NTOC Talks, a Newsletter of the National Transportation Operations Coalition
Categories > Breaking News :: May 15, 2013 (NTOC)
This webinar, taking place today, May 15, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET, will provide general information about the MAP-21 State Freight Advisory Committee guidance, general benefits of forming State Freight Advisory Committees, and specific insights from public sector and private freight company members of an existing State Freight Advisory Committee about the opportunities and challenges associated with these committees.
Categories > Breaking News :: May 15, 2013 (NTOC)
The American motoring public prefers tolling to many other ways to generate funding for the nation's transportation infrastructure, according to a recent America THINKS survey by HNTB Corporation. The survey results, first introduced at a National Press Club Newsmakers news conference, found that a majority of Americans (about 63 percent) believe that the United States cannot "build its way" out of traffic congestion. Of those surveyed, 71 percent said they would be willing to pay tolls in order to save time and avoid congestion.
Regardless of the ways in which additional transportation revenue is raised, most survey respondents expressed a desire to keep options open. Seventy percent said they believed their state transportation department should have the option to add tolling, while 80 percent agreed state DOTs should enter into public private partnerships to bring roadway, bridge, and other transportation improvements to the public. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: May 15, 2013 (NTOC)
Toyota is starting the public-road testing of its new driving support system that uses ITS technology to transmit information from traffic lights to vehicles. The Infrastructure-to-Vehicle (I2V) system is one of various Driving Safety Support Systems (DSSS) that are being promoted by the Japanese National Police Agency and sponsored by the Universal Traffic Management Society of Japan (UTMS Japan). For the tests, one road in Toyota City will be equipped with a system to transmit traffic light signal information via the 700Mhz waveband to vehicles equipped with on-board testing systems. The system receives the information and then provides alerts when necessary to vehicle occupants via the audio system and the navigation system screen.
Provision of traffic light signal information has been made possible with the cooperation of Japan’s National Police Agency and the Aichi Prefectural Police. Through the public-road tests, Toyota will analyze driver behavior under various driving conditions, in order to clarify the extent to which cooperative vehicle-infrastructure systems can contribute to reducing traffic accidents and CO2 emissions, and then incorporate the data into future system development. Based on its Integrated Safety Management Concept, the company is making proactive efforts to develop its driving vehicle infrastructure cooperative safety support systems using ITS technologies, which make it possible to connect people, vehicles, and traffic environments.
Categories > Now Available :: May 15, 2013 (NTOC)
The latest issue of the Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Network’s newsletter, the Responder, is now available through the link above.
Categories > New Resource :: May 15, 2013 (NTOC)
The University of Vermont Transportation Research Center has released a report that details the two-dimensional traffic model of Biham, Middleton, and Levine, which is designed to facilitate unimpeded traffic flow. To view the report, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: May 15, 2013 (FHWA)
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Human Environment has released the latest version of its quarterly online newsletter, which is designed to provide information about the office’s research products and resources.
Categories > Training :: May 15, 2013 (NTOC)
The National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC) is sponsoring the following signal systems webinars. The target audience includes agency staff responsible for administration, management or operation of traffic signal programs including, traffic signal program managers, transportation operations engineers, advanced supervisory technicians, consultants and contractors. For complete information and to register, click on the links below.
Defining Organizational Mission, Values, Goals and Objectives for Signal Systems
http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_NTOC.asp#Defining_Organizational_Mission
Dates: June 18, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT and July 18, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT
Registration: $25.00
The purpose of this course is to assist organizations responsible for traffic signal services to understand their core values and how to establish their group’s mission, goals and objectives in the context of internal and external environmental factors, organizational culture and span of control.
Organizational Management for Signal Systems
http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_NTOC.asp#Organizational_Management
Registration: $25.00
Dates: June 19, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT and July 25, 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. EDT
This course focuses on tools for organizations responsible for delivering traffic signal services to assess their structure and service delivery processes to align the organization to meet defined goals and objectives.
Performance Management for Signal Systems
http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_NTOC.asp#Performance_Management
Registration: $25.
Dates: June 20, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT and July 31, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT
This course provides information on performance management techniques for organizations responsible for delivering traffic signal services to define measures of success and to integrate these into their program.
Categories > New Resource :: May 15, 2013 (NTOC)
Have you signed up for your free membership to the NTOC Forums and Traffic Signal Library? Provided by NTOC, this site is a public meeting place that provides members with resource documents, discussion forums, member profiles, file storage and more to share transportation management and operations information, with an emphasis on topic areas such as traffic signals, incident management, safety, and maintenance. Joining is free and easy. Click on the link above to join today or e-mail Michelle Birdsall for more information at mbirdsall@ite.org.
