Module -2

Advanced traveller information systems; transportation network operations; commercial vehicle

operations and intermodal freight.

INTRODUCTION
Traffic management is essentially adjustment of the demand and capacity of the traffic network in time and space, to
better 'match' the traffic demand and supply (capacity). Traffic management measures are required to improve the
safety and flow of traffic, reduce traffic emissions and utilise traffic artery capacity more efficiently. Traffic
management is used to manage and control the demand for transport and decides the selection of the mode of
transport, route, or the time of travel or transport. It is generally customary practice that before embarking on capital
intensive transport development such as building a metro project, the city authority tries to optimise the existing
transport supply with the application of traffic management techniques. Broadly, the traffic management comprises
the following elements: information, control, incident management, demand management, driver support and
monitoring, and fleet and transport management. It also requires reliable and real-time status information on the
transport system. Some of the examples of traffic management measures are variable settings for traffic lights,
variable speed limits, variable message sign, parking guidance, dynamic lane management and dynamic route
information. Many traffic management measures are increasingly using information and communication technologies
to improve its effectiveness and optimise the cost.

OBJECTIVES OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Traffic management is the planning, monitoring and control, influencing of traffic to travel in desired direction and
advice as per formulation of management plan. It aims to:
a) Maximise the effectiveness of the use of existing infrastructure;
b) Ensure reliable and safe operation of transport;
c) Address environmental goals; and
d) Ensure fair allocation of infrastructure space (road space, rail slots, etc.) among competing users.
It is therefore an essential element in increasing the efficiency and safety of transport networks and operations.
For road transport, traffic management consists of monitoring the actual traffic situation in real-time (including
volumes, speeds, incidents, etc.) and then controlling or influencing the flow using that information in order to reduce
congestion, deal with incidents and improve network efficiency, safety and environmental performance, or achieve
other objectives. Broadly, strategic traffic management involves managing whole networks at a macro level as well as
integrating or linking different networks.
The aim of traffic management is the allocation of infrastructure (road space or network) as per strategic operational
and policy goals which include efficiency, safety, environmental, economic and equity objectives. These measures
include giving priority to buses, trams or other vehicles such as emergency services or high occupancy vehicles,
increasing space available for pedestrians and cyclists, or providing shared road space. For rail, rules for market
opening, network capacity allocation and pricing also constitute policy-level strategic management. Traffic signals and
railway signalling are perhaps the earliest form of "intelligent" traffic, management, aimed primarily at safety but also
at managing priorities at junctions. The phasing and coordination of road traffic signals in urban areas via a control
centre is still the most widespread tool for the effective management of street networks. More recent applications of
traffic signalling include dynamic lane allocation (for tidal flow, or reserved lanes for buses or other authorised
vehicles) and ramp metering (signalised access control to motorways). While standard road traffic signs provide
routing guidance, dynamic rerouting by road authorities on major inter-urban corridors is primarily done by variable
message signs (VMS), often coordinated according to different scenarios so that a series of coherent messages on
different signs can be displayed according to the location and nature of any incident. Broadcasting, Websites, text
messaging services (SMS) and in-vehicle systems are also important telemetric tools in this respect. The main
difference is therefore that routing for rail traffic is highly prescriptive whereas for road users it is primarily
informative.

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES

The traffic management measures used worldwide can be broadly classified under following categories:
a) Traffic information
b) Traffic control
 c) Incident management
d) Demand management
e) Driver support and monitoring
f) Fleet and transport management

The description of each transport management measure is presented in Table below:

