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MODERN TRANSPORT SYSTEM
A TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION
FOR 21ST CENTURY PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM MANAGEMENT
ABSTRACT:
The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program is a worldwide initiative to add
information technology to transport infrastructure and vehicles. It aims to manage factors that are
typically at odds with each other such as vehicles, loads, and routes to improve safety and reduce
vehicle wear, transportation times and fuel costs. It has improved transportation safety and
mobility and enhances productivity through the use of advanced communications
technologies. Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) encompass a broad range of wireless and
wire line communications-based information and electronics technologies. When integrated into
the transportation system's infrastructure, and in vehicles themselves, these technologies relieve
congestion, improve safety and enhance a country’s productivity.
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are identified as the means to achieve sustainable and
environmental friendly transportation for the 21st Century. Advanced information and
communication technologies are required for ITS. These include Data Storage & Processing
Equipment, Wire line & Wireless Communication Systems, Global Positioning Systems (GPS),
Sensors, Smart Cards etc. In addition to the above technologies, institutional and market factors
play an important role in successful ITS deployment. ITS application functionality includes
collection and processing of real-time data, generating and utilizing information for various
purposes such as controlling and managing traffic, handling fleet operations (public transport and
private carriers), emergency management and assisting users in their travel related decisions. The
benefits of ITS include Reduction of traffic congestion, Enhanced safety, Mitigation of
environmental impacts of transportation systems, enhanced energy performance, and improved
productivity.
INTRODUCTION:
Interest in ITS came from the problems
caused by traffic congestion worldwide and
a synergy of new information technologies
for simulation, real-time control and
communications networks. Traffic
congestion has been increasing worldwide
as a result of increased motorization,
urbanization, population growth and
changes in population density.
Technology has been driving the
developments in the realm of transportation
from the times of Industrial Revolution to
the present day Digital Revolution. Until the
20th century, technology in transportation
was focused on two objectives – (i) meeting
the demand of faster mobility by different
modes and (ii) building capacity and
expanding network facilities to
accommodate growing traffic needs.
Major ITS Functional Areas:
The major ITS application areas can be
classified into the following functional
groups:
Advanced Public Transport
Systems (APTS)
Advanced Traffic Management
Systems (ATMS)
Advanced Traveler Information
Systems (ATIS)
Electronic Toll Collection and
Traffic Management (ETTM)
Commercial vehicle Operations
(CVO)
Figure 1 illustrates basic ITS activities like
Data Collection, Processing (Data
Computing), Communication and
Information Utilization.
Figure 1: Categorization of ITS Activities
INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION
TECHNOLOGIES:
Intelligent Transportation Systems vary in
technologies applied, from basic
management systems such as car navigation,
traffic light control systems, container
management systems, variable message
signs or speed cameras to monitoring
applications such as security CCTV
systems, and then to more advanced
applications which integrate live data and
feedback from a number of other sources,
such as realtime weather, bridge de-icing
systems, and the like.
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS:
Longer range communications has been
proposed using infrastructure networks such
as IEEE 802.12, Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM) or 3G. Long-range
communications using these methods is well
established, but unlike the short-range
protocols these methods require an extensive
infrastructure beyond what is installed in a
vehicle. There is lack of consensus as to
what business model should support this
infrastructure.
SPEED MEASUREMENTS:
INDUCTIVE LOOP DETECTION:
Inductive loops can be placed in a roadbed
to detect vehicles as they pass over the loop
by measuring the vehicle's magnetic field.
The simplest detectors simply count the
number of vehicles during a unit of time
(typically 60 seconds in the United States)
that pass over the loop, while more
sophisticated sensors estimate the speed,
length and weight of vehicles and the
distance between them
VIDEO VEHICLE DETECTION:
Closed-circuit tele Traffic flow
measurement using video cameras is another
form of vehicle detection. Since video
detection systems do not involve installing
any components directly into the road
surface or roadbed, this type of system is
known as a "non-intrusive" method of traffic
detection. Video from black-and-white or
color cameras is fed into processors that
analyze the changing characteristics of the
video image as vehicles pass. The cameras
are typically mounted on poles or structures
above or adjacent to the roadway. Most
video detection systems require some initial
configuration to "teach" the processor the
baseline background image. This usually
involves inputting known measurements
such as the distance between lane lines or
the height of the camera above the roadway.