Categories > Breaking News :: May 15, 2013 (ITE)
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Annual Meeting and Exhibit will take place August 4-7 at the Sheraton Boston and Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. New to the meeting this year will be Walkshops to explore multimodal transportation, land use, and urban design; Agency Spotlights to give you sustainable solutions to transform your operations and designs; Focus on Technology to explore and experience its impact on the industry, ITE, and you; and Career Links designed to facilitate intuitive and ethical leadership and career engagement. The meeting will provide attendees with strategies to adapt your transportation services to meet changing technological, demographic, political, financial, and environmental needs. There will also be implementation and adaptation-focused Workshops and Seminars on safety, operations, planning, and design, as well as round table discussions to enable solution sharing with your peers. For more information and to register, click on the link above.
Categories > Training :: May 01, 2013 (NTOC)
NTOC is sponsoring the following signal systems webinars. The target audience includes agency staff responsible for administration, management or operation of traffic signal programs including, traffic signal program managers, transportation operations engineers, advanced supervisory technicians, consultants and contractors. For complete information and to register, click on the links below.
Defining Organizational Mission, Values, Goals and Objectives for Signal Systems
http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_NTOC.asp#Defining_Organizational_Mission
Tuesday, May 14, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT
Registration: $25.00
Future Dates: June 18, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT and July 18, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT
The purpose of this course is to assist organizations responsible for traffic signal services to understand their core values and how to establish their group’s mission, goals and objectives in the context of internal and external environmental factors, organizational culture and span of control.
Organizational Management for Signal Systems
http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_NTOC.asp#Organizational_Management
Wednesday, May 15, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT
Registration: $25.00
Future Dates: June 19, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT and July 25, 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. EDT
This course focuses on tools for organizations responsible for delivering traffic signal services to assess their structure and service delivery processes to align the organization to meet defined goals and objectives.
Performance Management for Signal Systems
http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_NTOC.asp#Performance_Management
Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT
Registration: $25.
Future Dates: June 20, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT and July 31, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT
This course provides information on performance management techniques for organizations responsible for delivering traffic signal services to define measures of success and to integrate these into their program.
Categories > New Resource :: May 01, 2013 (NTOC)
Have you signed up for your free membership to the NTOC Forums and Traffic Signal Library? Provided by NTOC, this site is a public meeting place that provides members with resource documents, discussion forums, member profiles, file storage and more to share transportation management and operations information, with an emphasis on topic areas such as traffic signals, incident management, safety, and maintenance. Joining is free and easy. Click on the link above to join today or e-mail Michele Birdsall for more information at mbirdsall@ite.org.
A recent post on the NTOC Forums and Traffic Signal Library asks:
“Is anyone aware of any agencies or jurisdictions that have established a "minimum" pedestrian clearance time? Working on a project to update all of the pedestrian clearance times to the MUTCD walking speed of 3.5 ft./sec. for a local jurisdiction here in Maryland. In order to mitigate the impacts that long ped clearance times can have on split times and capacity, this agency utilizes the MUTCD option of subtracting the Y+AR time from the calculated pedestrian clearance time. Unfortunately at minor side streets with short crossing distances, this is resulting in pedestrian clearance times in the 2-6 second range. The agency would like to establish a "minimum" value to address this situation.” To respond, visit https://ntoctsl.groupsite.com/beta/discussion/topics/594551/messages
A post in the Traffic Incident Management Subgroup asks:
“Every partner in Traffic Incident Management brings a different talent or task to the scene. They also bring a different task or talent to TIM meetings, training, or other joint ventures. In western PA recently, we learned that traveler information systems and police priorities on incident scenes are hot topics. I'd love to learn more from all of you about your experience. What worked for creation of new TIM groups? What still works? What changes through the evolution from formative to mature groups? What kinds of information have you found most helpful from another discipline? I'm anxious to engage any and all of you.” Respond at https://ntoctsl.groupsite.com/beta/discussion/topics/592092/messages
Visit the NTOC Forums and Traffic Signal Library today and respond to your peers, ask your own questions, and post and share valuable resources.
Categories > Opportunity :: May 01, 2013 (ITS America)
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) seeks your input as we develop a web-based resource for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) professionals. ITS America is updating the content of the PIARC World Road Association ITS Handbook and transforming it into a series of web-based modules on key ITS topics. The current edition of the handbook can be accessed here. To ensure that the new web resource is valuable to ITS professionals around the world, we ask you to complete a 10-minute survey focusing on ITS deployment in developing and emerging economies. Please click the link above to take the survey.