Transport management measures

Traffic management measure Description
Traffic information Traffic information offers real-time information for road users, both before
and during travel. The information provided covers topics such as weather
and road conditions, road maintenance, traffic incidents, traffic situation
and alternative modes of travel.
Traffic control Traffic is controlled per inter-section, road-section or the entire road
network. Traffic control is divided into fixed and variable traffic control.
Incident management Incident management comprises the detection, handling and elimination of
traffic incidents, such as accidents, in cooperation with various authorities.
Demand management Demand management is used to affect choices in the destination, time, and
mode of transport or route of travel or transport. Means of achieving this
include regulating access or parking, arranging park-and-ride facilities,
supporting carpooling, promoting public transport and pedestrian and
bicycle traffic, providing traffic information and using peak-hour tolls and
other road use charges.
Driver support and monitoring Driver support systems comprise IT and communications technology
applications, providing assistance to the driver. These include collision
prevention, support for lane keeping and navigation systems.
Monitoring systems include automatic speed and intersection control,
monitoring transports of hazardous materials and automatic lane-use
monitoring.
Fleet and transport management Fleet management covers the planning, monitoring, control and assessment
of the movement and operations of a vehicle fleet and its drivers. Transport
management involves the management of transport chain operations and
information flows.

Conventionally, traffic inspectors used to be deployed at major road junctions to control and manage the traffic. The
manual system of traffic management has its limitations in terms of efficiency, cost and scale. With the advent of
advanced traffic management systems, thanks to ITS technologies, the automatic system based traffic management
systems are replacing the conventional system at a very fast pace.

ITS FOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Perhaps, traffic signals were first application of technology to replace the traffic police personnel from the road
junctions. Since then, ITS has become as a key tool for traffic management and control, improving safety and user
services and reducing the environmental impact of traffic, particularly at infrastructure bottlenecks. ITS applications
for traffic management and control include rerouting using VMS, variable speed limits (VSL) with automated
enforcement, lane control, dynamic use of expressways or access control measures such as ramp metering, as well as
specific measures for freight such as information on heavy goods vehicle (HGV) parking and "stacking" of lorries in
the case of disruption. Cooperative highway systems, whether vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-infrastructure
(V2I) will play an important role in traffic management and control in the future; coordination across countries and
regions as well as with vehicle and equipment manufacturers, is required in order for systems to succeed in meeting
traffic management objectives. Depending on the city characteristics, a subset of the following ITS based TMS tools
are used all over the world for traffic management:
 a) Traffic information
(i) Passenger information system--advanced traveller information system (ATIS)
(ii) Traffic--transport information system
(iii) Mobile Applications
(iv) Real-time tracking systems
(v) CCTV
b) Traffic control
(i) Intelligent signalling system
(ii) Automatic vehicle location system
(iii) Police patrol monitoring system
(iv) e-challan (ticketing) system
(v) Pedestrian/biker detection system
(vi) Smart card based driving licence issue system
(vii) Smart card based permit and registration certificate issue system
(viii) Traffic control maintenance services system
(ix) Traffic flow monitoring system
(x) Ramp metering system
(xi) Automatic speed detection system
(xii) Automatic number plate recognition system
(xiii) Automatic vehicle detection system (image processing)
(xiv) Area traffic control system
(xv) Red light violation detection system
(xvi) Automatic traffic counter and classifier
(xvii) Wrong way vehicle detection system
c) Incident management
(i) Emergency and accident response system
(ii) Automatic incident detection system
(iii) Distress call response management system-emergency roadside telephone system, e-Calling
(iv) Smart tracking and distress alert system for automobiles
d) Demand management
(i) Automatic fare collection system, electronic parking charge payment system, electronic ticketing
system, and electronic road pricing system
(ii) Electronic toll collection system
(iii) Parking management and information system
(iv) Parking guidance system
(v) Intelligent parking lot management system
e) Driver support and monitoring
(i) Journey time monitoring system
(ii) Car navigation system-vehicle information and communication system (VICS)
(iii) Route guidance system-dynamic route guidance
f) Fleet and transport management
(i) Multi-modal transportation logistics support system
(ii) Transportation monitoring system (fleet monitoring system: public transport, taxies, jal (water)
board vehicles, bank vehicles, school buses, ambulances, and government vehicles)
(iii) Goods vehicle weight monitoring system
(iv) Vehicle tracking system
(v) Towing system

