MOTORISTS' NEEDS AND SERVICES ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS

A DIGEST IS PRESENTED OF A NATIONWIDE INVESTIGATION ON MOTORISTS' NEEDS AND SERVICES ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. THE FOLLOWING SERVICES WERE INVESTIGATED: (1) EMERGENCY-SERVICES THAT THE MOTORIST NEEDS BECAUSE OF ACCIDENTS, BREAKDOWNS, OR ANY OTHER UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES, (2) NORMAL-SERVICES SUCH AS GASOLINE, FOOD, AND LODGING, AND (3) SUPPLEMENTAL - DESIRABLE SERVICES AS REST AREAS, ADEQUATE INFORMATION, AND A CHOICE AMONG SERVICE TYPES, PRICES, BRAND NAMES, ETC. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT STEPS BE TAKEN TO MAKE GASOLINE AVAILABLE FOR 24 HOURS A DAY AND THAT SERVICE INFORMATION BE DISPLAYED IN REST AREAS. ONE SPECIFIC METHOD OF PRESENTING THIS SERVICE INFORMATION COULD UTILIZE STANDARD MAP BOARDS INSTALLED IN REST AREAS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT AN OPERATIONAL STUDY BE CONDUCTED OF: (1) THE POSSIBILITY OF USING STOL-TYPE AIRCRAFT FOR PATROL OF RURAL INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, (2) BETTER USE OF EXISTING GROUND VEHICLES AND PERSONNEL, (3) USE OF VTOL-TYPE AIRCRAFT FOR EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE, AND (4) USE OF THE PASSING MOTORIST AS A COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL. CONCLUSION IS MADE THAT EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE REASONABLY ADEQUATE ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS IN DENSELY POPULATED OR HIGH AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC AREAS, BUT ARE A PROBLEM IN RURAL AREAS WHERE AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC IS LOW.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rrd_2.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • NCHRP PROJECT 7-7. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Publication Date: 1969-1

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 3 p.
• Serial:
  • NCHRP Research Results Digest
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Average daily traffic; Disasters and emergency operations; Emergency vehicles; Food; Gasoline; Hazards and emergency operations; Maps; Motels; Motorist aid systems; Roadside rest areas; Rural highways; STOL aircraft; Traffic signs; VTOL aircraft
• Identifier Terms: Interstate Highway System
• Uncontrolled Terms: Patrol
• Old TRIS Terms: Highway user services
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00225460
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 18 1994 12:00AM