Categories > Breaking News :: May 01, 2013 (NTIMC)
An Incident Management and Emergency Responder Command and Communication Rally was held at the ITS America Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN, on April 23. The event offered attendees of the annual meeting a chance to view a variety of emergency response vehicles and speak directly with those who operate and manage them. The rally also provided participating responders an opportunity to connect and test their communication with each other. Tennessee Emergency Management, Metro Nashville, and Tennessee Highway Patrol demonstrated interoperability communications between various agencies based on a simulated earthquake scenario. Vehicles and equipment were on display from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (DOT) Strike Team, Tennessee DOT HELP Safety Service Patrol, Tennessee Department of Health, North Carolina Safety Service Patrol, American Red Cross, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Bomb & Arson Unit, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Department of Correction, Metro Nashville and Davidson County, TN, and Williamson County, TN. Click on the link above to view WSMV-TV's coverage of the event.
Categories > New Resource :: May 01, 2013 (NTIMC)
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has launched the first-ever ITS Asset Viewer at the ITS America Annual Meeting and Exposition in April. The ITS Asset Viewer visually displays the location of ITS deployments nationwide, providing a geographic picture of the status of ITS deployment.
The ITS Asset Viewer complements the USDOT’s ITS Deployment Tracking Survey, which helps guide federal ITS research and program management, inform Congress, and assess the cost and operational impact of ITS at the national scale. With the advancement of the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for state asset management, it is now possible to assemble a national database of ITS assets with accurate locations along the Interstate system. The project team launched an effort to gather GIS data from each state department of transportation and assembled the resulting data from a variety of formats into a cohesive picture of national ITS deployment. The viewer visually presents the GIS data from the states (46 states have responded thus far) regarding key ITS technologies such as cameras, messages signs, ramp meters, speed sensors, and roadway weather information systems. To access the ITS Asset Viewer, please visit the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: May 01, 2013 (ITE)
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Annual Meeting and Exhibit will take place August 4-7 at the Sheraton Boston and Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. New to the meeting this year will be Walkshops to explore multimodal transportation, land use, and urban design; Agency Spotlights to give you sustainable solutions to transform your operations and designs; Focus on Technology to explore and experience its impact on the industry, ITE, and you; and Career Links designed to facilitate intuitive and ethical leadership and career engagement. The meeting will provide attendees with strategies to adapt your transportation services to meet changing technological, demographic, political, financial, and environmental needs. There will also be implementation and adaptation-focused Workshops and Seminars on safety, operations, planning, and design, as well as round table discussions to enable solution sharing with your peers. For more information and to register, click on the link above.
Categories > New Resource :: May 01, 2013 (AASHTO)
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has created a new emergency alert system that will help drivers avoid traffic snarls and roadway closures in the event of emergencies or other events. TravelWise alerts allow UDOT to communicate with roadway users during unique times, such as planned events that close roadways, major traffic incidents, weather-related issues, and construction projects. The point is to give drivers the most up-to-date information on these issues that greatly affect traffic so they can make the best decisions in planning trips. The system was unveiled right before the Salt Lake Marathon, informing drivers of delays, congestion, and local road closures during the time of the marathon. Those interested in receiving the alerts can download or update the UDOT traffic app for smartphones and tablets and will also be visible on freeway message boards, UDOT's Twitter account, and the UDOT Traffic website.
Categories > Positions Available :: May 01, 2013 (NTOC)
The Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering (CEGE) invites applications for the position of Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Transportation Engineering. FAU CATOM (Center for Adaptive Traffic Operations and Management) is a state-of-the-art transportation laboratory which mimics a real-world Traffic Operations Center with corresponding hardware and software infrastructure. CATOM seeks a highly qualified and motivated individual with a research background in transportation engineering or a related field. A past research concentration in the area of urban traffic operations and management, traffic signal systems, traffic flow theory, and operations research is desired. The candidate must be able to assist CATOM with existing research projects, manage lab’s operations, write research papers and proposals, and participate in transportation conferences and professional meetings. The candidate must have excellent communication skills, oral and written, and excellent analytic capabilities.
Interested applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a research statement, and a list of the names and contact information of three professional references. All of the above documents should be combined in a single PDF file and sent to Dr. Aleksandar Stevanovic at astevano@fau.edu. To be considered for this position the applicants are encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible but before May 3, 2013. The entire selection process is expected to be completed by mid of May, at which time a selected candidate will be informed. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation, please call 561-297-3057. TTY/TDD 1-800-955-8771.
Categories > Breaking News :: May 01, 2013 (NTIMC)
The article available through the link above features the Pennsylvania I-79/I-76 Local TIM Team's recent on-scene safety exercise, which was demonstrated at its April 17 meeting held at the Cranberry Public Works Operation Building in southwestern PA. This exercise emphasized on scene safety practices and temporary traffic control, with the focus on responder safety at all times.
