Skip to main content

New report: technology is a game changer

For decades, planners and engineers have gathered traffic data using expensive, time-consuming surveys and processes. A new AirSage white paper, "The Future of Transportation Studies: A Comparative Review" looks at the emerging trends that are transforming the transportation planning industry and examines traditional traffic data collection methods and new complementary technologies at the forefront of the transportation industry.
September 18, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
For decades, planners and engineers have gathered traffic data using expensive, time-consuming surveys and processes.

A new 6178 AirSage white paper, "The Future of Transportation Studies: A Comparative Review" looks at the emerging trends that are transforming the transportation planning industry and examines traditional traffic data collection methods and new complementary technologies at the forefront of the transportation industry.

The traditional methods of compiling origin-destination data, household travel surveys, vehicle intercept surveys and licence plate surveys, are being supplanted by new technologies such as Bluetooth or data from from cell phones, tablet computers and laptops.

Interest in the new technologies is being driven by constrained research/study budgets, says the report, as well as the fact that new technology can deliver larger, more accurate data samples much faster, making the data more current than most other methods.

Increasingly, public agencies and commercial clients are studying and using new strategies, especially cellular data, to supplement or replace traditional traffic study methods.

Bluetooth and license plate surveys eliminate some of the drawbacks of traditional survey methods. Both can cost less and be completed more quickly than household and vehicle intercept surveys. However, because both require expensive equipment, they share the same restriction of covering only a limited geographic area.

Cellular technology eliminates many of the drawbacks of traditional surveys, Bluetooth tech¬nology and license plate surveys. The technology is relatively low cost, data can be collected and analysed in just weeks, and the size and scope of a cellular traffic study are virtually unlim¬ited.

Based on preliminary findings, a household travel survey augmented by a cellular survey provides the richest pool of data, but the length of time to complete the study is long and costs (due to the household survey) are high. Cellular surveys, which provide unprec¬edented amounts of current and historical data at a relatively low cost, offer an effective and affordable alternative for regions of any size.

The full report is available here. (link %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal http://airsage.com/Contact-Us/White-Paper/ Airsage false http://airsage.com/Contact-Us/White-Paper/#sthash.YgugSkMz.dpuf false false%>)

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Capte keeps a close eye on vehicle health with AssetKeeper
    March 20, 2018
    Fleet management specialist Capte is at Intertraffic to showcase its AssetKeeper system which is designed to help operators of buses, trucks and heavy machinery to reduce operation and maintenance costs and to provide additional services to third parties. AssetKeeper is an integrated IOT solution that plugs onto the vehicle’s CAN-bus and combines hardware, software and connectivity to provide real-time information about fuel consumption, oil quality state, usage and idling statistics. It also connects
  • ERTICO-ITS Europe issues World Congress website warning
    July 11, 2018
    ERTICO-ITS Europe, organiser of September’s ITS World Congress in Copenhagen, has warned that an unofficial website could confuse potential delegates and suggests that people avoid it. The official site of the Congress is www.itsworldcongress.com, but a site exists with a similar domain - itsworldcongress2018.org – offering hotel bookings and travel information. In a statement, ERTICO said: “This website does not represent the ITS World Congress and is not affiliated with ERTICO – ITS Europe or any of t
  • TrafficCast launches new series of webinars throughout the year
    January 10, 2018
    TrafficCast (TC) has launched a new series of free online webinars to help its partners get the most out of their BlueToad systems by providing refresher courses for frequent users and an overview for new members utilizing the network. These sessions, starting this week, will cover a range of topics, subjects and features on BlueToad hardware and BlueArgus software. The first five courses TC is offering include an Introduction to BlueToads, BlueArgus, Devices, Pairs and Routes; Speed Maps, Standalone Maps
  • TomTom offers developers free access to their online APIs
    November 8, 2017
    TomTom (TT) has announced their revamped developer portal which includes enhancements to its product offerings and a pricing model aimed at small and medium sized business to integrate TT’s Online API into their applications. It allows users access to any of its APIs, together with full documentation, daily free allowances of 2,500 transactions, and sign-up is available at TT Maps API Developer Portal. The online API pricing model is aimed at supporting start-ups and allowing businesses to grow at their