THEMIS: FIRST CO-ORDINATED INITIATIVE TO INTEGRATE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT INFORMATION WITH FREIGHT TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

To date, very little initiatives were taken to integrate traffic management information with fleet management systems. The THEMIS Thematic Network should change this. THEMIS is an initiative of the European Commission's DG Energy and Transport (DG TREN) to contribute to the creation of intelligent freight transport systems. The work of THEMIS shall contribute to the understanding of how Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Freight Transport (including intermodal freight transport) can be combined into Intelligent Freight Transport Systems, in order to realise a sustainable transport system including all transport modes. THEMIS Network started in April 2000 and its activities will run until March 2004. THEMIS is concerned with freight transport and in this sector intelligent transport systems (ITS) have a vast potential for providing support primarily to the management of logistics systems. However, efficient transport chain management today relies mainly on information systems that are proprietary and thus restricted to the major players on the market. By linking the many small systems that exist today and above all, by making use of the many traffic information systems, a true synergy could be achieved and also small players could be part of the ITS. It is obvious that information from traffic management systems could be valuable to shippers and carriers to detect and assess the consequences of delays on the road, on rail, at sea or in the air. The traffic management systems could benefit from information about certain shipments consisting of e.g. hazardous, exceptionally heavy or cumbersome cargo to monitor risks and capacity restraints on certain parts of the network and to manage accidents or rescue operations.