A Market Analysis Of The Commercial Traffic Information Business

This document examines the private sector traffic information marketplace in the United States -- its beginnings, history, economics, business operations, functions, products, and possible future directions -- particularly as it relates to the individual consumer. The intent is to provide public policy analysts and decision-makers with an overview of this profitable, established, yet little-documented Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems (IVHS) market. Traffic information is a central element in the emerging Advanced Technology Information Systems (ATIS) marketplace; analysis of the commercial traffic information industry can provide insight into the prospects for future ATIS products and services. A major portion of this document relies on a four-part functional model to categorize, analyze, and describe in detail the activities of the companies and consumers that make up the traffic information business. The model's four categories are: (1) traffic data collection, (2) traffic data processing for wholesale distribution, (3) traffic information broadcasting or retailing, and (4) the traffic information consumer. At each of these levels of activity, data is collected or received, and a function is performed that adds value (e.g., "processing," "distribution")