Development of a transportation data processing system for Metropolitan Toronto

A prototype of the Metropolitan Toronto Transportation Information Production System (MTIPS) is under development. MTIPS is a real time data collection, processing, and dissemination system which can provide timely information on transit and traffic conditions. Data from Toronto Transit Commission´s Communications and Information System permit automated, continuous monitoring of bus location and estimation of general traffic conditions in real time. The ministry´s Freeway Traffic Management System provides spot speed data which are converted to link travel times. The SCOOT project and other traffic detectors will be used to generate volume and saturation flow data on arterial roads. These data are processed using a formal control systems formulation for modeling and prediction of traffic flows. The estimated car and bus travel times and traffic events are stored and organized in a database for dissemination to various users using standard traffic message formats. MTIPS provides a real time traffic information base for low cost route guidance and travel information devices.