Cedar Avenue Driver Assist System Evaluation Report

Pessaro, Brian; Van Nostrand, Caleb · 2011 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Transit Administration

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Summary

This report evaluates the Driver Assist System (DAS) implemented by the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) for bus-on-shoulder operations along Cedar Avenue. The primary motivation for the DAS was to enhance driver confidence, particularly during adverse weather conditions, thereby encouraging more frequent shoulder usage. Secondary goals included reducing travel times and improving reliability, safety, and customer satisfaction. The DAS is a GPS-based technology suite providing lateral guidance and collision avoidance through visual (head-up display, virtual mirror), tactile (vibrating seat), and haptic (actuated steering) feedback. The evaluation, conducted by the National Bus Rapid Transit Institute, utilized a “with and without” methodology. Data were collected from March to April 2011, comparing performance when the DAS was in passive mode versus active mode. To control for driver behavior, analysis was restricted to the six drivers who used the shoulders during both periods, out of 25 trained drivers. Performance metrics included lane-position data, speed, and lateral movement. Additionally, driver satisfaction was assessed via surveys and focus groups, while customer satisfaction was measured through on-board passenger surveys. Results indicated that when the DAS was active, drivers stayed in the shoulders 10 percent longer and increased their average speed by 3.3 miles per hour (from 30.9 to 34.2 mph). Lateral movement was reduced by 5.5 inches, improving lane-keeping precision. However, these findings are considered preliminary due to the small sample size. Driver feedback was mixed: 32 percent reported increased confidence, while 60 percent reported no change. The vibrating seat was highly praised as the most helpful feature, whereas the head-up display was frequently criticized as distracting. Despite these concerns, a majority of drivers felt the DAS made shoulder driving safer and less stressful. Customer satisfaction remained high, with over 80 percent of passengers rating ride quality as good or very good, and more than 95 percent satisfied with travel time reliability. The study concludes that the DAS successfully improved operational efficiency and lane-keeping accuracy, though its impact on driver confidence was modest. The findings suggest that tactile feedback is more effective than visual or haptic steering interventions for this application. The report highlights the importance of involving drivers in system design to address usability concerns, such as distraction from displays. Overall, the DAS proved to be a reliable tool for enhancing bus rapid transit operations, with high system uptime and positive customer perceptions, despite some driver reservations regarding specific interface components.

Key finding

Active DAS usage increased shoulder usage duration by 10 percent, increased average shoulder speeds by 3 miles per hour, and reduced lateral movement by 5.5 inches.

Methodology

naturalistic

Sample size: 6

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• in vehicle coaching
• adas effectiveness

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Methodological Resource: validation psychometrics, tool software