Caltrans D6 Public Information Office - Information Service Provider Functionality
Subsystem Description
The Information Service Provider Subsystem (ISPS) collects, processes, stores, and disseminates transportation information to system operators and the traveling public. The subsystem can play several different roles in an integrated ITS. In one role, the ISP provides a data collection, fusing, and repackaging function, collecting information from transportation system operators and redistributing this information to other system operators in the region and other ISPs. In this information redistribution role, the ISP provides a bridge between the various transportation systems that produce the information and the other ISPs and their subscribers that use the information. The second role of an ISP is focused on delivery of traveler information to subscribers and the public at large. Information provided includes basic advisories, traffic and road conditions, transit schedule information, yellow pages information, ridematching information, and parking information. The subsystem also provides the capability to provide specific directions to travelers by receiving origin and destination requests from travelers, generating route plans, and returning the calculated plans to the users. In addition to general route planning for travelers, the ISP also supports specialized route planning for vehicle fleets. In this third role, the ISP function may be dedicated to, or even embedded within, the dispatch system. Reservation services are also provided in advanced implementations. The information is provided to the traveler through the Personal Information Access Subsystem, Remote Traveler Support Subsystem, and the Vehicle Subsystem through available communications links. Both basic one-way (broadcast) and personalized two-way information provision are supported. The ISP is most commonly implemented as an Internet web site, but it represents any traveler information distribution service including systems that broadcast digital transportation data (e.g., satellite radio networks) and systems that support distribution through Field-Vehicle Communications networks. The ISP accomplishes these roles using constantly evolving technologies like the Internet (World Wide Web pages), direct broadcast communications (email alerts, pagers, satellite radio network data broadcasts), communications through Field-Vehicle Communications networks, etc.
Functional Area: Basic Information Broadcast
Broadcast dissemination of traffic, transit, maintenance and construction, event, and weather information to traveler interface systems and vehicles.
| ID | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The center shall disseminate traffic and highway condition information to travelers, including incident information, detours and road closures, event information, recommended routes, and current speeds on specific routes. | Planned |
| 4 | The center shall disseminate parking information to travelers, including location, availability, and fees. | Planned |
| 8 | The center shall disseminate air quality information to travelers. | Planned |
| 9 | The center shall provide the capability to support requests from the media for traffic and incident data. | Planned |
| 10 | The center shall provide the capability for a system operator to control the type and update frequency of broadcast traveler information. | Planned |
Functional Area: ISP Emergency Traveler Information
Distribution of emergency information to the traveling public, including evacuation information and wide-area alerts.
| ID | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The center shall disseminate emergency evacuation information to the traveler interface systems, including evacuation zones, shelter information, available transportation modes, road closures and detours, changes to transit services, and traffic and road conditions at the origin, destination, and along the evacuation routes. | Planned |
| 2 | The center shall provide evacuation information to shelter providers. | Planned |
| 3 | The center shall disseminate wide-area alert information to the traveler interface systems, including major emergencies such as a natural or man-made disaster, civil emergency, child abductions, severe weather watches and warnings, military activities, and law enforcement warnings. | Planned |
Functional Area: ISP Traveler Data Collection
Collects traveler information from other centers, consolidates and refines the collected data, and makes this data available to traveler information applications.
Functional Area: Traveler Telephone Information
Distribution of traveler information and wide-area alerts to traveler telephone information systems such as 511, based on voice-based traveler requests.