The article presents the USA's largest traffic reporting service, Metro Traffic Control, which is estimated to reach 100 million people every day. It argues that the operation's expertise, in gathering, editing and disseminating travel information, puts it in an exceptionally good position to partner public sector operation of traffic control centres. Metro is already involved in some of the largest operational tests of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the USA, and sees a greater role for the private sector in providing the 'big picture' to travellers. During the last 18 years, Metro has been developing, implementing, and perfecting ways of gathering and disseminating traffic and mobility information. Its ability to collect data, turn it into information, and disseminate and market the information, could be beneficial to state Departments of Transportation (DOTs), and enable them to serve the public cost-effectively. Its privately collected information will supplement information provided by public agencies to traveller information centres (TICs). It has already been involved in the following ITS field operational tests: (1) the SWIFT (Seattle Wide-Area Information for Travellers); and (2) DIRECT (Driver Information Radio Experimenting with Communications Technology). It will participate in the Atlanta Showcase technology demonstration project in Summer 1996.
Abstract