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| Advanced incident reporting High-tech methods for discovering when crashes, heavy congestion or other conditions such as bad weather interfere with our ability to travel. | Advanced traffic management system An assortment of high-tech tools that rapidly identify traffic problems, quickly clear those problems and then notify the public about their options. | Advanced traveler information system A high-tech system used to announce traffic conditions to motorists and travelers. This concept includes a number of new tools that monitor traffic flow and then automatically inform motorists about traffic problems. The messages are delivered to motorists by dynamic message signs, radio stations, pagers, the internet, etc. |
| Automatic vehicle location Electronic devices that enable an organization always to know the locations of its vehicles as they travel around their community. | Automatic vehicle identification Electronic devices that can be used to recognize specific vehicles as they pass other devices known as "readers." These devices can be used for many purposes such as automatic toll collection, parking lot access, fleet management, etc. | Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras Closed-circuit televisions have been used for years in buildings for security purposes. They are now being used along highways to watch for crashes and other conditions causing traffic to slow down. This awareness of traffic conditions can be extremely helpful in clearing these incidents and for informing the public so they can take alternate routes. |
| Collision avoidance systems Anti-crash devices that are usually built into our vehicles. These include devices that can sense the presence of nearby vehicles and obstacles and then either alert the driver of the problem or automatically take over partial control of the vehicle to avoid a crash. | Commercial vehicle operations Shipping operations, hauling services. This includes any commercial method of transportation that moves people, goods or services. Trucks represent a very large part of the traffic on the road and they present special problems for safety and efficiency. New strategies for dealing with trucks will help prevent crashes and lower the costs of shipping. This will result in lower costs for the consumer. | Deployment Start, initiate or begin. This term is often used to describe the process of placing these new tools into widespread use. It simply means that we are getting some new tools up and running once research and development is complete. |
| Electronic toll collection This term refers to a variety of methods used to collect payment on toll roads. To have tollbooths and human toll collectors is costly, dangerous and causes delay on today's high-volume roadways. Electronic devices can collect the tolls automatically, without having to interrupt motorists as they travel. | Fiber optics Information can now be transmitted over cables using very fine glass fibers instead of electric wires. These new cables offer many advantages. In particular, it is possible to send video images easily, making them ideal for connecting CCTV equipment to our traffic management centers. | Global positioning systems (GPS) Location devices. These portable devices use satellites to pinpoint a vehicle's location anywhere. This peacetime use of technology, originally developed for the military, enables many people to locate and measure a wide variety of objects such as property corners, disabled motorists, accident diagrams, etc. The GPS also provides a very convenient method for equipment to synchronize clocks automatically. This is important for many electronic processes that operate at very high speeds. |
| In-vehicle navigation displays Traveler guidance systems. These units are installed in our vehicles to provide turn-by-turn directions to motorists as they travel to a destination. | Incident management/incident response People who take aggressive action when traffic flow is interrupted by crashes or obstructions. Their purpose is to get traffic moving again as quickly as possible. | Integrated transit systems Cooperative mass transit. Special new tools that guarantee travelers can make connections to other forms of transportation like buses, commuter rail lines, aircraft, etc. These systems also provide current information so that travelers can plan their travel options even before they make their trips. |
| Interjurisdictional This simply means that different agencies are cooperating with each other to solve common problems by sharing information and resources. | Integrated This term is often misleading. It means that different processes (or procedures) are redesigned so that they work together. Sometimes this means a major change is needed in the way some people go about their activities so that efforts are not duplicated. | Interoperability Universal compatibility. This term refers to standard design features that make equipment and software from one manufacturer operate well when connected to equipment from another supplier. For example, televisions and VCRs work together regardless of which brand you own. |
| Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) This term covers any technology used to improve the way we move people and goods on our roads and rail lines. | ITS applications High-tech tools. These new devices and software are "applied" to solve all sorts of transportation problems. This term refers to the process of solving transportation problems by using new (and sometimes not so new) technologies in many different ways. | Location referencing systems High-tech mapping systems. These are special tools that enable computers to draw maps and pinpoint vehicles and other features accurately. Time and money are saved when different agencies share the same location referencing systems. |
| Multimodal traveler information systems Universal traveler information system. Ways to get information such as travel times for cars, bus schedules and current arrival and departure times for mass transit to the public. The basic idea is that many different means of travel can be used, and travelers will take advantage of these options (such as buses, transit, etc) if they can have up-to-the-minute information. | Protocol This has nothing to do with international relations. Protocol refers to a very specific "language" that computers must use to communicate with each other. The output from one manufacturer's device must match the protocol of the input from another manufacturer's device if they are to work together. | Ramp metering This refers to the modified traffic signals on certain entrance ramps to interstate highways. They only have a red and a green indication and change every few seconds. Their purpose is to control the rate that traffic merges on the interstate. When designed properly, these devices can actually increase the amount of traffic that flows down the interstate. |
| Real time Current, up-to-the-minute. This term refers to very current information that is usually produced electronically. It is necessary that certain information be refreshed every few minutes for many of today's needs. | Seamless This term simply means that community borders should not become barriers. In other words a motorist should be able to get information about travel options regardless of where they are. | Surveillance Traffic flow monitoring. This term refers to a variety of devices (such as cameras, sensors, etc) that can produce important information about current traffic flow. Many decisions are then based on this information (requests for help, changes to traffic signals, messages to motorists, etc). |
| System architecture Standardized ITS plans that make equipment universally compatible. Since there are so many new ITS tools being put into service, it is important that the people who are building these systems cooperate with each other and share information so that the tools will work together. An "architecture" provides the guidelines for these developers to make their products interchangeable. | Traffic management center A traffic management center is an office or facility that houses special equipment and personnel that monitor traffic conditions and then take action whenever traffic problems occur. | Traffic management systems High-tech tools that improve traffic flow. This is a group of tools working together to monitor traffic flow, to intervene when traffic slows down, and to give current traffic information to motorists. |
| Traffic signal integration Synchronizing traffic signals. When traffic problems occur on freeways, the local streets nearby often get overloaded. New ITS tools can adjust the traffic signals on the local streets to improve traffic flow. | Vehicle transponder systems Vehicle to roadside communication devices -- special devices in vehicles that can be used to communicate information to other devices along the roadside. They can be used for automated toll collection, monitoring traffic congestion, opening and closing gates, reporting engine conditions and a lot more. |
ITS America has a definitive list of Real Time Traffic Congestion Maps
An Electronic Data Library, including downloadable ITS documents is available at the U.S. Department of Transportation's ITS Website
To get information of the Benefits/Costs of ITS, Click Here
ITS Planning reports and other information are available from the Federal Highway Administration