A single video detection processor can
detect traffic simultaneously from four to
eight cameras, depending on the brand and
model. The typical output from a video
detection system is lane-by-lane vehicle
speeds, counts and lane occupancy readings
SPEED DETECTION DEVICES:
Surveillance devices
Vehicle
Position/Speed/Bearing detectors
Image Processors
INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION
APPLICATIONS:
Commercial Vehicle Operations is an
application of Intelligent Transportation
Systems for trucks.A typical system would
be purchased by the managers of a trucking
company. It would have a satellite
navigation system, a small computer and a
digital radio in each truck. Every fifteen
minutes the computer transmits where the
truck has been. The digital radio service
forwards the data to the central office of the
trucking company. A computer system in
the central office manages the fleet in real
time under control of a team of
dispatchers.In this way, the central office
knows where its trucks are
ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION:
TOLL ROADS
Electronic toll collection (ETC) makes it
possible for vehicles to drive through toll
gates at traffic speed, reducing congestion at
toll plazas and automating toll collection.
Until recent years most ETC systems were
based on using radio devices in vehicles that
would use proprietary protocols to identify a
vehicle as it passed under a gantry over the
roadway. More recently there has been a
move to standardize ETC protocols around
the Dedicated Short Range Communications
(DSRC) protocol that has been promoted for
vehicle safety by the Intelligent
Transportation Society of America, ETICO
and ITS Japan.
CORDON ZONES:
Cordon zones are used primarily in urban
centers where mass transit is an alternative
to driving. Drivers entering a cordon zone
are charged a toll that exceeds the cost of
mass transit.
Cordon zones have been implemented in
Singapore and in London, England where a
special toll is collected (Congestion Charge)
when entering a congested city center using
Electronic Toll Collection, licence plate.
AUTOMATIC NUMBER PLATE
RECOGNITION:
Automatic number plate recognition
(ANPR) is a mass surveillance method that
uses optical character recognition on images
to read the licence plates on vehicles. As of
2006 systems can scan number plates at
around one per second on cars travelling up
to 100 mph (160 km/h). They can use
existing closed-circuit television or road-rule
enforcement cameras, or ones specifically
designed for the task.
ANPR systems may also be used for/by:
Section control, to measure average
vehicle speed over longer distances
Border crossings
Filling stations to log when a driver
drives away without paying
Car parks or road entry systems to
control access
A marketing tool to log patterns of use
Traffic management systems, which
determine traffic flow using the time it
takes vehicles to pass two ANPR sites
AUTOMATED HIGHWAY SYSTEM:
An automated highway system (AHS) or
Smart Road is an advanced Intelligent
transportation system technology designed
to provide for driverless cars on specific
rights-of-way. It is most often touted as a
means of traffic congestion relief, since it
drastically reduces following distances and
thus allows more cars to occupy a given
stretch of road.
I. COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS
Effective and efficient operation of transit
systems relies on a communications
infrastructure and vehicle-based
communications technologies.
Communications systems are used to
transmit voice and data (both raw and
processed) between transit vehicles and
operations (e.g., dispatch) centers, and to
transmit commands between operators and
technologies (e.g., signal priority commands
to traffic signal systems). Transit
communications systems are comprised
mostly of wireless technologies and
applications. The two-way voice radio
system used for fleet management and
vehicle dispatching remains at the heart of
most transit operations. However, other
communication technologies are becoming
common; for example, short-range data links
for traffic signal priority. Mobile voice and
data communication systems for bus transit
include the use of analog, digital, and
cellular digital packet data (CDPD).
The Capital Area Rural Transit System
(CARTS) operates over a 7,500 square mile
area near Austin, Texas. After years of
operating with a radio system that did not
adequately cover this large geographic area,
CARTS signed an agreement to use a state-
of-the-art radio system installed by the
Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA).