Categories > Opportunity :: May 01, 2013 (TRB)
The Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) National Cooperative Rail Research Program (NCRRP) has issued a request for problem statements identifying research needed for NCRRP’s FY 2014 program. Research problem statements for the NCRRP FY 2014 program are due June 15, 2013. These submittals form the basis for selection of the annual NCRRP research program.
As an applied research program, NCRRP examines problems important to intercity and commuter rail, and freight rail practitioners. Desired research proposals should be formulated to help solve common operating problems, adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and introduce wide-ranging innovations into the rail industry. Of primary interest are issues and complexities shared by freight, intercity, and commuter rail practitioners that are not being adequately addressed by existing federal research programs. If you have any potential research topics to suggest, TRB would welcome your submission. New projects will be selected in the fall of 2013. Click on the link above for more information.
Categories > Opportunity :: May 01, 2013 (TRB)
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program has issued a request for problem statements identifying research needed for TCRP’s FY 2014 program. Research problem statements for the TCRP FY 2014 program are due June 15, 2013. These submittals form the basis for selection of the annual TCRP research program.
The TCRP undertakes applied research and technical activities focusing on the needs of transit operating agencies. Research is conducted in all areas of public transportation, including operations, policy, planning, service configuration, engineering of vehicles and facilities, maintenance, human resources, and administration.
If you have submitted a research problem statement in a previous year that was not selected, but is still a relevant transit research topic, please feel free to resubmit the problem statement for consideration. There are many good research topics that are not selected each year based on the level of funding available. Research problem statements must be resubmitted each year to receive further consideration. If you have any potential research topics to suggest, TRB would welcome your submission. New projects will be selected in the fall of 2013.
Categories > Training :: May 01, 2013 (NTOC)
The Consortium for ITS Training and Education (CITE) is now accepting registrations for two of its online blended (instructor-led) courses:
Weather Responsive Traffic Management: May 3-June 23, 2013
http://www.citeconsortium.org/courses/WRTM-blended.html
This course provides information and guidance to transportation system managers and operators to help them effectively manage traffic flow and operations during adverse weather conditions.
Improving Highway Safety with ITS: May 10-June 29, 2013
http://www.citeconsortium.org/courses/HighwaySafety-blended.html
This course aims to increase awareness of the benefits to be gained through the deployment of ITS for highway safety applications. The course is designed to assist professionals in both the highway safety and ITS communities.
All course materials are online but students have access to course instructors through three pre-scheduled conference calls. Cost is $250 each, $400 for both. FREE for U.S. local, state, regional, metropolitan, and Federal government agencies. Use sponsor code PCB when you register. Questions, please contact Kathy Frankle at kfrankle@umd.edu.
Categories > Opportunity :: April 17, 2013 (FHWA)
The TIGER Discretionary Grant Program has provided over $3 billion in funding to over 100 different projects since it was first introduced as part of the Recovery Act in 2009. Many of the projects selected to receive funding in the program have been freight-focused projects. Some of the TIGER grants have focused on smaller-scale facilities or more localized improvements, while others have helped larger-scale projects that are important components of the national supply chain. Many of the projects from the early iterations of the TIGER programs are nearing completion, allowing everyone to see the benefits the TIGER funds provided to the freight projects.
This webinar, taking place today from 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET, will allow the project sponsors for three different freight-oriented TIGER projects that are nearly complete to discuss the freight benefits provided by their projects and their experiences with receiving TIGER funds and working within the TIGER grant program. To register, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: April 17, 2013 (NTOC)
The Ridesharing Institute is offering a free Webinar on Disruptive Innovations in Ridesharing today, Wednesday, April 17, from 3:00 to 4:15 p.m. ET. To register, visit https://www147.livemeeting.com/lrs/cutr_ccc/Registration.aspx?pageName=t1sf863hbn80fnk5. This webinar is hosted by the National Center for Transit Research at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. For complete information on the Webinar and its speakers, click on the link above.
Categories > New Resource :: April 17, 2013 (FHWA)
This primer from the FHWA Office of Operations is focused on the collaborative and systematic consideration of management and operations during transportation project design and development. This is termed designing for operations. Effectively designing for operations involves the development and application of design policies, procedures, and strategies that support transportation management and operations. The consideration of operations needs during the design process requires transportation design professionals to work closely with those with expertise in transportation operations, intelligent transportation and transportation technology staff, planning, transit, freight, traffic incident management, and other practitioners from multiple agencies to fully identify, prioritize, and incorporate operations needs into the infrastructure design.
