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Testing Accuracy and Reliability of MAC Readers to Measure Arterial Travel Times

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Abstract

Media Access Control (MAC) Readers are a relatively accurate and inexpensive way to collect travel time data. This study utilizes a research-driven MAC Reader developed at Florida Atlantic University. Thus, it investigates the impact of factors that may affect the readings such as location of Bluetooth devices and MAC Readers, approaching speed of vehicles with Bluetooth devices, and antennae type. The results indicate that MAC Readers resemble travel times collected by other methods, Bluetooth devices placed in the vehicle’s dashboard are detected more easily, vehicles traveling at lower speeds are detected more reliably, and Omni-directional antenna are detected more successfully.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank City of Boca Raton staff for invaluable assistance in the installation of the Bluetooth detection equipment. The authors also thank FAU students for help with the experiments on FAU campus.

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Correspondence to Aleksandar Stevanovic.

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Stevanovic, A., Olarte, C.L., Galletebeitia, Á. et al. Testing Accuracy and Reliability of MAC Readers to Measure Arterial Travel Times. Int. J. ITS Res. 13, 50–62 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13177-014-0081-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13177-014-0081-4

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