TransXML

XML Schema for Transportation Data Exchange

Overview
 XML is a way to organize and define data
Data that used to look like this…
123456789LAND     RICHARD1120 N       ST942739166546490
019446301PEDERSEN NEIL    707NCALVERT ST024616175276933
126321091KOBETSKY KEN     444NCAPITOL ST200012026245254

Now look like this in XML…

<Person>
<SocialSecurityNumber> 123-45-6789 </SocialSecurityNumber>
<Name>
<LastName> LAND </LastName>
<FirstName> RICHARD </FirstName>
</Name>
<Address>
<StreetAddress> 1120 N STREET </StreetAddress>
<City> SACRAMENTO </City>
<State> CA </State>
<ZIPCode> 94273-1110 </ZIPCode>
</Address>
<TelephoneNumber> 916-654-6490 </TelephoneNumber>
</Person>
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 The Basics about XML

eXtensible Markup Language

It’s easy to interpret – you can “read” it

“Tags” (like <Person> or <TelephoneNumber>)

can describe almost any kind of information

Each XML file is known as a “document”

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 XML 101

XML is:
• A widely adopted way of exchanging information
across web applications
• Human-readable and self-documenting
• Independent of individual applications/software

An XML “schema” is a data structure

• A schema’s value depends on getting agreement
across software vendors and agencies that produce
and consume info regarding what pieces of data to
include and how they should be defined

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 What is an XML Schema?

A set of rules describing the types of information

that can (or must) appear in an XML document

For example: An accident report document…

• Must contain the date, time, and location…
• Must contain information on one or more vehicles…
− Each vehicle must have a VIN, Make, Model, Plate #…
− May have one driver (name, birth date, license #...)
− May have one or more passengers (name, birth date…)

• May contain information on one or more pedestrians…

• [etc.]

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 Examples of XML in Transportation
 LandXML – roadway design
info
 aecXML – construction pay
items
 AASHTO Trns*port
construction management –
data exchange between
modules
 AASHTO Virtis/Opis – XML
import and export routine
 AASHTO TSIMS (proposed)
 JusticeXML – driver records,
arrest warrants
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 Location Referencing Specification
(SAE J2266)
 ATIS – XML vocabulary for Traveler
Information Exchange
 GML – geographic markup language
(object model & rules for developing
XML schema)
 TranXML/Logistics XML
 TMML – Traffic Model Markup
Language – data exchange across
traffic modeling software packages
 FMCSA – motor carrier profile,
safety audit, driver/vehicle/carrier
clearance
 The History of “TransXML”

Initiated by AASHTO’s Technical Applications and

Architecture (TA&A) Task Force

NCHRP Project 20-64 created with a $500,000 budget

Driving Forces:
• Growing support for data exchange standards within DOT
community – given ITS experience, increase in web apps
• Success of LandXML – sharing of road design info
• AASHTOWare program interest in migrating to XML as the data
exchange method in all products
• Desire to coordinate/fill gaps in multiple fragmented XML efforts:
construction, design, safety, GIS, ITS

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 TransXML Project Objectives

Develop broadly accepted public domain XML

schemas for exchange of transportation data
Recommend an institutional framework for
future schema development and dissemination
Initial focus was in four business areas:
• Survey/Roadway Design
• Transportation Construction/Materials
• Highway Bridge Structures
• Transportation Safety

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 Potential Benefits of TransXML
Status Quo Future Vision

Proliferation of inconsistent, Coordinated, widely used

overlapping data standards core data standards

Time consuming to transfer Open, non-proprietary data

data from one application to formats adopted
another
Automation of data transfer
Duplicative data entry

Limited access to information Sharing of information across

across functional areas in an planning, design,
agency construction and operations

Changes in technology limit Data archived in accessible,

access to archived legacy data self-documenting format

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 TransXML Current and Possible Future Scope
Current Focus Areas

Survey/ Construction/
Bridge Safety
Design Materials

Potential Future Focus Areas

Asset Maintenance Project Program

Management Management Development Development

Operations/ITS Modeling/ Geospatial Freight/

Simulation Data Logistics

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 TransXML Gaps and Opportunities
Survey/Design – Current Schema
LandXML
• Alignments
• Coordinate Geometry Points
• Grade Model
• Surfaces – point, linear,
triangle
• Parcels
• Roadways (IHSDM)
• Survey Equipment and data
Geotechnical XML
• Soil testing results
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aecXML Infrastructure
• Pay Items
• Pay item prices for design
estimates
Geographic Markup Language
• Geometries (points, curves,
surfaces, solids, composite)
• Topologies
• Location & Coordinate Reference
Systems
• Measurement Units
• Metadata
• Presentation Styles
 The Goal of TransXML
Survey/Design Example

Example: Imagine exchanging design info across all

team members and having their individual software
programs be able to instantly read and interpret all
project data correctly

Surveyor Bridge
Geometric Design:
Alignment
Pavement section
Superelevation
Hydraulics Cross sections
Utilities
Geometrics

Right-of-Way Traffic

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 Next Steps
Joint Technical Committee on Electronic Engineering
Data has endorsed TransXML as the best way to
standardize the transfer of data among softwares
4 subcommittees have also endorsed TransXML as the
starting point for further work in standardizing data
transfer:
• Bridges and Structures
• Construction
• Design
• Information Systems
The Joint Committee is looking for SCOH’s and the
Board’s endorsement prior to moving forward with
additional work in this area, as this is likely to be a
long-term effort over the coming 5-10 years

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