11 Aug 2008.

TSS – Transport Simulation Systems, today announced that the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO), Canada has selected Aimsun as the simulation backbone of a proof-of-concept 3-tier (macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic) simulation framework for the 400-series highway network. After an exacting evaluation of eight commercial offerings, the MTO and its consultants Delcan Corporation (Delcan) and McCormick Rankin Corporation (MRC) opted for Aimsun. The project team cited Aimsun’s tightly integrated three-level approach, rich functionality and computational efficiency as the main reasons for their choice.

The project focuses on the 400-series highway network and major arterial roads in the Greater Toronto Area. It covers the fifth largest metropolitan region in North America with one of the busiest freeways in the world, advanced traffic management facilities (HOV and collector-express lanes) and systems, as well as a fully electronic tolled highway.

“The framework will provide a consistent simulation approach for all Ministry assignments, save time and reduce costs for both Ministry and the consulting community, as well as provide the platform for more advanced project assessments and sophisticated applications” said Goran Nikolic, Project Manager, MTO. “To mitigate potential risks, our consultants are following a staged implementation approach starting with a proof of concept” he added.

“We started the selection process thinking that a customised, multi-vendor solution would be inevitable but ended up selecting Aimsun for this ambitious proof of concept because TSS was able to demonstrate the vast majority of functionality we required”, commented Yannis Stogios of Delcan. “Aimsun 6 Advanced has functionality that fits our current requirements and TSS’s immediate development priorities are extremely well aligned with our aspirations”, Stogios added.

Rob Pringle of MRC echoed Stogios’s comments: “There are several processes used at MRC that currently involve a lot of time and intervention, manually or with other software, to complete the process of moving from strategic planning to simulation modelling. The TSS team demonstrated the process of moving from macro to meso and then micro modelling in less than 2 minutes. This was refreshing to say the least.”

The project team is currently building the proof of concept corridor models whilst also undertaking training and consulting with TSS on the most effective ways to use Aimsun and achieve the project’s objectives.

“Aimsun gives the MTO Project Team the fidelity, integration and performance required to ensure project success,” said Jaime Ferrer, TSS’s Managing Director. “We are confident that Aimsun’s reliable models, integrated framework and extensive interfacing capabilities, combined with the expertise of Delcan and MRC will enable the MTO to implement its ambitious vision with minimum risk.”

About Delcan

Delcan, an award winning, multi-disciplinary engineering, management and technology consulting firm, founded in 1953, serves a global client base by focusing on meeting client needs and expectations. Delcan offers innovative infrastructure and systems solutions that combine high-quality with cost-effectiveness. Providing leading edge modelling services for transportation infrastructure and system applications is an integral part of our transportation planning and modelling practice. Please visit us at www.delcan.com.

About MRC

Since its formation in 1957, McCormick Rankin Corporation has maintained a focus on transportation engineering. An uncompromising commitment to technical excellence gained on over 7,000 transportation projects over five decades has resulted in our being recognized as a leading Canadian transportation consultancy. We practice across Canada, in the United States through McCormick Rankin International (MRI), in the UK through MRC McLean Hazel and in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia through MR Cagney. Environmental planning and environmental sciences, including site assessments and remediation, is provided by Ecoplans Limited, part of MRC.

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