This primer introduces the concept for designing for operations and describes tools or institutional approaches to assist transportation agencies in considering operations in their design procedures as well as pointing out some specific design considerations for various operations strategies. To view the primer, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: April 17, 2013 (NTOC)
This Thursday, April 18, from 1:00-2:30 PM ET, the TIM Network will host a crash reconstruction webinar. The focus will be on technology to aid a crash recon in gathering evidence to help with TIM. Each of our three presenters will talk about the respective system that they use, how they use it for safe, quick clearance, and how it is used in court cases, as well as any system limitations. Click on the link above to register. After you register, you will receive all of the information needed (website url, audio information, etc.) All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Don’t miss your chance to participate in this unique event!
Categories > Opportunity :: April 17, 2013 (JPO)
In summer 2011, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) kicked off the Midtown in Motion (MiM) project. The purpose of the MiM project is to promote multimodal mobility in the midtown core of Manhattan – a 110 square block area or “zone” from 2nd to 6th Avenues and from 42nd to 57th Streets. The MiM project integrates features of Active Traffic Management (ATM) and the full capabilities of the NYCDOT Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Infrastructure; a recent deployment of advanced solid-state traffic controllers (ASTCs) and a comprehensive network of sensors (e.g. video, microwave, and electronic toll collection readers), a wireless communication system, and the New York City Traffic Control System software system, which manages the project. The overall MiM deployment was large-scale and complex, yet highly cost-effective. The incremental investment was less than $2 million.
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2013
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET
Cost: All T3 webinars are free of charge
Click on the link above for complete information and to register.
T3 Webinars are brought to you by the ITS Professional Capacity Building Program (ITS PCB) at the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) ITS Joint Program Office, Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA).
Categories > Opportunity :: April 17, 2013 (FHWA)
Each year in April, National Work Zone Awareness Week is held to bring national attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. Since 1999, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has worked with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) to coordinate and sponsor the event. This year’s theme is "Work Zone Safety: We're All In This Together." One of the events marking this week was the unveiling of a new video called “Just Drive: Work Zone Smart,” PennDOT’s latest effort to encourage work zone safety. To watch the “Just Drive: Work Zone Smart” video, visit www.JustDrivePA.org.
Categories > Opportunity :: April 17, 2013 (TRB)
The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is co-sponsoring the Shared-Use Mobility Summit on October 10-11, 2013, in San Francisco, California. The summit is designed to bring mobility providers, policymakers, stakeholders, and interested members of the public together to explore media and public outreach on the state of the growing shared-use economy; issues pertaining to the various fields of shared-use services; and shared-use system integration. For more information, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: April 17, 2013 (ITS America)
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) invites proposals for a paper on Emergency Vehicle Operator On-Board Device Distractions. This project will be conducted with the coordination of the Transportation Safety
Advancement Group (TSAG). Proposals will be received until May 17, 2013. For complete information, click on the link above.
Categories > New Resource :: April 17, 2013 (FHWA)
The 2012 Urban Congestion Trends report is now available. The report provides a snapshot of urban congestion trends, including travel time reliability, in 19 urban areas in the United States. The report also highlights operational solutions that provide benefits to system operators and the traveling public.
Categories > New Resource :: April 17, 2013 (FHWA)
The ITS Joint Program Office Professional Capacity Building program in partnership the with Consortium for ITS Training and Education (CITE) and the FHWA Road Weather Management Program are delivering the new web-based course on Weather Responsive Traffic Management starting May 3, 2013. The course is currently free of charge (for a limited time) to all government agencies at the state, local, city/municipal and federal levels. The course provides information and guidance to transportation system managers and operators to help them effectively manage traffic flow and operations during adverse weather conditions. For more information, click on the link above.
Also, CITE is now offering a certificate program on Road Weather Management. The program requires the completion of three core courses (currently free for government agencies for a limited time): Principles and Tools for Road Weather Management, Roadway Weather Information System Equipment and Operations, and the recently developed Weather Responsive Traffic Management course. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate and Continuing Education Units (CEU's) certified from the University of Maryland. For information, visit http://www.citeconsortium.org/certprograms.html.
Categories > New Resource :: April 17, 2013 (TRB)
TRB’s second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) Capacity Project C16 has released a prepublication, non-edited version of a report titled The Effect of Smart Growth Policies on Travel Demand that explores the underlying relationships among households, firms, and travel demand; and describes a regional scenario planning tool that can be used to evaluate the impacts of various smart growth policies.
The Smart Growth Area Planning (SmartGAP) tool synthesizes households and firms in a region and determines the travel demand characteristics of these households and firms based on the characteristics of their built environment and transportation policies affecting their travel behavior. The release of SmartGAP is forthcoming. Its availability will be announced in a future newsletter. To view the draft publication, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: April 03, 2013 (JPO)
The deadline has been extended for people to respond to the ITS Joint Program Office’s Request for Information (RFI) on Automated Vehicle Technology. The deadline is now April 23. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is seeking informed views on the opportunities from and challenges to the development, deployment, operation, and use of increased automation of the surface transportation system, including vehicles, drivers, users, road-based infrastructure, information systems, and applications. The goal for this RFI is to develop a USDOT multimodal research plan for automation.
