National ITS Architecture Glossary

The principal direct federal funding agency for transportation facilities and programs in the United Stated. Includes the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and others.

A specific functional requirement statement of what must be done to support the ITS user services. The user service requirements were developed specifically to serve as a requirements baseline to drive National ITS Architecture development. The user service requirements are not to be construed as mandates to system/architecture implementers, but rather are directions to the National Architecture Team. As a requirements baseline, the user service requirements include little narrative or background material. For a general introduction to the user services, consult the National Program Plan.

User services document what ITS should do from the user's perspective. A broad range of users are considered, including the traveling public as well as many different types of system operators. User services, including the corresponding user service requirements, form the basis for the National ITS Architecture development effort. The initial user services were jointly defined by USDOT and ITS America with significant stakeholder input and documented in the National Program Plan. The concept of user services allows system or project definition to begin by establishing the high level services that will be provided to address identified problems and needs. New or updated user services have been and will continue to be satisfied by the National ITS Architecture over time.

A logical grouping of user services that provides a convenient way to discuss the range of requirements in a broad stakeholder area. In the National Program Plan's user service requirements, the user services are grouped into eight bundles: Travel and Traffic Management, Public Transportation Management, Electronic Payment, Commercial Vehicle Operations, Emergency Management, Advanced Vehicle Safety Systems, Information Management, and Maintenance and Construction Operations.