Volpe Center Highlights - Summer 2005
Volpe Contributes to TRB Annual Meeting
Director's Notes |
Dr. Kaveeshwar: First RITA Administrator |
Focus |
Safety
Mobility |
Security |
Contributions to TRB |
Published and Presented
The Transportation Research Board's (TRB) 2005 Annual Meeting drew nearly 9,000 transportation professionals from around the world to Washington, D.C. from January 9-13, 2005. The Volpe Center was well represented in this diverse group of researchers, academics, administrators, and others from government and industry. Volpe staff presided over 10 sessions or meetings, delivered 16 papers or presentations, and developed and staffed DOT's Small Business Innovation Research Program exhibit, RSPA's University Transportation Center's exhibit, and DOT's Technology and Innovation exhibit. The spotlight theme for this year's 84th Annual Meeting was Transportation from the Customer's Perspective: Providing a Safe, Secure, and Integrated System.
The TRB meeting may be the world's largest transportation forum. With every mode of transportation represented, it is an ideal venue for the Volpe Center to share its knowledge and perspective. Volpe participants covered a number of broad areas, including safety, environmental stewardship, and security; specific topics ranged from operator fatigue assessment, rail performance measurement, railroad systems, transportation economics, and transportation planning.
Safety
Mr. Greg Ayres and Dr. Bruce Wilson of the Advanced Safety Technology Division presented "Identifying Control Loss Conflicts in Field Operational Test Data."
Dr. Lawrence C. Barr of the Advanced Safety Technology Division and Dr. C. Y. David Yang, formerly of the Volpe Center, presented "Assessment of Driver Fatigue, Distraction, and Performance in Naturalistic Setting."
Ms. Anya A. Carroll, Acting Division Chief of the Railroad Systems Division, presided over the Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Committee as well as the session "Highway-Rail Grade Crossings: Part 2 Evaluation Experiences."
Mr. Robert M. Dorer, Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Safety and Security, presided over the Guided Intercity Passenger Transportation Committee.
Dr. David Jeong of the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division and Mr. Jeffrey Gordon of the Structures and Dynamics Division presented "Effect of Longitudinal Rail Force on Rail Defect Behavior and Management."
Dr. Jordan Multer of the Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division presided over the Vehicle User Characteristics Committee session on near-miss reporting and presented "Benefit of Close-Call Reporting for Railroad Industry."
Mr. Daniel Parent, Dr. Benjamin Perlman, and Mr. David Tyrell of the Structures and Dynamics Division presented "Evaluating Abdominal Injury in Workstation Table Impacts." Peter Matthews of AEA Technology Rail contributed to the presentation.
Dr. Stephen Popkin of the Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division presented "Nonprescriptive Tools to Reduce Operator Fatigue."
Dr. Thomas B. Sheridan of the Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division presented "New Method for Rating Severity of Transportation Close Calls."
Mr. Andrew Sluz of the Structures and Dynamics Division presented "Rail Stress Management on Union Pacific Railroad Based on Remote-Sensing Technology." William GeMeiner of Union Pacific Railroad Company contributed.
Dr. Scott Smith of the Service and Operations Assessment Division presented "Axle Weight Regulation of Transit Buses and Motorcoaches," which was co-authored by Dr. John Brewer of the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division and Dr. Doug Lee of the Economic and Industry Analysis Division.
Dr. Theodore Sussmann of the Structures and Dynamics Division presented "Track Substructure Diagnostic Measurements." Willem Ebersohn of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation contributed to the presentation.
Dr. C. Y. David Yang, formerly of the Volpe Center, presided over the session Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) Joint Subcommittee. Dr. Yang and Dr. Wassim Najm of the Advanced Safety Technology Division, presented "Planning Field Operational Test for Signal Violation Warning System: Lessons Learned from Drivers' Red-Light Running Behavior."
Environmental Stewardship
- Dr. Judith L. Rochat of the Environmental Measurement and Modeling Division presided over the Highway Noise and Vibration Subcommittee.
Security
Mr. Robert Hoaglund, Certified Protection Professional of the Infrastructure Protection and Operations Division presented "Innovative Security Technologies for Transport of Milk," which was based on a paper written by Mr. Hoaglund and Mr. Joseph Koziol of the Technology Applications and Deployment Division.
Mr. Matthew Rabkin of the Planning and Policy Analysis Division presented "FHWA Transportation Security Professional Capacity Building Program." Mr. John A. Gerner of the Federal Highway Administration contributed to the presentation.
Economics
Dr. Doug Lee of the Economic and Industry Analysis Division presided over two sessions: "Cost Estimation for Planning and Policy: What Is a Cost?" and "Impacts of Transportation Investment: Benefits or What?" He also presided over the TRB Transportation Economics Committee, which he chairs.
Dr. Don Pickrell of the Office of System and Economic Assessment presented "How Costs Can Turn into Benefits."
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