This endeavor is a logical extension of Iowa's planning and deployment in the ITS arena. In 2001 Iowa DOT completed a project to produce a statewide ITS deployment plan. While the project has been technology-oriented, it also supports the broader objectives of the State of Iowa as well as the participating communities. Foremost among these objectives is to provide efficient and effective transit services that meet the needs of rural and small urban communities. The implementation of technology is, therefore, not for technology's sake; it is to improve transit services. ITS technology is a tool, and the project has defined a way of deploying these tools to serve transit agencies and transit users throughout the state. The Transit ITS Deployment Plan is an initial step in the overall ITS deployment process. Experience from around the country has shown that initial planning is critical, and is too often an activity that is not given adequate time or resource. Thus, the project approaches the task of ITS deployment in several steps or phases.