On April 20, 2011, I had the opportunity and privilege to participate in a public policy forum concerning Integrated Transportation Management Systems (ITMS) in Delaware. The forum brought together various public stakeholders to discuss the current state of ITMS in Delaware and to determine how ITMS strategies and technologies can best benefit Delaware residents.
A key part of the forum was a presentation by Gene Donaldson who directs Delaware’s Transportation Management Center in Smyrna, Delaware. Mr. Donaldson’s presentation explored the current state of the transportation management system in Delaware. His presentation included copious amounts of information concerning traffic recorders, automatic vehicle locators, highway speed E-Z Pass lanes and computerized signal timing. The subject matter was a transportation nerd’s dream. Although extremely interesting content (to me at least), for the sake of this blog and its reader(s), I will only discuss the Social Media Aspect of the system.
In his presentation, Mr. Donaldson repeatedly stated that the main objective of Delaware’s ITMS initiatives was to provide information to Delaware’s transportation system users in as many ways as possible. For example, Mr. Donaldson explained that Delaware owns an AM Radio State to disseminate traffic and road construction information. In the next two years, this information will also be available through a voice activated phone number so that traffic information data can be accessed for specific areas. This is just the “tip of the iceberg”.
Mr. Donaldson also discussed the importance of smart phones and social media in providing traffic information to transportation system users. Currently, DelDOT is developing an “App” for smartphones and tablets to access real time information. For GPS enabled phones, the data transferred to your mobile device will be ‘tailored’ to your current position.
Another branch of the Transportation Management Center’s data dissemination effort is the use of Facebook and Twitter. Facebook Friends of DelDOT and DelDOT Twitter Followers have access to the most current traffic and road construction information available. This is already in “up-and-running”.
The efforts of DelDOT and the Transportation Management Center result in one overarching goal: to get traffic information out to as many people as quickly, as up to date and as accurately as possible. By disseminating this information, transportation system users will be able to make more informed choices in the route and the timing of their travels to decrease the risk of being delayed by traffic. Technology, especially social media technologies like Twitter and Facebook, is the tool for meeting this goal and creating a more efficient and effect transportation system for all.
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