Phase 1
During 2007, the ENTERPRISE Program funded an evaluation of the Kansas Rural Transit Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) currently being operated in Hays and Hutchinson, Kansas. The intent of the evaluation was to document the users perceptions and experiences with the system in order to help the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) determine if and when to expand the ITS technologies to other locations throughout the state.
The technologies operated by the Kansas rural ITS project include Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) on transit vehicles, Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) in the transit vehicles and data communications between the dispatch center and vehicles, and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems.
Phase 2
The findings of the 2007 evaluation activities confirmed that the ITS technologies provided benefits to dispatchers, supervisors, drivers, and riders in both Hays and Hutchinson. However, nearly every individual commented that the systems had many instances of failures in either the equipment or the communications systems. In order to better understand these system failures, a second evaluation effort was performed to document what systems are having problems, and ideally to help lead to resolving the problems.