Overview
CEN ISO/TS 18234-5:2006 defines the Public Transport Information (PTI) application of the TPEG (Transport Protocol Expert Group) family for Traffic and Travel Information (TTI). The Technical Specification describes a language‑independent, byte‑oriented message format and the hierarchical data structures used to encode and deliver public (collective) transport information - from timetable notes and service disruptions to cancellations and network changes - directly from service providers to end‑user systems.
Key topics and technical requirements
- TPEG message model: PTI uses the TPEG byte‑oriented data‑stream format designed for efficient transmission over diverse digital bearers. Messages are structured to be encoded/decoded by both map‑based and non map‑based receivers.
- Application containers: The specification defines a Message Management Container (message metadata: timing, severity, reliability) and an Event (PTI) Container (detailed event descriptions and classification).
- Hierarchical data elements: PTI messages use a superset of data elements to classify events into levels and sub‑levels (including end‑user presentation modes) so receivers can filter and present information appropriately.
- Location referencing: PTI integrates with TPEG location referencing methods (see Part 6) to support map coordinates or human‑readable locations for inter‑urban and intra‑urban travel.
- Coding and tables: The standard specifies encoding rules and indexed TPEG tables (pti01 to pti34) to ensure interoperable semantics across implementations.
- Language independence and filtering: Messages are designed for automated filtering, translation/presentation in the user's language, and agent systems processing.
Practical applications
- Real‑time public transport alerts for:
- Passenger information displays in stations and on vehicles
- In‑vehicle infotainment and navigation systems
- Mobile apps offering service disruption notifications and trip guidance
- Broadcasters and data aggregators distributing PTI feeds
- Traffic and transport control centers integrating multimodal status updates
- Use cases include service cancellations, platform changes, planned engineering works, and timetable adjustments for buses, trams, trains, ferries and other collective transport modes.
Who uses this standard
- Public transport operators and network managers
- ITS vendors, data aggregators and broadcasters
- Navigation and mobility app developers
- Regional transport authorities and traffic management centers
- System integrators implementing TPEG‑based services
Related standards
- ISO/TS 18234 parts 1–6 (TPEG family): Part 1 (overview), Part 2 (Syntax, Semantics & Framing), Part 3 (Service & Network Information), Part 4 (Road Traffic Message), Part 6 (Location referencing)
- Developed under CEN/TC 278 and ISO/TC 204 for Intelligent Transport Systems and TTI services.
By implementing ISO/TS 18234-5:2006 (TPEG‑PTI), organizations gain an interoperable, efficient framework to deliver multilingual, machine‑readable public transport information for modern multimodal transport services.