This area is of great interest to the public because the technology may have a significant impact on many societal issues such as driving safety, personal mobility, energy consumption, operating efficiency, environmental impact, and land use. The RFI can be found on FedBizOps and here: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOT/RITA/VNTSC/DTRT57-13-S-PNOTC/listing.html.
Responses are due by 12:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time on April 23, 2013, and shall be sent electronically to the Contracting Specialist, Michael Rigby, at michael.rigby@dot.gov.
Categories > Opportunity :: April 03, 2013 (NTOC)
The Ridesharing Institute is offering a free Webinar on Disruptive Innovations in Ridesharing on Wednesday, April 17, from 3:00 to 4:15 p.m. ET. To register, visit https://www147.livemeeting.com/lrs/cutr_ccc/Registration.aspx?pageName=t1sf863hbn80fnk5.
Transportation systems in many North American cities are being disrupted by the arrival of a new form of ridesharing: the “smart-phone dispatched shared ride.” Some claim these are unregulated taxis, while others see this as the key to unlocking the empty-seat resource to reduce congestion. Some regulators are fighting back, while others are changing laws to make it easier for the newcomers. In their landmark paper, Ridesharing in North America: Past, Present, and Future, Susan Shaheen and Nelson Chan explored the history of this energy conserving and congestion reducing transport mode, and envisioned a future that didn’t anticipate arranging private transportation for customers ‘on-demand’ via smart-phone apps. And yet within two years these ‘instant ride-sourcing’ services are the ones setting an aggressive pace for reform.
Join us April 17 as report author Susan Shaheen, of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, describes the background to Ridesharing and provides a provocative analysis of the new trends and our panel responds to Dr Shaheen’s analysis. This webinar is hosted by the National Center for Transit Research at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. For complete information on the Webinar and its speakers, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: April 03, 2013 (FHWA)
The Traffic Incident and Events Management (TI&EM) Team of the Office of Operations, FHWA, has opened a permanent, full-time position vacancy. FHWA’s role in disseminating the new products resulting from the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) “requires dedicated resources from the FHWA to effectively implement the products in cooperation with the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies of Sciences (NAS). These positions are critical to FHWA’s success in the implementation and national adoption of the SHRP2 products.”
The Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training course dissemination and evaluation product (often referred to as L12 or L32) developed under the SHRP2 Reliability track created a need for a new full-time position to aid the TI&EM team of the Office of Transportation Operations support their implementation. The selected person will serve as a Transportation Specialist, under the OPM 1201 job series, and will operate as national expert to the National TIM Responder Training SHRP2 products. These products are aimed at increasing the effectiveness of incident response by improving coordination of the key parties who respond to incidents. The individual will work with a range of public safety officials, including law enforcement, transportation, fire/rescue, EMS, public works, towing and others engaged in TIM responses and will work closely with all members of the TI&EM team.
The vacancy closes April 10. To apply, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/. If you are currently in Federal service, please apply using Job Announcement Number: FHWA.HOP-2013-0016 found at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/340813800.
Those currently outside of the Federal service will apply using the All U.S. Citizens advertisement, Job Announcement Number: FHWA.HOP-2013-0015, which is found at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/340813300.
Categories > New Resource :: April 03, 2013 (FHWA)
This report provides guidance to TMCs and transportation management agencies on how to better position themselves operationally in anticipation of future technology changes and advancements. Eight top trends of TMC operations are identified, including those that come from both within and outside the transportation community. Individual strategies - 80 in total - are presented to assist TMC managers with addressing the trends. The strategy descriptions include successful practice examples and key references as applicable. Recognizing the potential difficulties in successfully implementing individual strategies, the report also presents tools for building a framework for the technology and mindset developments. (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-13-008)
Categories > Now Available :: April 03, 2013 (FHWA)
The Road Weather Informer is an informal, periodical communication from the Road Weather Management (RWM) program to keep our public, private, and academic partners informed about events, recent publications, updates, and Federal and state news.
Items covered in this March 2013 issue include the 2013 Road Weather Stakeholder Meeting Update and Agenda Overview and the Clarus Transition to MADIS and the Weather Data Environment. For more information on the RWM program, visit the link above. To be added to The Road Weather Informer subscription list, please contact Paul Pisano at paul.pisano@dot.gov.
