Program Background and Goals

Background

The 1980s and 1990s saw rapid advancements in the development of information and communication technologies. During this period, many public transportation agencies have been employing certain of these technologies to improve the services they offer. Automated vehicle location and monitoring, geographic information systems, and computerized dispatching were some of the earliest applications of advanced technologies. Yet, the greatest opportunities for public transportation enhancement through advanced technologies continue to unfold in the 21 st century as the private sector development of these technologies accelerates, and the awareness and level of deployment across the country grows at an unprecedented pace.

Through research, field operational tests, evaluations, and technology transfer and outreach, the mission of the ITS Transit Program is to Enhance the ability of the nation’s public transportation systems to provide customer focused, seamless, responsive, and efficient end-to-end mobility for all by leading the innovative development and application of ITS technologies through research, operational tests/deployments, evaluation, training, and outreach in coordination and cooperation with the transit industry.

Program Goals

The primary goals of the ITS Transit Program include:

• Support overall USDOT and FTA goals
  • Safety: Enhance public health and safety by working toward the elimination of transportation related deaths and injuries
  • Mobility: Increase the ability of all to travel by public transportation quickly, reliably, and comfortably to their desired destinations and, and also when they would like to travel.
  • Efficiency: Provide efficient transportation services that make the most productive short and long-term use of Federal transit funds and overall transit resources.
  • Economic Growth & Trade: Facilitate a more efficient domestic and global transportation system that enables economic growth and development
  • Environmental Stewardship: Promote transportation solutions that enhance communities and protect the natural and man made environment.
  • Security: Provide a safe and secure transportation system that is prepared for and responds to emergencies and natural disasters, and that balances homeland and national security requirements with the mobility needs of the nation.
  • Organizational Excellence: Provide effective and efficient implementation, management, and oversight of the ITS Transit Program through quality people and processes.
• Resolve issues regarding the development, implementation, and operation ITS Transit systems and their Integration
• Deployment of increasingly integrated systems (from within a single agency/mode, to all transit modes, to the complete transportation system) in order to provide mobility and meet the transportation needs for all
• Remove the technological barriers to using ITS Transit to provide seamless reliable, integrated transit services and transportation systems in general
• Remove the institutional barriers to using ITS Transit to provide seamless reliable, integrated transit services and transportation systems in general