What is “Intelligent Transportation Systems” (ITS)?
There are many definitions of ITS. To say that there is one true definition would be a very
difficult thing to do. Pick up a
textbook, read an article in a magazine, read Congressional language on the
subject of ITS and you’ll find as many different definitions as there are
those trying to define it.
ITS can best be described as a ‘concept’ -
a concept that includes the idea of utilizing technology and applying it in the
field of transportation. That can
include communications, sensors, information processing, controls, and other
technology-based strategies to facilitate the movement of people, goods, and
information to save time, lives and money.
We know – that sounds like a mouthful and that’s because it is.
ITS strategies are used for toll roads, the movement of freight
(trucking, railroads, marine, and air), public transportation, intermodalism,
'smarter' vehicles on the roadway, weather and traffic information, emergency
medical services, electronic payment systems, internet applications, cellular
phone systems, and just about anything else you can imagine that can involve
transportation. ITS America has a
webpage that can help describe ITS for you.
Feel free to see for yourself at http://www.itsa.org/whatits.html
ITS Guiding Principles
Because
ITS is so very broad, E-Squared Engineering
and many other leaders in the field have worked hard to develop ITS
Guiding Principles to help guide the Federal, Regional, State and
Local government, system integrators, vendors, and other deployers of ITS
as well as the general public.
Feel free to look at this collection of ITS
Guiding Principles and if you have any questions, send us an email.
If we can’t answer your questions, we’ll tell you who can.
*Operations Center photo courtesy of U.S. Dept. of
Transportation Federal Highway Administration
