ITS America studied the scope of the intelligent transportation systems industry in the United States as well as North America as a whole. The study, which the society states is the most comprehensive one to date on the subject, was developed by ITS America and IHS Global Insight. ITS encompasses electronics, communications, and information-processing technology to improve the surface transportation system including reducing traffic congestion, making travel more convenient, and improving safety for drivers. Some popular examples of ITS are electronic tolling; smart traffic signals; smartphone applications; and real-time traffic, transit, and parking information.

The U.S. Research and Innovative Technology Administration recently announced six winning projects developing ideas for future intelligent transportation systems. (see related story) 

The study concluded that the ITS industry has much to look forward to in the coming years, including the following key findings:

• ITS has a significant impact on the economy: Researchers estimated the ITS market is worth $48 billion.
  
  
• The ITS industry will continue to see growth in the coming years: U.S. private-sector revenues are expected to climb somewhere between $2.7 billion and $4.2 billion each year through 2015.
  
  
• Employment in ITS affects every state in the country: The industry accounts for 180,000 direct U.S. jobs as of 2009, employing Americans in all 50 states.
  
  
• The employment outlook for this industry is much better than the overall economy: The industry is expected to add between 3,600 to 6,400 jobs each year through 2015, when direct ITS employment is projected to reach more than 205,000.
  
  
• ITS jobs pay well above the national average: ITS salaries exceed the national average by more than 75%, as the average ITS employee's wage is roughly $75,000. Even the lowest-paid ITS employee makes roughly 8% above the national average wage.
  
  
• Small businesses play a large role in the ITS industry: The study found that 73% of ITS revenues in the United States come from companies with 500 employees or less.

"In the current economic environment, we can't afford to build our way out of the traffic congestion crisis," Scott Belcher, president and CEO of ITS America, said in a statement. "This report validates what we have known for some time -- that the transportation technology industry is healthy, growing, and supports high-paying jobs across the country, even in tough economic times. This is a sector where the U.S. is poised to lead the way in innovation."

The 136-page report is available at bit.ly/ITSA081011.