IN-TIME to Streamline Travel and Logistics across Europe

An EU-funded project, the IN-TIME (Intelligent and efficient travel management for European cities) is expected to primarily reduce delivery and distribution costs to firms, and will allow people to find best way to reach their desired destinations more efficiently. The first phase of the Euro 2.9mn project will be rolled out soon to six European cities - Brno (Czech Republic), Bucharest (Romania), Florence (Italy), Munich (Germany), Oslo (Norway) and Vienna (Austria).

The goal of IN-TIME is to encourage individuals to change the way they travel by providing them with interoperable multimodal Real Time Traffic and Travel Information (RTTI) services. The business-to-business services will provide European Traffic Information Services Providers (TISPs) with access to regional traffic and travel data.

According to Balkan Business News, the whole new process will enable the TISPs to provide users with RTTI services via their mobile phones or navigational devices. Thus the information provided via these services should alert users to choose the best route, to act to reduce energy consumption, cost, congestion and pollution as well.

The system will access a wide range of information, including public transport timetables, real time public transport information and news on accidents, road works and deviations, among other things. The IN-TIME which has a web-based service will also allow people planning an urban trip to work out the best way of getting from A to B. Another notable feature of the 18 month-long project is that, if it is successful - will make roads safer by reducing the stress drivers experience when sitting in a traffic jam or in stop-and-go traffic.

The project co-ordinator Martin Boehm of the Vienna-based group AustriaTech told that “This service could not only enhance the user’s comfort in travelling, but also help to achieve goals like CO2 [carbon dioxide] reduction or the better use of capacity in transport in urban areas.” He added it would also help in creating a number of jobs in the telematics industry, and would highlight Europe’s place as a world leader in the area of intermodal traveller information systems.

By Jose Roy