ITS and their users: classification and behavior Chapter | 6 81exchanging their anonymity with increased safety or convenience and others
have no problem sacrificing control in return for improved safety and longer
travel.
The users of public transport, as well as people that choose multimodal
transfers perceive ITS as an undeniable asset. They acknowledge that ITS im-
prove information, reduce travel time, improve route frequency, and reliability.
Bus users are more interested on real-time information systems that provide ac-
curate waiting-time estimations that having additional buses in the route, which
are not consistent to their time schedule.
The benefits from ITS will disappear within a few years unless the indi-
vidual solutions are not implemented as part of a broader plan for transportation
change. The plan must combine restricted access areas for vehicles, varying
pricing and priority on public transport, and city center access, etc.
Where traffic congestion reaches its limits and the need for road construc-
tion is imperative, properly designed ITS can delay such needs for a few years.
The use of smart traffic signal control systems can improve travel times and
streamline traffic, thus postponing the need for road construction. When con-
ditions are right, the benefits from ITS that facilitate trip planning, automate
navigation, and improve the safety of vulnerable users are more than welcome
6.4 Impact of the development of ITS on transportation
professionals
Another group that can benefit from smart technology are the people that work
in transport services, including ITS designers or administrators. The use of ITSs
can significantly support their job and improve the final result. It can help them
design safer and more reliable routes and public transportation means, to reduce
the environmental impact from the use of private vehicles, to prioritize freight
transport, urban transport, pedestrians, or any other user group at a given mo-
ment. It also allows them to manage and monitor the road network and keep a
balance between the various stakeholders. The ITS professionals and designers
can match the competitive needs of the residents, visitors, or shop owners of an
area and at the same time protect the environment and provide safe and comfort-
able transport means to anyone.
ITS can help transportation planners, city administrative staff, and the gov-
ernment to optimize resources, plan ahead and better achieve their goals and
objectives. When the traffic management plan aims to optimize traffic flow,
then ITS can be used to maximize road capacity and reduce congestion. When
the goal is to reduce car usage, the combination of restricted access areas and an
ITS that provides transport alternatives and information on how to reduce travel
time by using multimodal transport can be the solution. When the objective is
to gain better insights on the usage of the road network and public transport ser-
vices, then ITS can be used to collect and process large amounts of data, draw
useful analytics, and make informed decisions.