Section2 Advanced Road Traffic Services

To solve issues that are specific to highway express buses, such as uncertainty about the state of service and insufficient information about seat availability and destinations, verification tests of "Kyushu IT's Bus," which provides information about Kyushu highway express buses, started in November 2001 for a section between Fukuoka and Oita. The system, which is the first system for locating highway express buses, provides users with estimated arrival time, bus operation states, and timetables through the Internet Website and Internet-enabled mobile phones.

On average, the system is accessed 238 a day. The number of hits was especially large in January since traffic on the Oita Expressway was frequently restricted due to snow and fog, reflecting strong user demand during such times. In a questionnaire survey, many users said that the information was useful, reduced the time waiting for the bus, and eased irritation, showing that the system makes bus services more convenient.