In 1998, CARTS became LCRA’s first
customer, exclusively utilizing five “virtual”
channels on a 900 MHz digital trunking
radio system. CARTS has been able to
consolidate all of their reservations,
scheduling and communications functions
into one facility (rather than three), and have
been able to provide customers with one
toll-free reservation line, which was not
feasible in the past. The centralization of the
scheduling and radio control is helping
CARTS improve the efficiency of its
operations. The radio system enabled
CARTS to deploy data communication
between its call center and vehicles with
mobile data terminals (MDTs), in addition
to planning future technology applications.
II. AUTOMATIC VEHICLE
LOCATION (AVL) SYSTEMS
AVL systems are computer-based vehicle
tracking systems that function by measuring
the real-time position of each vehicle and
relaying the information back to a central
location. They are used most frequently to
identify the location coordinates of vehicles
in Tran Systems-Multisystem-Intelligent
Wireless Systems 2 order to better satisfy
demand. They also serve to provide location
coordinates to respond to emergency
situations.
THE LOCATION TECHNOLOGIES
FOUND ON AVL SYSTEMS ARE
USUALLY ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING, BUT CAN ALSO BE
USED IN COMBINATION:
__Global Positioning System (GPS);
__Signpost and Odometer interpolation,
both active and passive;
__Ground-Based Radio, such as Loran C;
and
__Dead Reckoning.
THE BENEFITS OF AVL INCLUDE:
__Improved dispatch and operational
efficiency;
__Improved overall reliability of service;
__Quicker responses to disruptions in
service, such as vehicle failure or
unexpected congestion;
__Quicker response to threats of criminal
activity (via silent alarm activation by
the driver); and
__Extensive information provided at a
lower cost for future planning purposes.
Tri-Met in Portland, Oregon uses their AVL
to better manage their service, respond to
disruptions and as a source of management
information data. They use the data to assess
overall effectiveness of prior real-time
service adjustments. They have seen
improvements in on-time performance as
well as reductions in headway variability.
Not only did things improve from before to
after installation, but also more
improvements have occurred the longer the
system has been installed. Their AVL
system is at the heart of their recently
developed five-year ITS strategic plan.
III. TRANSIT OPERATIONS
SOFTWARE
Data collected from vehicle-based fleet
management systems is relayed to
centralized computer systems and is made
useful by transit operations software. This
software helps the operator monitor the
fleet’s performance in meeting demand,
identify incidents, manage response, and
restore service more effectively.
Paratransit operations software and reporting
systems integrate applications such as
passenger registration, automatic geocoding,
mapping, real-time and batch trip
scheduling, dispatching and brokering for
multiple carriers. These systems often use a
GIS platform that assists in optimizing route
planning, and can be combined with an AVL
system. Mobile data terminals (MDTs) can
be installed in vehicles to display dispatch
messages (e.g., passenger pickup and drop-
off addresses and instructions), record and
temporarily store certain types of
information about each passenger pickup
and drop-off, and collect statistical and
performance data on services provided.
Software programs can include billing, and
accounting and reporting.
Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems
are currently the most visible software
application in fixed-route bus operations.
Transit agencies use this software for bus
service and operations planning. CAD fixed
route software falls into four primary
categories:
__Transfer connection protection software;
__Expert systems for service restoration;
__Itinerary planning systems; and
__Service planning applications.
The benefits of transit operations
software are:
__Permits optimum use of existing
resources
__Assists in evaluation of operational
efficiency
__Speeds response to emergency
situationsImproves schedule reliability
and operating efficiency
__Reduces per trip cost
__Increases customer service to disabled,
elderly, and aids ADA compliance
__Ability to reschedule and re-route transit
vehicles
IV. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
provides a current, spatial, visual
representation of transit operations. It is a
special type of computerized database
management system in which geographic
databases are related to one via a common
set of location coordinates. This allows
information to be developed and displayed
to assist operators, dispatchers, and street
supervisors to make on-the-spot decisions,
and to assist planners in service assessment,
restructuring and development. GIS is most
often used for:
__Transportation planning and modeling;
__Demographic analysis;
__Route planning, analysis and
restructuring;
