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Volpe Center Highlights - November/December 2000

Mobility

Director's Notes | Focus | Safety | Mobility | Human and Natural Environment |
Economic Growth and Trade | National Security

Ensure that the transportation system is accessible, integrated and efficient, and offers flexibility of choices.

Volpe Executes Three Cooperative Research and Development Agreements for APTS Mobile Showcase (FTA)

Recently, the Volpe Center executed three additional Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) in support of the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS) Mobile Showcase. The CRADAs are with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), and Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America). These CRADAs formalize the role of these organizations, including the nature of their assistance to the Mobile Showcase Program. To date, the Mobile Showcase Program has more than 30 CRADAs in place.

The APTS Mobile Showcase is a 48-foot trailer with expandable sides, which can serve as a research lab, classroom, and briefing facility on wheels. The Mobile Showcase will tour the country for the next several years demonstrating the benefits of APTS technologies and will be seen at various transportation conferences, transit agencies, universities, and other venues. The Volpe Center's Service Assessment Division, under the sponsorship of the FTA's Office of Mobility Innovation, designed and developed the Mobile Showcase and is now responsible for its operation and maintenance.

On August 11, 2000, Dr. Richard R. John, Director of the Volpe Center; Mr. Robert Ow of the Office of Traffic and Operations Management; and Mr. Robert Brodesky of EG&G Technical Services, Inc. (a Volpe Center contractor) participated in a ceremony for the signing of the CRADAs. The ceremony was held at DOT headquarters in Washington, D.C. Other participants included Ms. Kelley S. Coyner, then-Administrator of the Research and Special Programs Administration; Ms. Nuria Fernandez, then-Acting Administrator of FTA; Mr. Walter Sutton, then-Deputy Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration; Mr. Lou Sanders, Director of Research and Technology for APTA; Mr. Dale Marsico, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of CTAA; and Mr. John Collins, President of ITS America.

(left to right) Mr. Robert Brodesky, Dr. Richard R. John, and Mr. Robert Ow inside the APTS Mobile Showcase. (Photo courtesy of Mr. Robert Brodesky)

In addition, from August 10 to 11, 2000, the APTS Mobile Showcase, which was located adjacent to the DOT headquarters building, was available for viewing by DOT staff and other interested parties. It is estimated that approximately 300 persons visited the Mobile Showcase during this time. Comments received from showcase visitors were very positive and affirmed the need for a mobile platform to educate and highlight the benefits of Intelligent Transportation Systems applied to public transportation.

Supporting the International Organization for Standardization (FTA)

The Volpe Center is the officially designated Administrator of the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) Technical Committee 204 U.S. Working Advisory Group (WAG) 8. The WAG develops the U.S. position on international standards for public transportation and emergency services, provides guidance and direction to U.S. experts in representing this position in the international arena, and monitors their work and progress. Mr. Michael Sheehan of the Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division serves as Secretary to the WAG and Rapporteur of the corresponding international ISO Working Group.

From October 31 to November 1, 2000, Mr. Sheehan attended a meeting of the international ISO Working Group held in Naples, Italy. The ISO Working Group is trying to establish international standards for Intelligent Transportation Systems in transit vehicles. Several issues were discussed at the meeting, including progress on a U.S.-proposed Committee Draft Standard, the Transit Communications Interface Protocol. The group also discussed a Japanese proposal for a traffic signal preemption system for emergency service vehicles. The system will provide signal priority for transit vehicles. In addition to chairing the ISO Working Group meeting, Mr. Sheehan also represented the WAG at the subsequent plenary meetings of ISO Technical Committee 204, which also were held in Naples.

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