DEVELOPMENT OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

It is practically not feasible to implement all possible tools of ITS at once due to lack of funds, experience, and
expertise. Even if funds are available, it is always advisable to progressively implement ITS tools to assess efficacy of
different tools in the process. The TMS measures need to be implemented in a phased manner so that the learning
from the earlier phases can be utilised in the later phases. Based on availability of funds, expertise, severity of the
problem, and ground reality, the following proposed phases can be altered and adapted to suit the prevailing
conditions in a city.
The following phase-wise implementation of TMS can be considered depending upon the stage of the city with respect
to level of congestion, availability of fund, computerisation of vehicle registration, driving licences, etc.

Phase-wise implementation of TMS

Phase Applicability
I City where the problem of traffic congestion is still under control, congestion is just
starting to spread beyond the peak hours, and funds or trained/technical staff may also be a
constraint
Smaller tier-2 cities shall start with this phase as early as possible.
II City has developed a computerised database of vehicle owners/driving licences/
commercial vehicle permits and also has started implementing smart driving licences/
permits/registration certificates, etc.
III Cities facing congestion and increase in road accident related fatalities. The pollution level
is also increasing at fast pace.
Metropolitan cities and state capitals of India are already facing these problems.
IV Heavy congestion is being faced. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic are important part of
transportation system to access the public transport system.
V City is ready for integrated multi-modal transport system with heavy reliance of public
transport. Real-time information to passengers about public transport is key to success of
this phase.

The ITS tools in different phases can be added in earlier phases or postponed for further phases as per specific need
for a city. The phase-wise development plan needs to be customised to the specific needs of the city. For example, in a
city which has not experienced much traffic congestion, accidents, delays, etc., public transport system may be
introduced in the first phase itself.
An indicative deployment of ITS tools in different phases is presented in Table below for conceptual understanding of
the process. However, for every city a detailed feasibility study shall be carried out to appreciate the need and
suitability of various ITS tools for the city.
The system architecture for a city depends upon the phase of deployment of ITS tools system for a city. For phase I,
the ITS architecture comprises only traffic control terminals, roadside sensors, communication systems and area traffic
control. The system architecture for subsequent phases will have additional ITS tools like intelligent traffic
management, electronic printing, traffic rules enforcement systems, data warehouse, VMS, speed detection, red light
violation, e-challan, CCTV system, VMS parking management system, passenger information systems, etc. as
explained in previous Table. The system architecture for phase III and phase V are shown in Figures 6.1 and 6.2 for
illustration. Needless to mention, the system architecture needs to be customised to the actual needs of the city after
careful examination of functionalities required, availability of funds and other enabling infrastructure.

