Rural Data Collection Technology - FHWA Operations - U.S. ...

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time delays are unlikely to occur when traffic volumesare low. If travel time data are required during lowvolume periods, technologies and data processingalgorithms that work well during low volume periodsshould be considered.4.2 Selecting and Acquiring DataCollection TechnologyThe following questions may help practitionersidentify key factors in determining which travel timetechnology is right for their specific implementation.What Software, Hardware, and OtherArchitectural Requirements Exist?When selecting RTT technology, it is important toconsider compatibility with existing systems and datasources. Some data collection technology vendorsprovide proprietary software for data visualizationand analysis. While effective for some purposes, someagencies have found that vendor-provided softwaredoes not provide all of the features and flexibility thatthey desire. Ideally, RTT data and other features (e.g.,device diagnostics) should be capable of integrationwith existing traffic management software, hardware,power, and transmission systems. Compatibilitybetween different data sources and cooperatingorganizations can significantly increase the efficiencywith which data can be processed and used. If newsoftware is required to make optimal use of RTT data,a potential solution is use open source software suchas IRIS (Intelligent Roadway Information System, iris.dot.state.mn.us). Open source software from a reliablesource can provide a customizable platform that savessignificant development time and effort compared tocreating a new platform from scratch (Guerra, 2012).For any RTT program, it is critical to ensure that thesystem is capable of providing the data integration,visualization, analysis, and dissemination toolsrequired, as well as remaining flexible enough to beable to adapt the system to future needs.What Are the Initial and Ongoing CostsAssociated with Each Candidate Technology?The FHWA Knowledge Resources database (www.itskrs.its.dot.gov/) is a valuable resource for exploringthe costs, benefits, and lessons learned related toa variety of technologies and programs, though thedatabase currently provides few resources directlyrelated to RTT.As discussed in Chapter 2, the reported costs of RTTdata collection technologies vary widely. In addition tocost differences between technologies, reported costsfor any single technology have also differed. Initialmaterial costs can be considered as a function of theprice of each sensor unit and associated hardware(including power and data connections), the numberof sensors units required per site, and the number ofsites required per implementation. Additional initialcosts can include installation and calibration.Ongoing costs can include hardware maintenance,electricity and data transmission costs (usuallynegligible), and data processing labor. Over the long .term, life cycle cost is a useful measure of theexpected costs over the life of the technology. .The expected life span of many travel time datacollection devices is up to about 10 years, thoughactual life span of individual units can vary. To ensure .a long technology life span, it is useful to alsoconsider the future viability of the technology and .its associated systems.A less predictable cost is the fee for vendor services.Different data collection technology vendors offerdifferent options for system services and support.Options may range from purchase of data collectiontechnology with no additional support to completeturnkey solutions initiated and managed by a vendor.While vendor services can add significantly to thecost of a system, an effective vendor can save theagency significant labor costs and offer a degreeof protection from unanticipated costs. Interestedagencies should explore vendor support options tofind the most appropriate model.Should the Data Collection Technology bePurchased or Rented?Some data collection technology vendors offerthe option to rent or purchase equipment. The bestoption may depend on a variety of factors. Rentingmay be an appropriate choice for a temporaryapplication (e.g., work zone project) or proof ofconcept study. Renting may also be more compatiblewith certain contracting requirements, and may make iteasier for an agency to change or upgrade equipmentin the short term. Purchasing may prove to be moreaffordable in the long term, and may provide an agencywith more control over how it uses the equipment.Rural Data Collection TechnologyFederal Highway Administration38
