[News Terms] What is 'TOPIS' That Appears During Holidays?

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] TOPIS is a comprehensive traffic control center that operates and manages all traffic in Seoul, and it is also the brand name of Seoul's Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). It stands for 'Transport Operation & Information Service.'

TOPIS collects bus operation information through the Bus Management System (BMS), the number of public transportation users through the transportation card system, traffic density and speed through the unmanned surveillance system, and traffic accidents, protests, highway conditions, and personal traffic information through Seoul Traffic Broadcasting, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Korea Expressway Corporation, etc., playing a role in dispersing excessive traffic volume.

In 1998, Seoul introduced the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) by establishing a 10.3 km total length Namsan area traffic management system. It began by providing citizens with real-time traffic information to use the fastest tunnel among the three tunnels in Namsan.

The Seoul Safety Integrated Situation Room located on the third basement floor of the Seoul City Hall. [Photo by Seoul City]

In 2000, ITS was expanded to urban expressways in Seoul, and in 2004, in connection with the reorganization of Seoul's public transportation, real-time bus operation management systems and transportation card systems were introduced. To efficiently build and operate these systems, the comprehensive traffic control center TOPIS was officially opened.

TOPIS provides citizens with real-time road traffic conditions such as when buses will arrive and how many minutes remain until the subway stops running. It also monitors illegal parking and bus-only lane violations, operates an automatic fine collection system, and supports scientific traffic policy establishment through analysis of transportation card usage patterns and real-time operation information of taxis and buses.

Yoon Jong-jang, Director of Seoul City Urban Transportation Office, said, "In preparation for the Lunar New Year holiday, we are implementing citizen guidance services such as information provision and road traffic monitoring to support a safe return trip," and added, "We hope people check traffic information in advance to avoid congested times and drive safely."