INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES

It is a well established fact among people who make studies of these things that language determines action to an enormous degree. Similarly on the subject of communications - and specifically that aspect of it that is concerned with giving us information and guidance in finding our way around the built environment, the conventional way of communicating such information is, of course, by signs. Somewhere along the line in the development of any large project someone says, "What the hell we gonna do about the signs?" And this question right then and there determines that there will be signs - whether or not, and this is my point, signs are the best solution. Thus the opportunity to at least consider alternative solutions is forever lost. This is all the more regrettable because signs represent only a small percentage of the total means by which we can now relay essential information to people who need it in this increasingly menacing and confusing world we are building around ourselves. It is attempted in this brief presentation, to show that alternatives do exist--and what some of them are.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the ASCE Specialty Conference May 31- June 2, 1972 in Washington, D.C. and compiled in the book entitled "Man/Transportation Interface".
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Arthur, P
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: 13 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Commuter service; Computer models; Computer programs; Computers; Human factors; Information systems; Passenger service; Railroad stations; Rapid transit
• Identifier Terms: Amtrak
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00054123
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Society of Civil Engineers
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 3 1974 12:00AM