Intelligent Transport System

First of all we should know

• What is Intelligent Transport System?
• Why ITS
• Modes of ITS
• ITS in India

What is Intelligent Transport System?


Intelligent transport system comprises of broad range of diverse technologies which makes use of the latest IT applications and communication techniques to monitor real time traffic information in order to optimize the existing infrastructure, safe mobilization of vehicles and realizing innovative solutions for existing traffic and transport problems. It incorporates not only advanced safety and crash prevention technologies, but it also has an environmental component.


Why ITS?

• Due to increase in motorization, urbanization, population, and changes in population density; traffic congestion has been increased worldwide which consequently is responsible for the reduction in efficiency of transportation infrastructure and hence it increases air pollution, fuel consumption, travel time. Therefore a system is needed which can minimize the real time transportation problems.

• As the industrial economy replaced the agricultural economy,  leading the population to move from rural locations into urban centers. At the same time, motorization was causing cities to expand because motorized transportation could not support the population density that the existing mass transit systems could.

• In the developing world, the migration of people from rural to urbanized habitats has progressed differently. Many areas of the developing world have urbanized without significant motorization and the formation of suburbs.

• Hence a synergy of new information technology is needed for simulation, real-time control, and communications networks which is ITS.

Modes of ITS

1. Wireless communications
2. Floating Car data
3. Sensing technologies
4. Inductive loop detection
5. Video vehicle detection

ITS in INDIA- Mysore


Mysore soon will be having India’s first Intelligent transport system which is an initiative by world bank and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation under Global environment fund (GEF) and Sustainable urban transport programme (SUTP).


The project aims to make public transport system a part of urban citizen lives by bringing a synergetic transformation in the commuter experience, through a convergence of technologies. ITS provides benefits in terms of Reduce waiting time and uncertainty, Increase the accessibility of the system, Increase the safety of users, Reduce the fuel consumption and emissions, Reduce the operational costs, Improve traffic efficiency, Reduce traffic congestion, Improve environmental quality and energy  efficiency, Improve economic productivity.


The proposed ITS project implementation will include core components such as: Vehicle Tracking System, Real Time Passenger Information System and Central Control Station. Core technologies include Geographical Positioning System (GPS), Electronic Display Systems, and Information & Communication Technologies.


Ethanol blended diesel (e-diesel): Ethanol blended diesel (e-diesel) is a cleaner burning alternative to regular diesel for heavy-duty (HD) compression ignition (CI) engines used in buses. The introduction of use of alternative fuel such as E-diesel for the fleet of Karnataka SRTC buses plying in Mysore region would certainly result in fewer emissions. Use of renewable fuel (Ethanol) will also help to reduce fossil energy consumption and achieve the energy savings.


The 20 crore project has a wide scope of implementation which will consist of design, development, testing, installation, commissioning, training, operations, and management of facilities. It is taken up by United Nations Development Programme and is aided by multi-lateral agencies or World Bank. In Asia, the project is co-ordinated by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. At stage one, 500 buses, including air-conditioned vehicles will be fitted with GPS system, and will be controlled by a central monitoring station. Some 105 employees at the Mysore KSRTC branch will be trained to operate the system that will provide real-time information on the arrival and departure of the buses.


Six terminals and 45 platforms will be fitted with digital display boards where the real-time information on arrival and departure of the buses will be displayed for commuters. Passengers will also receive text messages on their mobile phones on the real-time locations of buses. This will be done at random by taking numbers from individual telecom service providers. To begin with, KSRTC will conduct a workshop related to SUTP and training for personnel on September 21 in Mysore.

The Global position system (GPS) mounted as part of the Vehicle Mounted Unit in the bus will receive the longitude and latitude coordinates from the Satellite through a process of triangulation. This information is then sent across to the Central Control station through the wireless communication link – GSM / GPRS. The application at the Central control station on receiving the position inputs will update the display boards at the bus shelters / stops enroute and at the bus terminal platform display panel and the general display panel at the related bus terminals.


The Passenger Information system will be driven by the following core sub-systems

• Central Control Station
• Automatic Vehicle Location sub-system
• Information Display sub-system

Specific Passenger information shall be displayed through appropriate Display system units fitted inside buses, Bus Stops and BUS Terminals integrated with the communication network and instant information access through the web.
courtesy :  http://www.ksrtc.in/site/sites/all/themes/ksrtc/pdf/DPR-ITS.pdf