TripChain represents a new approach to using and sharing trip generation rates and offers a peer-to-peer database framework to:
The TripChain framework uses blockchain technology as a current and historical database backend that holds trip generation data points (i.e. individual records of land use studies) and distributes new data across the network peer-to-peer in near real-time.
The TripChain framework provides the transportation planning and engineering industry with a unified, common, and indelible dataset available to industry parties without data duplication and the need for oversight of data.
Any industry party can join the TripChain network as a node, either to simply hold a copy of the database or to build end-user applications. Constructed applications for querying, aggregating, or adding to trip generation data can be either public or private in nature to suit the needs of the party.
Individual network nodes can be added and removed without impacting the trip generation data. As long as at least one node in the network is accessible, the TripChain database is online.
The more nodes in the network, the more secure and unalterable the data within. Blockchain technology operates on a smart consensus model, thus any malicious node that attempts to alter the dataset will be rejected.
The TripChain framework has the potential to be more than simply trip generation data. As data needs change and evolve, the framework can be adapted to hold other data structures useful to transportation planning practitioners.
Create an authoritative dataset or supplement other approved data points with local data providing seamless integration of data as opposed to updating and managing separate databases.
Build applications that integrate with TripChain. For example, using video data collection, natively digital data can be easily submitted to the TripChain network and propagated in near real time, providing a more robust dataset that only benefits the industry.
Utilize the TripChain network to confirm details of specific data points and/or to build proprietary, for-profit analytics and analyses for industry application.
Utilize the TripChain network for research and sandbox testing of new ideas and concepts using real-world data, such as experimenting with land use characteristics to derive new land use types and rates.
At TripChain, we believe that data shouldn't be hidden away by gatekeepers. We support and promote the use of open data and big data.
To come to better solutions, the real value is in providing rich datasets and building quality applications using that data. The open TripChain framework facilitates the space between data and application.
Please share with others and get involved in the discussion. Together, we can re-invent how transportation data is shared within the industry!