data analysis

Coleman, Thomas; Zimmerman, Carol

From official abstract: "This report is one in a series that presents the results of data used to assess the impact of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) that were part of a field operational test at Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine. ITS deployed at Acadia integrates various components that support the region’s needs for transit management, traffic management, and traveler information. Operational data collected as part of normal operations by personnel of the Island Explorer bus system were used to assess the impact of ITS on two goals areas: productivity and efficiency. Hypotheses were formulated in the two goal areas and tested with the data. Analysis of the data show that the Island Explorer has been able to control per passenger costs while greatly increasing service and ridership. Ridership has grown by approximately 50% between 2000 and 2002, miles driven by 3%, and service hours by 20%. This was accompanied by an increase in the operating budget of DTI attributable to Island Explorer operations, but these costs were attributable to normal operating costs not influenced by ITS components. The Island Explorer was able to increase service hours, miles driven, and passengers while holding service denials at well under 1% of stops, an impressive accomplishment for a system that had drastic fluctuation in demands during the day and season."

Acadia National Park ITS Field Operational Test: Island Explorer data analysis

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