IT-TRANS 2010, IT Solutions for Public Transport

1,300 visitors and delegates from around 60 countries attended the second IT-TRANS Conference and Exhibition in the renowned TramTrain city of Karlsruhe, Germany, on 24-26 February. This biennial event, co-organised by UITP and the Karlsruhe Congress Centre (KMK), is dedicated to IT Solutions in Public Transport.

Over three days, almost 90 speakers gave state-of-the-art presentations in seven main sessions, seven workshops, eight market updates and three technical visits. Following the determined key note by UITP President Alain Flausch in the OPENING session, the WORLD session showed how cities “make IT work” to achieve the aim of UITP’s sector strategy, namely to double public transport’s market share worldwide by 2025. The second visionary key note was delivered by NAVTEQ, which also served as the stepping stone to the HOT session on Urban Navigation. The EUROPEAN session presented the exciting results of the IFM Project and an update on the Dutch national OV-Chipkaart project, preceded by the more unusual issues discussed in the INNOVATION and INSPIRATION session. The PROFESSIONAL session was devoted to near field communication to facilitate a better overall understanding of this technology.
The interactive workshops included more on electronic ticketing, more on travel information as well as Communication, Safety and Security, Intermodal Transport Control System (ITCS) and innovations from the UITP regions. This year especially, the Market Update sessions were very popular. They are designed to directly showcase what the exhibiting industry has in store. Many visitors from all corners of the world came to the parallel exhibition, where 94 exhibitors from 19 countries showcased their innovations and technologies.

The involvement of UITP’s partners ASSTRA, VDV, UTP, KMK and the Technology Region Karlsruhe, as well as the input from UITP’s members, contributed to making a true success of the 2010 edition. The next IT-TRANS will take place on 15-17 February 2012 in Karlsruhe, Germany.

(Source: Transport Weekly)