DRIVER RESPONSE TO VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGNS - A STATED PREFERENCE INVESTIGATION

This paper uses a Stated Preference approach to undertake a detailed a ssessment of the effect on drivers' route choice of information provid ed by variable message signs (VMS). Although drivers' response to VMS information will vary according to the availability of alternative rou tes and the extent to which they are close substitutes, our findings s how that route choice can be strongly influenced by the provision of i nformation about traffic conditions ahead. This has important implicat ions for the use of VMS systems as part of comprehensive traffic manag ement and control systems. The principal findings are that the impact of VMS information depends on: the content of the message, such as the cause of delay and its extent; local circumstances, such as relative journey times in normal conditions; and drivers' characteristics, such as their age, sex and previous network knowledge. The impact of quali tative indicators, visible queues and delays were examined. It was fou nd that not only is delay time more highly valued than normal travel t ime, which is to be expected, but that drivers become more sensitive t o delay time as delay times increased across the range presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.