Phase-wise implementation of ITS tools

System ITS tools Purpose Phase
Traffic control  Intelligent signals/  For smooth flow of traffic at I, II, III, IV, V
coordinated signals intersection/corridor,
 Area traffic control  Smooth flow of traffic in
system (ATC) implemented network, minimum
overall delay at red lights, and green
signal throughout for emergency
vehicles
Intelligent traffic  Speed control signage,  To alert the vehicle drivers about II. III. IV, V
management and electronic hazard warning system speed restrictions and about any
payment  Emergency roadside obstruction (temporarily or
phone system electronic permanent) in traffic flow
 road pricing system  To reduce congestion by means of
introducing congestion charges
Traffic rules enforcement  CCTV system, automatic  To catch traffic rules offender, and II. III. IV, V
system speed detection system collect fines from them
 Automatic number plate  To book the traffic rules offenders,
recognition system violation of permit rules, fake
Transport authority  Red light violation driving licence holders, fake permits
enforcement system detection system and RC holders, stolen vehicles in
 Wrong way vehicle the law of court
detection system  Maintain the records of traffic rules
 e-challan system offenders for giving severe
 Smart card based driving punishment in law of court
licences issue system  Reduce accidents and increase safety
 Smart card based permit  To collect the congestion charges
and registration
certificate issue system
 Police patrol monitoring
system
 Traffic police (squad,
post), traffic interceptor
vans
Infrastructure maintenance  Maintain and manage  To provide maintained road network II. III. IV, V
and management system roadside ITS and non- for all road users for smooth flow of
ITS based infrastructure traffic and road users mobility
 Maintain roads, footpath,  To provide un-interrupted platform
FOBs, junctions for ITS functioning
 Maintain and manage
communication system,
control room
 Maintain traffic signals,
VMS, signage of
different types
Data warehouse  Automatic traffic counter  To maintain data of traffic, vehicles II. III. IV, V
and classifier for forecasting, planning, etc.
 For demand management
Information dissemination  VMS. speed signage,  It helps the traveller and vehicle
system hazard warning signage, driver to take corrective action in
SMS, Websites, social their trip as well as prepare
sites, e-mail, FM radio themselves as per any traffic
advisory or alert is issued
Traffic monitoring and  Automatic vehicle  To clear the network in time of III, IV, V
surveillance detection system (image breakdown of vehicles for un-
processing) interrupted traffic flow
 Towing system  To take action after detecting any
Journey time monitoring incidents and reduce casualties
system
Emergency and accident  Transportation  To provide immediate relief to road III, IV, V
response monitoring system (fleet users
monitoring system--  To save life of roadside accident
public transport, victims
ambulances)  To help road users in case of
  Distress call response emergency
management system-
emergency roadside
telephone system
Automatic air pollution  Atmospheric sensors, air  To save the city and habitats from
monitoring system quality sensors, pollution
meteorological sensors  To book the vehicles for violation of
and road surface sensors pollution norm and collect fine and
book them in law of court
Parking management and  Parking guidance system  Guide the driver to particular parking IV, V
information system  Intelligent parking lot sites among number of sites within
management system an area
 Electronic parking charge  Guide the drivers to park at particular
payment system parking bay
 Help the drivers to locate particular
location in city through unit fitted in
car
 Help the drivers or road users to
locate particular location in city
through system available on roadside
Pedestrian/biker detection  Light detection and  To reduce and avoid pedestrian/biker IV, V
system ranging(LIDAR), causality in road accidents
RADAR, or CCTV
Advanced traveller  Passenger information  To help the road user for information V
information system(ATIS) system related to public transport/informal
public transport (IPT) at roadside

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTRE (TMC) A special enabler for traffic management and ITS is the traffic
management centre (also called traffic control centre). When the number of operational tasks increases, or the size and
complexity of instruments and scenarios increase, a traffic management centre could become necessary. A TMC is the
hub of transport management, where data is collected, and analysed and combined with other operational and control
concepts to manage the complex transport network. It is the control centre for communicating transportation-related
information to the media and the motoring public. TMC is a place where agencies can coordinate their responses to
transportation situations and conditions. Typically, several agencies jointly manage the transport infrastructure,
through a network of traffic operation centres. Often, there is a localised distribution of data and information and the
centres adopt different criteria to achieve the goals of traffic management. This inter-dependent autonomy in
operations and decision-making is must due to the heterogeneity of demand and performance characteristics of
interacting subsystems. For developed countries, traffic management centre plays an important role managing
transport operation in urban areas. For example, city of Newcastle, UK developed its urban Traffic Management
System
In the Newcastle University operating from a large room When it is not possible a to develop such a traffic
management control centre due to paucity of fund or availability of a space, a piecemeal traffic management measures
for a single location or for a set of locations with or without any relation with between each other are commonly seen
such as ANPR, red light camera, speed/detection/enforcement camera, VMS in urban areas. The following are some
demonstrations as a part of ITS driven applications for traffic management.