__Bus dispatch and scheduling;
__Bus stop and facility inventory;
__Ridership analysis;
__AVL and monitoring;
__Paratransit scheduling and routing; and
__Accident reporting and analysis.
A project on Cape Cod used GIS technology
to provide new approaches to analyzing the
relationships between fixed route and
paratransit services on Cape Cod. By
geocoding the origin and destination of
paratransit trips in relationship to fixed route
services, service improvements could be
made to both modes of transit. Using similar
techniques, analyses of routing for
subscription trips for clients with
developmental disabilities to sheltered
workshops using GIS shortest path routines
were made for existing human services
transportation services in Southeastern
Massachusetts
V. PRE-TRIP TRANSIT
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Pre-trip transit information systems help
travelers make decisions about the choice of
transportation mode, route, and departure
time before they begin their trip. There are
four main types of pre-trip information:
General Service Information, Itinerary
Planning, Real-Time Information, and
Multimodal Traveler Information. Recent
improvements to pre-trip transit information
systems include providing the information
via interactive voice response (IVR)
telephone information; kiosks; and the
Internet.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Authority (WMATA) provides an easy-to-
use trip itinerary planning system via their
website (http://www.wmata.com). This
system, called the Ride Guide, allows users
to enter their origin and destination (street
address, landmark or street intersection),
date, time of arrival or departure, minimize
travel time, walking or no. of transfers,
travel by bus and rail, rail only or bus only
returns complete directions, including
walking directions to the , and fare
information
V. IN-TERMINAL/WAYSIDE
TRANSIT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Agencies with AVL systems are able to
provide real-time in-terminal or wayside
information about arrival and departure
times. There are several types of media that
disseminate in-terminal/wayside
information, including electronic variable
message signs, video monitors; the Internet;
mobile telephones; and personal digital
assistants (e.g., Palm Pilot). The displays
may be supplemented with audio
announcements for visually-impaired
travelers. Real-time in-terminal and wayside
information systems require a
communications link to a central computer
system that provides the information about
upcoming arrivals.
King County Metro, the transit system in
Seattle, provides a variety of real-time
information on several media. “Bus view”
provides transit users with real-time bus
locations via the Internet. My Bus provides
real-time arrival and departure information
via the Internet, wireless application
protocol (WAP)-enabled mobile telephones
and networked Palm Pilots. Transit Watch
provides real-time status of vehicles at five
transit centers in the Seattle area via the
Internet and on-site at those locations.
VI. IN-VEHICLE TRANSIT
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
In-vehicle transit information systems
provide useful en route information to
travelers about their transit trips. Also, they
comply with the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA), which requires that vehicle
stops at all key bus stops be announced.
These announcements on public address
systems are most often an operator's
responsibility. Automated annunciation
systems relieve the vehicle operator of that
responsibility by announcing stops, transfer
possibilities, and points of interest
automatically, based on the vehicle's
location, route, and direction of travel. In
some instances, this information is also
provided to passengers via variable message
signs placed at one or more locations in the
bus. Although, primarily motivated by
support for the disabled, it is also helpful for
those unfamiliar with the route, when the
bus is crowded, and when it is difficult to
see outside the vehicle.
Many transit systems have automated
annunciation systems that provide next-stop
information on-board the vehicle via
electronic signs and audio announcements.
However, in Orlando’s Lynx, the are
experimenting with a more robust
annunciation system – one that provide more
than just next-stop announcements. This
system provides news and weather, video
clips, and other travel-related information on
a flat-panel display. Each 40-foot bus
contains at least three monitors.
VII. AUTOMATED FARE PAYMENT
Transit operators continuously look for ways
to lower the operational costs of their fare
collection systems. Operators are also
interested in increasing revenue and
customer convenience. With these goals in
mind, transit operators are capitalizing on
the increased automation, security and data
capabilities offered by new fare and data
technologies that can be integrated into
existing fare collection systems. These
systems combine fare media, such as
magnetic stripe cards or smart cards, with
electronic communications systems, data
processing computers, and data storage
systems to more efficiently collect fares and
possibly increase revenue by increasing
ridership. Today, fare collection systems are
being updated from traditional cash, coin,
token, and magnetically based systems
employing labor intensive processes and
limited data collection capabilities, to
sophisticated smart card based systems.
