Overview
A functioning traffic management system depends on the most complete knowledge possible of the current and future traffic situation. A complete spatial and temporal automatic registration of traffic flows may be desirable but due to technical and economic reasons not always possible. After the introduction of intermodal transport control systems (ITCS) and passenger information systems, transport companies face the problem that reliable delay forecasts for public transport also need to take into account the traffic situation of the motorized private transport.
In the German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, a comprehensive traffic situation is implemented, which predominantly is based on stationary detectors and network models for the completion of data as well as floating car data (FCD). As this approach does not exist in many cities, it is fruitful for transport companies to deploy own resources to achieve an overview of the traffic situation.
The overall aim of the project was the development and examination of a sensor module in trials for the mobile traffic data collection. Besides, an improvement of passenger information and internal incident management based on the obtained traffic situation data was targeted.
The sensor module that met the technical necessities was permanently and elegantly connected to a bus of the Magdeburger Verkehrsbetriebe. The sensor module receives the own geographic position and speed via the on-board computer, which is equipped with a GPS receiver and a GPRS modem, but also transmits the registered vehicles of the oncoming traffic to the central.
Funding
Results
Based on the individual report, the travel speed and time were calculated by the central on the travelled on route. The ITCS of the Magedburger Verkehrsbetriebe, which determines the departure times based on active vehicle messages deploying marks, was enabled to additionally process floating car observer-based traffic situation information. The Magdeburger Verkehrsbetriebe are enabled to forecast the departure times of their vehicles during traffic and traffic jams much more exact than before. The information is on the one side used for dynamic passenger information for example via display panels, SMS-information services and the personalized information service PIEPSER. On the other side, improvements of internal incident management are possible. So far, the developed floating car observer-module was integrated in one bus. If the use of the system is confirmed in daily service, further local public transport vehicles will be equipped with this module.
Findings of the study are published in detail by a final report (German only) which is available online via https://www.tib.eu/suchen/id/TIBKAT%3A618966595/Verbesserte-Datenerfassung-durch-Analyse-des-Gegenverkehrs/?tx_tibsearch_search%5Bsearchspace%5D=tn