Categories > Now Available :: April 03, 2013 (TRB)
The World Road Association has released a report that reviews the supply and demand for road capacity and considers strategies to address congestion and improve mobility of persons in urban areas. This report is available without a fee after logging on to the site.
Categories > Now Available :: April 03, 2013 (TRB)
Austroads has released a report that examines network operation activities for congestion management and integrated land use and transport across New Zealand, Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria. This report is available without a fee after logging into the site.
Categories > Opportunity :: March 22, 2013 (FHWA)
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is sponsoring a free 90 minute webinar on the upcoming Guidebook on the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) Analysis of Active Transportation and Demand Management (ATDM) Strategies. The webinar will take place March 27, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST/ 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. PST.
The intended participants are transportation planners and traffic operations professionals from public agencies and the private sector, who are familiar with, manage, or regularly apply HCM analyses to transportation facility investments and environmental impact analyses.
To register, click on the link above.
To join the teleconference, visit https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/sr500activetransdemandmngmnt/.
To access the audio by telephone, dial in:
Phone #: 800-683-4564
Passcode: 424573
For more information on this guide, go to: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12047/index.htm#toc.
Categories > Breaking News :: March 20, 2013 (JPO)
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) commends the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) for its comprehensive assessment of the nation's current infrastructure conditions and needs. The 2013 Report Card finds that inadequate investment has resulted in deteriorating U.S. infrastructure.
"This Report Card accentuates the need for a long-term, sustainable funding source for surface transportation moving forward," said AASHTO Executive Director Bud Wright. "By connecting greater investment in transportation projects to measurable improvements in efficiency and connectivity, the report demonstrates why adequate infrastructure investment is key to our future economic prosperity."
Learn more about the ASCE Report Card at www.infrastructurereportcard.org.
Categories > Now Available :: March 20, 2013 (JPO)
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration and the Federal Highway Administration released the first version of the Research Data Exchange (RDE), a transportation data sharing system that promotes sharing of archived and real-time data from multiple sources and multiple modes. This new data sharing capability will support the needs of Intelligent Transportation System researchers and developers while reducing costs and encouraging innovation. Data accessible through the RDE is quality-checked, well-documented, and available to the public.
The RDE can be found on line at https://www.its-rde.net.
Categories > Opportunity :: March 20, 2013 (JPO)
The U.S. Department of Transportation will host a free public workshop to seek comments on the Connected Vehicle Reference Implementation Architecture program (CVRIA). The workshop is being organized by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Programs Office (ITS JPO) and will take place in San Jose, California, April 30 – May 1, 2013. To gain important feedback from the stakeholders who will be involved in manufacturing, developing, deploying, operating, or maintaining the connected vehicle technologies and applications, the USDOT is hosting this CVRIA workshop to discuss and solicit feedback on preliminary architecture viewpoint drafts and initial findings.
To register for the CVRIA Workshop, please visit www.itsa.org/cvriaregistration. For further information, please contact Adam Hopps, Transportation Program Specialist, Intelligent Transportation Society of America at 202-680-0091.Updates will be available on the ITS Program website at www.its.dot.gov under Press Room: Public Meetings and Events, and on the ITS Standards website at: http://www.standards.its.dot.gov/cvria.asp.
Categories > Opportunity :: March 20, 2013 (ITS America)
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is requesting proposals on behalf of the Joint Program Office (JPO) of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) in the U.S. Department of Transportation from individuals interested in serving as Module Authors for the development of the ITS content of the Road Network Operations (RNO) ITS Web Resource to be published on the World Road Association PIARC website. The current proposed structure includes seven themes and twenty-five modules. Prospective authors are asked to indicate which module(s) they are qualified for and are proposing to cover in response to this RFP. Prospective authors may apply to author one or more modules or all modules within a theme. A number of module authors may be chosen from this RFP.
ITS America will be accepting proposals until April 5, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Click to view this RFP at: http://www.itsa.org/businessdevelopment/rfps. For questions, contact Sarah Clements of ITS America at sclements@itsa.org.
Categories > Now Available :: March 20, 2013 (FHWA)
The FHWA Office of Operations has developed the Benefit/Cost Analysis for Operations Planning Desk Reference to provide practitioners with guidance, tools, and information for conducting benefit/cost analysis for a wide range of Transportation System Management and Operations (TSM&O) strategies and projects. In addition to the Desk Reference and the soon to-be-released Tool for Operations Benefit Cost (TOPS-BC), three informational briefs have been published to provide additional guidance on Operations Benefit Cost Analysis.
The three briefs and their descriptions are:
1. Providing Guidance to Practitioners in the Analysis of Benefits and Costs of Management and Operations Projects http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop13004/index.htm
This brief summarizes the content of the Operations Benefit Cost Desk Reference, describes the capabilities and structure of the Tool for Operations Benefit Cost (TOPS-BC), and notes the project contacts and outreach opportunities.
