Collaboration on traffic information across national borders

Mark Bögli, CEO of Viasuisse, as a guest of Wolfgang Droll, head of the SWR Traffic Information Centre.
Due to its position at the heart of Europe, Switzerland plays a central role in the movement of traffic in Europe. Ten years ago, when the Viasuisse-Traffic Information Centre began its work, it was already clear that bordering countries must be included in the traffic information procedure.
In France and Italy government organizations are responsible for motorway operations and the relevant traffic information. In South Germany and Austria, Viasuisse works together with the SWR and ORF radio stations.

Information exchange through GEWI-TIC and EBU
Like Viasuisse, German speaking partners in neighboring countries also use GEWI-TIC. If a news item is registered on GEWI-TIC, it is immediately available to all connected partners. Information relevant for goods traffic is transferred automatically from this platform onto the website www.truckinfo.ch. This service is carried out by Viasuisse for ASTRA. A second channel for the exchange of serious traffic disturbances of Europe-wide significance is the European Broadcasting Union, in short EBU. A total of 74 radio and television stations in and around Europe make up the EBU.

Traffic jam reports from Chiasso in the Stuttgart region
During peak travel periods, reports of queues at the Gotthard or San Bernardino and even the traffic situation in Chiasso are a permanent theme in SWR programmes. Reports of lorry queues at German-Swiss border crossings have become almost routine information, according to Wolfgang Droll, head of the SWR Traffic Information Centre. For Thomas Ruthner, head of the ORF Traffic, the exchange of reports across the national border has great significance, particularly on a regional level. Many people from Vorarlberg use Zurich airport. They want to be informed already in Austria about delays en route, explains Ruthner. Accordingly Radio Vorarlberg integrates reports from Switzerland into their traffic service. Reports with a supra-regional impact are broadcasted austrian-wide by «ORF Hitradio Ö3».

The same standards
In acquiring traffic information, the European partners rely for the most part on the same sources as Viasuisse: Police national information posts, partly also city traffic control centres, an additional network of traffic-jam reporters and technical aids such as webcams and sensors. Also for the distribution of reports, similar channels are used as in Switzerland. Most radio stations have half-hourly traffic information in their programmes. In emergency situations or at peak times, reports are more frequent. Other distribution channels are telephone hotlines, apps for mobile smart phones, ADS/TMC, the internet (for example on www.swr3.de), videotext and television.

Joint plans for the future
Wolfgang Droll sees future development at the SWR in «mobility information» instead of today’s «traffic information» . To be precise, besides individual road traffic, also rail, air traffic, local public transport and parking will be integrated. Viasuisse is following similar plans with a «mobility platform» . In view of these conditions, the additional data which needs to be exchanged across the borders is being examined. Also regarding sources, collaboration is possible. Mark Bögli and Simon Maurer, CEO and CTO of Viasusse, visited the SWR-Headquarters in Baden-Baden in the middle of February 2011 in order to discuss the possible joint use of recognition software for webcam pictures.