Full network coverage for data-driven decision making

A large road network requires reliable and broad data to work out where to focus effort. NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is responsible for improving the performance, customer experience and governance of state based road and infrastructure assets across New South Wales.

At RMS, the Journey Information and Digital (JID) team produces performance reports on journey times across all primary transport routes and key network pinch points. Previously, the data underpinning these reports were sourced from a small group of travelling fleet vehicles. Due to the lower than the desired sample size and limited coverage area, there was room to improve the variance levels of the network performance results.

RMS engaged NGIS as Premier Partner of Google to help with procuring data under a unique commercial arrangement that would allow them to store and compare the data over years. NGIS developed a travel time data platform that would ingest data from the hundreds of segments of roads across the state and make them available for analysis.

Looking for a higher quality of data

JID needed additional travel time data (with a broader coverage area and higher sample rates) to supplement its existing set. High demand for accurate travel time data across the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) cluster meant it needed a way to share information and build a data platform.

The data platform would be used for improved reporting and to:

• Provide freeway travel time data for improved customer journey experiences – using variable message sign (VMS) boards showing time to next to next exit.
• Inform the Traffic Management Centre of unusual traffic congestion to aid incident clearance and keep traffic flowing.
• Improve infrastructure planning – by better understanding congestion hotspots, weaknesses in network capacity can be easily identified and increased to where it is needed the most.

Accurate and broad data

Google’s real time travel time data was selected by RMS to supplement its fleet vehicle data set. Google’s sample size is magnitudes higher than any other traditional travel time data source, ensuring superior accuracy and coverage of data.

Using Google data, NGIS designed and built a cloud hosted Travel Time data ingestion service and storage platform (“data as a service platform”) which will enable RMS and other TfNSW departments to access real-time and historic travel time data. Insights from this data make RMS and TfNSW better positioned to combat traffic congestion and build world class infrastructure which will improve journey experiences for all NSW citizens.