How Long is the Data Path?It is not uncommon for travel time data to pass throughnumerous physical locations and processing steps.For instance, data may travel from a sensor to a fieldprocessing unit to a vendor’s server to the agency’sserver. Each location and transmission processintroduces additional risk of a failure somewhere alongthe path. Furthermore, should a failure occur, a longdata path may make it more difficult to determineexactly where the problem occurred.What System Features can be Automated?Raw travel time data generally goes through manystages of processing before information is providedin its final form to users. Automating many of theseprocesses can save labor hours, reduce processinglag, and reduce the likelihood of errors. Examplesof effective uses of automation include processingand generating of travel time messages for dms andwebsites, generation of reports and summary data,and provision of alerts to system operators (e.g., viatext message or email) when certain conditions aremet (e.g., travel time in excess of threshold value orsensor failure/error).How Will Data Security andMotorist Privacy be Protected?Some data collection technologies capture informationthat could be used directly or indirectly to identifyindividuals or vehicles. Data of this sort should beencrypted at the capture point to prevent unauthorizedaccess. To the extent possible, personally identifiableinformation should not be recorded or provided tostaff, vendors, or other partners, in its original form.Information such as license plate numbers or BluetoothMac addresses should be truncated, randomized, orotherwise obscured to protect individuals’ privacy.How Can Preliminary Data Collection TechnologyTesting be Conducted?The introduction of a new RTT program can comewith many uncertainties and unexpected challenges.Preliminary testing of a technology can help tonarrow specifications (e.g., Determining the feasibilityof a particular technology or the proper spacing ofdetector units) and reveal potential issues duringthe planning process, allowing them to be accountedfor in the planning and contracting process. Forpreliminary testing, a small number of devices canbe purchased or rented, and collaboration with avendor or other third party with experience using thetechnology can help substantially in learning how touse the technology.How Should a Technology Vendor/Providerbe Solicited?Depending on the preferred approach of the agency,vendors can be approached for direct talks, or arequest for proposal (RFP) could be issued. Manyvendors are willing to work closely with agencies tounderstand and accommodate requirements. A keyelement of this process is effectively communicatingneeds to potential vendors and discussing approachesto meet those needs. Although vendors mayadvertise a discrete set of options and features,some can develop custom solutions to meet agencyneeds. In general, it is advisable to solicit bids frommultiple vendors to fully explore options. Althoughrequirements should be clearly stated to potentialvendors, they should not be unnecessarily specificto the point of disqualifying or deterring vendorswho might be able to offer a solution. Emphasizingperformance criteria over design criteria can givepotential bidders the flexibility to design the systemas they see fit while still ensuring that the system isdesigned to meet agency needs.Through ENTERPRISE, Washington State Departmentof Transportation (2011) has made available forpublic access its own RFP for contracted traffic data,which may serve as a starting point for other agenciesinterested in developing their own RFPs. ENTERPRISEalso provides a detailed report on the use of thirdpartytravel data and information. The report describeshow agencies in the United States are currently usingthird-party data, including their experiences with theserelationships, and provides information on the dataproviders themselves (ENTERPRISE, 2012).How Much Ongoing Support Is Offered bythe Vendor?Agency experience shows that issues and questionsare likely to continue to arise long after the RTTprogram is up and running. Agencies should ensurethat the vendor will be responsive to such questions,especially where changes to the system may berequired. The terms of system support should bedocumented in a contract.Rural Data Collection TechnologyFederal Highway Administration39
Page 1 and 2: Travel Time on Arterials and Rural
Page 3 and 4: Technical Report Documentation Page
Page 5 and 6: List of FiguresFigure 1 RTT signs i
Page 7 and 8: List of AcronymsALPRAutomatic Licen
Page 9 and 10: Table 1 Candidate RTT TechnologiesT
Page 11 and 12: Cell Phone Signal MonitoringCell ph
Page 13 and 14: 1 Introduction1. 1 Background and O
Page 15 and 16: The second objective (experiences)
Page 17 and 18: 1.3 Organization of SynthesisReport
Page 19 and 20: Table 3 Candidate RTT TechnologiesT
Page 21 and 22: time when the vehicle is detected a
Page 23 and 24: State of the TechnologyToll tag rea
Page 25 and 26: Figure 5Typical Sensys implementati
Page 27 and 28: Figure 6ALPR Illumination Foregroun
Page 29 and 30: expand. For instance, increased ima
Page 31 and 32: measurement, which can be relativel
Page 33 and 34: approach were to be used by a trans
Page 35 and 36: 3 Implementations of Rural Travel T
Page 37 and 38: DisseminationRTI’s flagship softw
Page 39 and 40: Figure 10State of MaineVariable Spe
Page 41 and 42: supports efforts to distribute ITS
Page 43 and 44: 3.5 Various Routes in Oregon,Fronti
Page 45 and 46: 3.7 I-90, Snoqualmie Passin Washing
Page 47 and 48: 4 Best Practices for Rural Travel T
Page 49: in delayed processing in order to a
Page 53 and 54: • TMC software and operators have
Page 55 and 56: ReferencesAthey Creek Consultants (
Page 57 and 58: ReferencesWashington State Departme

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