The U.S. Department of Transportation Shares Findings from 2019 Small Urban and Rural Transit Provider Survey

The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office (JPO) recently released the Intelligent Transportation Systems: Findings from the 2019 Small Urban and Rural Transit Provider Survey. The report shares results from a survey exploring the use of ITS technologies deployed by small urban and rural transit providers, including reasons behind technology use or nonuse.

The Small Urban and Rural Transit Survey complements the ITS Deployment Tracking Surveys (DTS), which the ITS JPO has been conducting since 1997. The ITS JPO uses the results of the DTS to respond strategically to ITS deployment gaps and execute technical transfer activities that help states and local agencies plan and execute ITS deployments. Historically, the DTS has targeted freeway, arterial, and transit agencies in 78 large metropolitan areas and 30 medium-sized cities. This 2019 Survey of Small Urban and Rural Transit Providers represents the ITS JPO’s effort to cover small urban and rural transit agencies, providing a better understanding of the factors that affect deployment for smaller providers.

Some of the key findings related to use of ITS include:

  • Security cameras and systems (SCS) and automatic vehicle location (AVL) are the ITS technologies showing the highest use among small urban and rural transit providers, at 83 percent and 75 percent, respectively. SCS play a vital role in transit safety and security. AVL has both safety and operational benefits.
  • Computer-Aided Dispatch, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Traveler Information Systems show moderate usage levels, ranging from 51 percent to 56 percent.

The survey also addresses deployment challenges, technology benefits, and funding and technical support sources, including use of ITS JPO resources. Based on the survey findings, the report also presents the ITS JPO and Federal Transit Administration with recommendations related to accelerating the deployment of ITS among small urban and rural transit providers.

To view the full report, visit: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/50549.

9/21/20