Traffic​ ​Management​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Service​ ​(TMaaS.eu),​ ​an​ ​urban​ mobility​ ​project​ ​driven​ ​by the​ ​Mobiliteitsbedrijf​ ​of​ ​the​ ​City​ ​of​ ​Ghent,​ ​has​ ​been​ ​selected​ ​by​ ​EU​ ​initiative Urban​ ​Innovative​ ​Actions​ ​(UIA)​ ​to​ ​receive​ ​financing.​ ​The​ ​Traffic​ ​Management​ ​as​ ​a Service-platform​ ​is​ ​a​ ​new​ ​and​ ​revolutionary​ ​traffic​ ​centre-concept​ ​for​ ​small​ ​and medium-sized​ ​cities.​ ​The​ ​European​ ​Commission​ ​will​ ​financially​ ​support​ ​the development​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Traffic​ ​Management​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Service-project​ ​by​ ​way​ ​of​ ​the​ ​UIA​ ​for a​ ​three-year​ ​period.

Setting up a traffic centre is an important part of the City of Ghent’s latest mobility plan (Strategic Mobility Vision 2015). The Ghent Mobiliteitsbedrijf developed ‘Traffic Management as a Service’, which is radically different from previous traffic centres: the Traffic Management as a Service-concept is based on a fully digital and virtual platform that processes traffic data and provides real-time information to the residents of Ghent. To achieve this up-to-date flow of information the data are dealt with and distributed to the users automatically, so operators are no longer required to continuously monitor screens.

The project aims to develop the Traffic Management as a Service-concept for the City of Ghent, and to operationalise a virtual and digital traffic centre. Current urban mobility centres are notoriously expensive, and focus on installing costly hardware in order to monitor traffic. Moreover, those systems are unable to provide personalised information to the city’s residents. The Traffic Management as a Service-system on the other hand uses data that are readily available from various partners and companies, and works multimodal. In other words: it takes all manner of transportation modes into account. To achieve this, the system automatically checks all data coming in on journeys by bike, bus, tram, train, or on foot. Based on those data the platform will send all information necessary to each commuter by way of social media, while considering each individual’s personal preferences. Citizens are also able to provide Traffic Management as a Service-platform with feedback. As soon as a problem arises, the platform will automatically take action.

Read the press release (in Dutch) originally published on the website of the City of Ghent here. The press release is available in English here.

Find out more about Traffic Management as a Service by visiting their website here.