ADVANCE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ATMS)

ATMS is developed to integrate various subsystems (such as CCTV, vehicle detection, communication, variable
message systems, etc.) into a coherent single interface that exhibits real-time data on traffic status and predicts traffic
conditions for more efficient planning and operations. One of the advance traffic management systems is a
computerised traffic control signal system which is increasingly being used to analyse and manage present traffic
situation, examines signal system problems and implements/modifies signal timings remotely. The City of Toronto
has adopted the following two computerised traffic control signal systems:
(i) Trans Suite traffic control system (Trans Suite TCS),
(ii) Split cycle offset optimisation technique/Urban traffic control (SCOOT/UTC).
If one wishes to install adaptive traffic control system at a number of junctions with features of pre-timed (fixed time)
signal system for some isolated junctions, vehicle-actuated signal system for some junctions,
semi-actuated signal system for some junctions and area traffic control (ATC) operate for rest of junctions.
The advance traffic management system should be combination of all these systems. This system
detects the vehicles on network and optimises the traffic signal settings in project area to minimise travel time of most
of vehicles, decrease queue length of vehicles at junctions with facility of green wave, public transport priority, etc.
Apart from integrated ATC, the major benefits of ATM are real-time feed to variable message system (VMS) to
display up-to-date information to road users which reduces the frustration of drivers. The slow traffic or congestion
usually causes the frustration and impatience among drivers. This impatience is sometimes converted in form of
incidence or accident or road rage. Thus VMS is of very helpful for the road users and also results in saving the travel
time which ultimately helps in reducing air and noise pollution. VMS also offers an opportunity to drivers to change
the route on the basis of information provided,

ADVANCE TRAVELLER INFORMATION SYSTEM (ATIS)

ATIS offers to users of transportation systems, travel-related information in advance or on real-time basis to help them
in decision making on route choices, estimate travel times, and avoid congestion. The following information using
various technologies are very useful to meet these objectives:
(i) GPS enabled in-vehicle navigation systems
(ii) Dynamic road message signs for real-time communication of information on traffic congestions, bottlenecks,
accidents and alternate route information during road closures and maintenance
(iii) Website to provide a colour-coded network map showing congestion levels on highways (congestion index)

A typical ATIS consists of couple of information collection and processing centres and an information service
provider. The information collection and processing centre linked by a combination of wireless and wireline
technologies to an automatic vehicle location sensor system and passenger counters that provide an accurate location
of each bus and train in the fleet and volumes of passengers boarding and alighting. This data is processed at the
transit management centre and compared to a database of scheduled times and locations. The centre also has voice and
data communication links to every vehicle to support the transmission of new routes and instructions to vehicle
drivers. The centre is also connected to a range of information kiosks at strategic locations, such as bus stations,
railway stations, and other public places, enabling current travel information to be delivered to these locations. The
centre can send information to the users directly on their smart phone, navigation tools, etc. The conceptual ATIS for a
typical system is shown in Figure below

ATIS concept for a typical system.

ADVANCE VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEMS (AVCS)
AVCS are tools and concepts that enhance the driver's control of the vehicle to make travel safer and more efficient.
For example, in-vehicle collision warning systems warns the driver to a possible imminent collision. In advanced
AVCS applications, the vehicle could automatically apply brakes or steer away from a collision, based on
information/detection from sensors on the vehicle. Both systems are independent to the vehicle and are able to provide
substantial benefits by improving safety and reducing accident induced congestion. The installation of advanced
gadgets and processors in vehicles allow incorporation of software applications and artificial intelligence systems that
control internal operations, ubiquitous computing, and other programs designed to be integrated into a greater
transportation system.

