Integration of traffic management and traveller information systems: Basic principles and case study in intermodal transport system management

Abstract

As they involve many interacting agents behaving in numerous ways that are extremely difficult to predict, urban transportation systems are complex in nature. The development of intermodal passenger transportation solutions to address the mobility issues constitutes a major thrust area of urban transport policies. But, to offer citizens comprehensive seamless mobility, intermodal transportation system management (ITSM) requires the integration of two major components. The traffic regulation support system, to help the operator responsible for the regulation tasks: coordination of timetables, synchronising arrival and departure times between the different transportation modes, and the traveller information system, giving customers access to information and using a comprehensive set of information tools. In this paper, a generic model of a transport management system, integrating these two components is proposed. This generic model is then used to elaborate a traffic regulation system in the case of a bimodal transportation system (tram-bus). The traffic regulation support system, based on the decision model of an operator, and the traveler information system are described. Copyright © 2006-2008 by CCC Publications.