Designing Multimodal Travel Information Services by Combining ARKTRANS and a Model Driven Architecture Approach

This technical paper reports on how the Norwegian national framework architecture for multimodal transport, ARKTRANS, and a Model Driven Architecture approach can be applied in combination to satisfy the needs of a multimodal travel information system. This approach was also used to develop a set of multimodal travel information services to be used as input to a national multimodal travel planner in Norway. This method was used for the MultiRIT project, a Norwegian research project which aims to create new and improved multimodal travel information services. These services are designed to support both public and nonpublic transportation, to take into consideration user groups with special preferences or demands (e.g. tourists and people with disabilities), to provide users with information in both the pre-trip planning and during travel, and to provide updated route information, including real-time information such as public transport delays, cancellations, congestions, and roadwork. In this way, the travel process becomes predictable and the traveler can decide to adapt his or her travel plans to the current situation. The authors note that definition of a common terminology and common information models was accomplished based on a conceptual specification prescribed by ARKTRANS. Such a common terminology is essential when designing an information system spanning multiple transport modes.