ADVANCE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM (APTS)

APTS applies state-of-art transportation management and information technologies to public transit systems to
enhance efficiency and effectiveness of operation and improve safety of public transit. It includes real-time passenger
information (RTPI) systems, automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems, bus arrival notification systems, and systems
providing priority of passage to buses at signalised intersections (transit signal priority)

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE OPERATION (CVO)

CVO involves application of the technology of advanced traffic management system (ATMS), advanced traveller
information system (ATIS) and advanced vehicle control and safety system (AVCSS) in commercial vehicle operation
such as trucks, buses, taxis and ambulances in order to improve efficiency, safety and fleet operations. The system
mainly includes automatic vehicle monitoring, fleet management, computer scheduling and electronic payment.
The main emphasis of CVO is on the specialised operations involving long-distance heavy truck transport. Some of
the main elements of CVO are weigh-in-motion, automatic vehicle identification (AVI), and automated electronic
clearance.
Weigh-in-motion technology allows the trucks to be weighed while in motion without stopping, thus saving time and
energy. AVI facilitates automatic identification of vehicles thus help in tracking and monitoring of the vehicle. In an
automated electronic clearance system, once a truck has been cleared at the first weigh station after weighment, the
data is sent to the next weight stations, where the truck is identified automatically through AVI equipment, and the
truck can bypass the next weigh stations. The commercial and public fleet operators automatic use vehicle location
(AVL) systems to instantly know the location of any vehicle in order to monitor their fleet more efficiently.
There are number of ITS applications available to assist drivers and fleet operators in the operations of
commercial freight transport, covering both long distance freight haulage and urban goods deliveries. ITS applications
can increase the efficiency and reliability of operations, and also improve the level of safety.
Some of the examples of ITS applications for CVO are as follows:
a) Scheduling and 'matching' of vehicles, loads and drivers and the automatic generation of trip reports.
b) Optimal routing for both normal and 'abnormal' transport, such as oversized vehicles or hazardous goods.
c) Monitoring of vehicle operations related to safety, with on-board data storage for response to roadside
interrogations.
d) Monitoring, tracking and tracing of commercial vehicles, containers or loads throughout their journey,
together with the monitoring of their physical status, e.g., for food or dangerous goods and making available
real-time information to customers about their consignment.
e) Digitisation and automation of the commercial and regulatory documentation that accompanies commercial
vehicles and goods.
f) Provision of the facility of an "office in the cab" for vehicle owner/drivers.
g) Weigh-in-Motion (WiM) technology mitigates the likelihood of accidents, protects road against damage and
ensures fair competition among carriers.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
In countries like India, where there are number of accidents occurring on roads on daily basis and lakhs of people die
throughout the year, there is a need of emergency support systems on corridors for the provision of timely support to
the road users involved in accidents.
Emergency management services are generally arranged by traffic control centres that continually monitor roadway
conditions. Emergency management user service is essentially required to improve the management and response to
emergency situations of police, fire and rescue operations. In case of an accident, the nearest emergency service
vehicle is electronically located from the system and dispatched to the site. The traffic control centre then alerts other
drivers in the incident area through dynamic message signs. These services help in reducing the response time,
reducing the possibility of the occurrence of secondary incidents and save lives.
ITS applications in emergency management also consist of management of hazardous materials movement, the
deployment of emergency medical services, and large and small-scale emergency response and evacuation operations.
These applications can enhance the efficiency of transportation capacity during emergencies, improve productivity for
hazardous material (HAZMAT) shipping operations, and increase overall traveller safety and security.

The US Department of Transport (DOT) agency have bundled different individual ITS user services into groups. The
emergency management (user services bundle) user services include:
a) Emergency notification and personal security
b) Hazardous material planning and incident response
c) Disaster response and management
d) Emergency vehicle management

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT
Incident management is a corresponding user service of advanced traffic management system (ATMS). The incident
management activities are closely linked to emergency management, i.e., to reduce the accidents and their severity.
The following ITS services are recommended for an effective incident management system:
a) Identification of location of accidents (video survey) and vehicle tracking
b) Emergency telephones and call-boxes
c) First-aid systems
d) Real-time motorist information
e) Variable message signs
f) Highway advisory radio, video text, and TV systems

