Annex 9 - Framework for ITS Education: Proposal

Possible structure for new courses

The following observations were presented with regard to the situation in Italy. They are reported below as a possible basic structure for future training and education courses.

1. Training in ITS could be differentiated in two or three levels, according to the use that the trainees make of telematics/ITS within the transport, traffic and logistics context: i.e. one level for decision-makers, another for engineers and technicians, a third for operators:
   • the first group do not usually have much spare time due to their involvement in managerial or administrative activities. Therefore very brief courses of a few hours and maximum of one day (suggestion: 4-8 hours) could be the most suitable way to inform them about ITS architectures, the systems available, costs and benefits, and the administrative procedure for implementing telematics in typical contexts, with some examples;
   • the second need more focused training and education. This would imply, after a couple of days of general introduction, the need for a more detailed analysis of systems. Master courses (a couple of weeks; possible suggestion: 60 hours) could be the most adequate way to provide lectures and instruction about ITS architectures, available technologies, standards, some specific aspects of architectures, evaluation of the applications of telematics in some typical contexts;
   • the third group should be trained in the field and with simulators as part of professional courses.
2. Training in ITS could possibly be separated into two areas with relevant themes according to the transport and traffic context. People are typically involved either in traffic, public transport and planning problems, or in freight transport and logistics.

The table in Figure 2 summarises some basic ideas about possible training and education courses for ITS, based on the present situation in Italy.

The main features would be the following:

Full time undergraduate education (in universities or other specialised institutes)" should cover transportation in general and various integrated courses:

1. "public transport in urban areas" including AVLS, AEI, VMS and user information;
2. "freight transport and logistics" including AVLS for truck tracing, AVI for UTI recognition;
3. "traffic theory and techniques", including traffic monitoring systems.

At the undergraduate level there could also be some courses on information technology, GIS, etc.

At Masters or Ph.D. level, e.g. postgraduate education, the integration of information technologies and transportation engineering should be much closer, with Masters courses on ITS (e.g. 60 hours) for example or specific courses for Ph.D. students.

	Target category	Managers	Engineers and technicians	Operators
ITS Area
	DESCRIPTION OF ROLE OF TRAINEE:	Managers of transport departments with responsibility for decision-making and policy	People with a technical role in public transport companies, private ITS firms, freight and logistics companies, local administrations, infrastructure, etc.	People responsible for traffic counting, traffic light control, handling vehicles, operating in intermodal areas for handling material, equipment, etc
Traffic, public transport, transportation planning	Staff from public administrations (municipalities, regions, ministries), public transport firms, highway authorities, parking structures, interchange areas,consultants and professionals	Few hours - 1 day	2 days or 2 weeks (e.g. 60 hours) Course of lectures plus practical laboratory work with PCs; field visits to traffic control centres, public transport control rooms, tunnel control rooms, etc.	According to type of training course Classroom lectures, laboratory work, in vehicle, simulators, instruction in field
		e.g. FRAME-S	e.g. FRAME-S projector Masters, such as Innovation technology module of Transport and Sustainable Mobility Masters at Turin Polytechnic)	e.g. various private professional
Freight transport and logistics	Staff from intermodal infrastructures (logistics centres, ports, terminals etc) consultants and professionals	Few hours - 1 day	2 days or 2 weeks (e.g. 60 hours) Classrooms lectures, laboratories equipped with PCs; field visits to terminals, etc	According to training course Classroom lectures, laboratory work, in vehicle, simulators, instruction in field
		e.g. FRAME-S	e.g. FRAME-Sor Masters degree	e.g. CFLI

Figure 6: Possible structure of ITS courses