WATCH: Toronto to use big data apps to help move traffic by ‘next year’: Tory
TORONTO – Mayor John Tory wants Toronto to take advantage of “big data” and statistical analysis to help ease traffic congestion in the city.
“Toronto has clip boards, clickers and we have the odd sensors embedded in the ground picking up information when they are working,” said Tory during a press conference at Ryerson University’s Digital Media Zone on Tuesday.
“It’s time for the city to move us into the 21st century.”
Tory said the city’s transportation division is in the process of creating a big data team to capitalize on information gathering to improve traffic flow.
READ MORE: Average Toronto commuter loses 84 hours a year in traffic: study
“We didn’t have any proper data that would help us understand where the traffic patterns were, how they were emerging and how we would fix them,” said Tory.
“It’s frustrating to me that we hear about cities like Amsterdam that has its own virtual traffic manager which enables traffic to be managed almost automatically. Barcelona has a free app about public transit incidents.”
Tory said he wants to gather around some of the world’s top transportation data companies to brainstorm ideas on how to develop a system to track traffic more efficiently.
READ MORE: Pedestrians contribute to Toronto gridlock every day
“Markham and Brampton are already using the talents, skills, and applications of this company to help them with different things that involve traffic flow. Yet in Toronto, we’re not doing that,” Tory said.
Tory said he is also planning to hold a “hackathon” in September to bring together the brightest minds to develop applications for traffic management.
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