Smart cards have the potential to reduce
costs through increased automation while
enhancing customer convenience.
The flexibility offered by the use of smart
card systems, permits operators to more
easily implement changes in fare policy by
uploading fare changes and multiple fare
structures electronically to the system
payment and sales devices. Additionally,
this flexibility allows operators to promote
different products as well as incentives and
loyalty discounts (for instance, 12 rides for
11, free transfers) based upon usage.
The main components of systems using
smart card based technology are:
__A fare payment system - the
infrastructure used to receive value from
the fare payment media and/or check the
validity of the media for the current
transit trip;
__A fare distribution system - the
infrastructure used for the distribution of
the payment media, as well as the
distribution of the value that is loaded
onto the fare media; and
__Clearinghouse and back office processing
systems - infrastructure used to capture
and process transaction data generated
by the fare payment and distribution
systems.
VIII. AUTOMATED SERVICE
COORDINATION
Automated service coordination can be
defined as multiple transportation operators
in a region that provide coordinated service
with the assistance of ITS technologies. By
coordinating the services of multiple
transportation operators in a region, the
connectivity of public transportation
services can be greatly improved for persons
who would have to travel on more than one
transportation agency’s vehicles. This will
produce the opportunity for attracting more
trips to public transportation.
Several ITS technologies are employed to
facilitate automated service coordination.
The most prevalent technology applications
are: central and remote scheduling and
dispatching; automatic vehicle location;
advanced communications (particularly data
communications); and automated fare
payment. For example, the coordinating
agency may provide scheduling and
dispatching services for other local service
providers using an automated scheduling
system. Likewise, the coordinating agency
may outfit local service providers’ vehicles
with AVL equipment in order to monitor all
vehicles within the region. Further, they may
provide customers with an automated fare
payment device that can be used seamlessly
on all regional service providers.
The Suburban Mobility Authority for
Regional Transportation (SMART) in the
Detroit area has deployed remote scheduling
at two service providers: the City of Livonia
and West Bloomfield/Bloomfield Township.
The City of Livonia operates a community-
based service program that provides
transportation using their own vehicles.
(SMART does not operate paratransit
service in this area.) The City uses the
remote scheduling capability provided by
SMART to schedule service on the City’s
vehicles. Currently, the communications
backbone that allows this remote scheduling
consists of two phone lines that go through
the switch in Livonia to SMART. This
backbone will be upgraded to a fractional T-
1 line (a dedicated line) that will provide
much faster communication at the same cost
($600 to $900 per month). The computers
used in Livonia for remote scheduling were
purchased with Federal 16b2 funding.
In West Bloomfield and Bloomfield
Township, they are scheduling trips on
SMART’s paratransit service, which is
provided in this area. The remote scheduling
capability was funded through Community
Credits, which are transportation dollars
provided by SMART to health and human
service agency providers.
CONCLUSION:
ITS has been proved to be the optimal
solution to the enigma of building and
operating transportation systems to meet
expeditiously growing urban travel demand
in developed countries. We all have acceded
to the fact that the acme of the
transportation, i.e. Intelligent Transportation
is the requirement of present day-today life.
Such facilities which are already enjoyed by
the people of America etc. and also the
Government of our country have taken steps
in this very field. This accolade
transportation if included in the upcoming
Highway Development Projects of our
Government will certainly help in upgrading
the standards of our Highway Systems to the
utmost quality.
REFERENCES:
“ArcView network analyst”, Environmental systems research institute, 1996.
Chirs Drace and Chirs Rizos, “Positioning Systems in Intelligent Transport Systems”,
artech house, London, 1998.
Christian Gerondeau, “Transport in Europe”, artech house, London, 1997.
David Crawford, “Park and Go”, ITS international, U.K., (March/April 2001), pp. 68. .
Indian Vehicle tracking System, ITS International, U.K., (July/August 2000), pp. 12.