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Title:Technology Adoption by Small Urban and Rural Transit Agencies
Authors:David Ripplinger and Bethany Brandt-Sargent
Publication Date:Jun 2010
Report #:DP-226
TRID #:01173877
Keywords:automatic vehicle location, bus transit operations, econometric models, geographic information systems, logits, rural areas, scheduling, small cities, transit operating agencies
Type:Research Report – Department Publications

Abstract

In this paper, findings from a national survey on technology use by agencies providing transit service to rural areas are presented. The survey collected data on agency use of information and communications technologies, transit-specific technology, as well as characteristics of its manager. The survey targeted organizations that receive Section 5311 funds, a federal grant program, to provide transit service to non-urbanized areas, but that do not provide intercity bus service exclusively. Survey data were joined with financial and operating statistics contained in the recently available Rural National Transit Database (Rural NTD) to allow for further analysis. An econometric analysis to investigate the impact of community, agency, and manager attributes on technology adoption was conducted using discrete choice modeling techniques. The analysis included modeling the individual adoption of four technologies: Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), Computer-Aided Scheduling and Dispatch software (CASD), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs). Results of the survey and analysis have practical implications for policy and practice.

How to Cite

Ripplinger, David, and Bethany Brandt-Sargent. Technology Adoption by Small Urban and Rural Transit Agencies, DP-226. North Dakota State University, Fargo: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, 2010.

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