2. Real-World Examples of Application of Benefit Cost Analysis Guidance
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop13006/index.htm
This brief provides insight into conducting benefit cost analysis of operations strategies under a variety of real-world contexts. Examples are illustrated based on needs discussed by agencies that participated in FHWA benefit-cost workshops in Philadelphia, PA, Houston, TX, and Richmond, VA. BCA applications such as conducting a preliminary screening and prioritization of potential operations strategies to conducting benefit-cost analysis of existing construction work zone strategies and other examples are noted.
3. Conducting Benefit/Cost Analysis of Strategies Impacting Non-Typical Traffic Conditions
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop13005/index.htm
This brief describes how benefit-cost analyses methodologies can be improved to assess the benefits of operations strategies specifically targeted at improving travel during non-typical conditions. These non-typical conditions occur as a result of non-recurring traffic incidents, inclement weather conditions, or periods of high demand. Since a disproportionate amount of the expected benefits of these strategies are incurred during non-typical conditions, the use of conventional analysis methods focused solely on typical recurring conditions will often result in the severe underestimation of potential benefits.
If you have any questions regarding the project, or would like to be considered as a potential workshop delivery location, please contact: Jim Hunt at Jim.hunt@dot.gov.
Categories > Now Available :: March 20, 2013 (NCSL)
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood recently addressed leaders of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), an NTOC member organization. An excerpt from his blog is below and the complete message is available through the link:
State legislatures know that infrastructure investment boosts safety, economic competitiveness. America's state legislatures are on the front lines of governance; when the federal government holds back on infrastructure, state legislators must explain to constituents why their bridges need repair and why local businesses struggle to ship raw materials in and finished goods out to world markets. So when I spoke to the leaders of the National Conference of State Legislatures last week, they wanted to know what kind of support they could expect from the Obama Administration and Congress to help their residents get where they need to go safely and conveniently--and to help their states' businesses remain competitive in the global economy.
Categories > Opportunity :: March 20, 2013 (ITS America)
Join ITS America and ITS Tennessee for the 2013 Annual Meeting & Exposition at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center in Nashville, TN from April 22-24. This year’s theme “Real Progress — Great Future” will touch on how far we have come as a nation in the deployment of ITS technologies and will also illustrate just how much further we can go to create a connected, efficient, sustainable and safe transportation system. The 2013 conference will offer unprecedented opportunities to see the latest and learn about the future of intelligent transportation solutions from across the United States.
Categories > Opportunity :: March 13, 2013 (FHWA)
As part of FHWA's Traffic Incident & Events Management Peer-to-Peer Program, this webinar, taking place on Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, will feature Bill Wondrachek from Wisconsin DOT, Vince Fairhurst from Washington DOT, and Gaetano (Guy) Francese from Florida DOT. These speakers from three successful TIM programs will share their best practices & lessons learned as a precursor to the Pennsylvania & Washington TIM P2P exchange.
Please register through the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: March 13, 2013 (JPO)
The U.S. Department of Transportation will host a free public workshop to seek comments on the Connected Vehicle Reference Implementation Architecture program (CVRIA). The workshop is being organized by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Programs Office (ITS JPO) and will take place in San Jose, California, April 30 – May 1, 2013. To gain important feedback from the stakeholders who will be involved in manufacturing, developing, deploying, operating, or maintaining the connected vehicle technologies and applications, the USDOT is hosting this CVRIA workshop to discuss and solicit feedback on preliminary architecture viewpoint drafts and initial findings.
To register for the CVRIA Workshop, please visit www.itsa.org/cvriaregistration. For further information, please contact Adam Hopps, Transportation Program Specialist, Intelligent Transportation Society of America at 202-680-0091.Updates will be available on the ITS Program website at www.its.dot.gov under Press Room: Public Meetings and Events, and on the ITS Standards website at: http://www.standards.its.dot.gov/cvria.asp.
Categories > Opportunity :: March 13, 2013 (FHWA)
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is sponsoring a free 90 minute webinar on the upcoming Guidebook on the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) Analysis of Active Transportation and Demand Management (ATDM) Strategies. The webinar will take place March 27, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST/ 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. PST.
The intended participants are transportation planners and traffic operations professionals from public agencies and the private sector, who are familiar with, manage, or regularly apply HCM analyses to transportation facility investments and environmental impact analyses.
To join the teleconference, visit https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/sr500activetransdemandmngmnt/.
To access the audio by telephone, dial in:
Phone #: 800-683-4564
Passcode: 424573
For more information on this guide, go to: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12047/index.htm#toc.
