Traffic information and some business models

In the era of ITS (intelligent transport systems), traffic information plays an important role in both urban location and travel choices. The e-business such as cyber shopping mall, location commerce, and mobile commerce will eventually make the traffic information more and more important and will be a good item to be treated as an object of business. This paper aims at an understanding the needs of traffic information and the emerging market opportunities for traditional transportation activities along with presentation of some business models. Worldwide, many ITS development and deployment programs deal with real-time traffic information that shows travel conditions on major freeways and arterials. These information services are viewed as key elements, necessary to the efficient management of urban traffic congestion. Although much emphasis has been placed on the improvement of traffic management systems with real-time traveler information, the effect of this on travelers and/or business is not well understood. These recent evolutions indicate that there are a growing number of private firms interested in traffic information technologies; a variety of dissemination methods have been explored, including radio and television broadcasts, changeable message signs and in-car devices. This suggests that the development of traffic information will provide business opportunities for new products and services in the traffic, information provision, traffic management and operations arenas. This paper focuses on some aspects of these emerging business opportunities: the technology trends having to do with the architecture of traffic management centers and the possibilities of integrating and disseminating traffic information to the end-user, and the activity of the industrial sector in designing, developing and deploying traveler information system with some business models initiated. Although this paper presents a comparative analysis of the current state of the art in advanced traveler information technology and its market potential, some issues including the traveler’s willingness to use traffic information services pre-trip and en-route should be addressed for further discussion.