Evaluating the effectiveness of intelligent vehicle systems for bus transit management: A cost-benefit approach

In 1997, a GAO audit found that three barriers were inhibiting the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The barriers included the lack of (1) knowledge about ITS applications at the state and local level; (2) data on the costs and benefits of ITS technologies; and (3) funding for ITS, in light of other transportation investment priorities. The objective of this dissertation was to demonstrate that barriers two and three could be removed by performing a cost-benefit study of a transportation project.;A cost-benefit study of the City of Portland and the Tri-Metropolitan Transportation District's traffic signal preemption system (TSP) was completed over a three year period. During that time, eight bus routes were equipped with TSP on a staggered implementation schedule. For a one year period prior to TSP, a one year period during installation, and a one year period after TSP data regarding passenger volumes, schedule adherence, miles traveled, and hours operated was collected.;Before analyzing the data, prior research was examined to identify both categories and methods of importance. Then a series of pooled cross-section time-series models were designed and employed to capture benefits in categories of significance. Cost information was obtained from agency budget data.;The study found that TSP would result in a significant net social benefit of roughly six million dollars over the ten year life-span of the system. The net benefit value can be compared to other transit projects, thereby removing the third barrier identified by GAO. Additionally, the study demonstrated that cost benefit data was available, thereby removing the second barrier. Once the barriers were removed, policy makers at the local, state, and national level are provided with better decision-making information. Consequently, decisions regarding ITS deployment will be enhanced in the future.