An incident management plan (IMP) is prepared for expressways and also for city roads. These plans also include the
installation of variable message sign (VMS) boards at certain intervals to display real-time information to the road
users and to avoid any mishaps to the extent possible. Implementation of various levels of traffic management plans
for incident management incorporate strategic use of VMS.
The emergency communication system is essential for any kind of toll way to detect incidents as they occur.
Emergency telephones are installed along the side of expressways at an average interval of 1 km with conspicuous
signage regarding their availability. These emergency telephones are interfaced between drivers and personnel of
traffic control centre. These phones are indispensable equipment to collect information from drivers regarding any
incidents.
Mobile stations are installed in patrol cars and other vehicles operated by the expressway operator to keep a watch on
the operation of expressway. These stations are connected to traffic control centre or operational offices to facilitate
traffic and expressway management work. Periodical and emergency patrols are performed to grasp traffic and road
conditions. When an obstruction like a fallen object is detected, the patrol personnel dispose it appropriately and
promptly to avoid any mishap. The patrolling is carried out after about every two hours depending on the traffic
volume. e-Calling is also being deployed as another emerging response system to inform the control centre when there
are any accident happens.

URBAN ROAD SAFETY

Road safety is a multi-disciplinary multi-sector issue which is being recognised as a major socio economic concern.
Urban road safety refers to measures for mitigating the risk of a person using the road network being involved in an
accident causing death or injury. The road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and passengers of public
transport mainly buses. A large number of accidents are result of human error caused by vehicle drivers or careless on
part of pedestrians. The objectives of road safety strategies are the reduction in the occurrence of an accident and the
prevention of serious injury and fatalities.
The increasing number of road fatalities indicates the need of improvements required to enhance the safe design and
construction of roads. Road safety is an issue of immense socio economic importance for human being as it affects
people both socially and economically. An urban road safety audit is essential which focuses on reducing the number
and severity of road accidents within the context of development and transport goals of local authority.
Road safety in urban areas must focus on improving urban road design so as to reduce fatalities and injuries to
vulnerable road users. The safe movement of pedestrians and non-motorised transport users shall be given priority
over other road users. The road safety audit shall be carried out for urban roads aimed at improving the planning,
design and construction of road and operation traffic of an existing road. Further, there is an urgent need for proper
recording, collection and handling of data on accidents, which would help in creating database for policy planning.
ITS components which are being deployed for road safety are as follows:
a) CCTV cameras
b) Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras
c) Speed detection cameras
d) e-challaning
e) Variable message sign boards
f) e-calling
g) Red light violation detection system
h) Intelligent signalling system, etc.

These ITS components along with others not only help in smooth flow of traffic but also provide safety and security to
the road user. The system keeps informing the road users about the real-time information on the routes, which further
helps to increase the efficiency of flow of traffic.

ITS FOR INTERMODAL FREIGHT TRANSPORT

Intermodal freight transport refers to use of two or more modes to move a shipment from origin to destination. An
intermodal movement consists of the physical infrastructure, goods movement and transfer, and information drivers
and capabilities under a single freight bill.
There has been significant growth in intermodal freight transport especially container movement thanks to opening of
markets and globalisation. This unprecedented growth in freight transport has outpaced the capacity generation and
resulted into severe congestion across different modes, i.e., road, rail, sea or airways. Sharing information about
congestion and operations across the intermodal freight system is critical to regain capacity and reliability. Successful,
intermodal freight movement requires that all of the transportation components functions as part of a large system
rather than a series of interfaces. Information technology is changing the intermodal freight industry by enabling it to
integrate operations across the supply chain. Advanced communication and information systems and ITS enable real-
time information on intermodal freight operations and congestion on the physical transportation system.
The most preferred ITS application in the field of Intermodal freight are presented as follows:
Tracing of shipment and information systems
These systems are used to track the shipment from end to end on real-time basis to ensure visibility, reliability and
security of the shipment. The integrated supply chain management system links suppliers, manufacturers, carriers,
retailers and end customers.
Inventory and stowage management systems
It manages and tracks the movement of containers and trailers within port, rail and truck terminals and their placement
aboard ships. These node based asset management systems are deployed to optimise the use of space in terminals;
manage the stacking of containers of different sizes; make effective use of labour and equipment repair and
maintenance. These systems use optimisation or expert system software and automatic equipment identification (AEI)
tags. The systems are generally linked to booking and gate clearance system.
Asset location and management system (ALMS)
ALMS dispatches, locates and tracks a vehicle or container. The link-based route and fleet management systems are
being used to estimate time of arrival, optimise equipment use, and improve safety and reliability. The trans-receivers
and AEI technologies such as GPS, cellular telephone, wireless radio tags are used. On-board computers and sensors
are also used to monitor vehicle and cargo conditions.
Traveller information system
It provides real-time information about highway congestion, road closure, incidents or accidents. The system deploys
variable message signs, CCTVs, probe systems, highway advisory radio, Internet or mobile applications. These
systems focus on the trip and serve the needs of drivers to decide about route and time of travel. These systems are
linked to central traffic management systems.
Toll collection system
It allows electronic collection of toll for highway, bridge, tunnels, etc. The system helps to enhance the throughput,
minimise queuing and delays, improve travel time, reduce fuel consumption, minimise congestion and risk of
accidents at toll collection points. The system uses RFID technology. The payable toll is automatically deducted from
a prepaid smart card the moment vehicles passes through the toll point.
Traffic management system (TMS)
The TMS is deployed to improve the management, operation and safety of traffic on roads and railways. Advanced
traffic management systems and traffic operations centres are used to improve the flow of traffic, reduce congestion
and improve the safety of road and rail operations. The systems use traffic monitoring sensors (vehicle detection
loops, CCTV cameras, traffic control devices (traffic responsive and traffic adaptive systems, traffic signal systems,
ramp metering) and transportation network models.
SUMMARY
With increase in vehicular traffic in cities, the condition of traffic is worsening day-by-day. The traffic jams, severe
congestion, pollution and accidents have become part of daily life of city dwellers. The application of intelligent
transport system holds the key to reduce the ill effects of traffic problems. A number of ITS tools are available and are
increasingly developed to address the traffic problems. The city transport planner’s need to devise comprehensive
traffic management plan of the city involving required ITS tools as per their city and implement the same in phased
manner. The phase I may involve adoption of intelligent signals. Area traffic control may be progressively enhanced
to most modern integrated advanced traffic management systems encompassing all services related to urban transport
system in the city. The advanced public transport system, commercial vehicle operation for urban freight, emergency
management systems and incident management systems shall be made part of the city traffic management plan. Last
but not the least; the traffic management plan shall also focus on ensuring the urban road safety especially for
vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclist, etc.

QUESTIONS
1) What do you understand by traffic management system? Why is it important for managing traffic in a
city?
2) What are different ITS tools which can be used for traffic management system in a city?
3) What are different phases of deployment of ITS for traffic management system in a city? Why it is
important to develop traffic management system in a city in phased manner?
4) Describe proposed systems, area to be covered and system architecture for phase I of development of
traffic management system in a city.
5) Describe proposed systems, area to be covered and system architecture for phase II of development of
traffic management system in a city.
6) Describe proposed systems, area to be covered and system architecture for phase III of development of
traffic management system in a city.
7) Describe proposed systems, area to be covered and system architecture for phase IV of development of
traffic management system in a city.
8) Describe proposed systems, area to be covered and system architecture for phase V of development of
traffic management system in a city.
9) Explain various functionalities of traffic management control with diagram.
10) Write short notes on:
a) Advanced traffic management system
b) Advance traveller information system
c) Advance vehicle control systems
d) Advance public transport system
e) Commercial vehicle operation
11) What do you understand by incident management and how ITS can help in effective incident
management?