Volpe Center Highlights
Safety
Focus |
Safety |
Mobility |
Human and Natural Environment |
Economic Growth and Trade |
National Security |
Published and Presented
Promote public health and safety by working toward the elimination of transportation-related deaths, injuries, and property damage. |
Moving Kids Safely Conference (NHTSA)
The second annual Region I Moving Kids Safely conference was held recently at the Volpe Center. The meeting was hosted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and had the active participation of all DOT modal administration regional offices and the Volpe Center. The conference focused on raising awareness of transportation-related safety concerns for children. Among the many contributors to this outreach effort, Ms. Lynn Murray, Communications and Technology Outreach Division, moderated a panel which focused on current strategies to promote safe communities, and featured speakers from the Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Hazardous Materials Transport Reports Delivered (RSPA)
The Volpe Center's Environmental Engineering Division provides analytical and technical support to RSPA's Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS) on the safe transport of hazardous materials. Two Volpe Center reports were recently submitted to Mr. Richard Hannon, Director of OHMS's Office of Hazardous Materials Planning and Analysis. These reports, Truck Transport of Hazardous Chemicals: Isopropylamine and Truck Transport of Hazardous Chemicals: Isopropanol, are the last in a series of six prepared by the Volpe Center for the OHMS. The series, which focused on the highway transport of selected hazardous materials, will enable OHMS, states, and other government and industry parties to understand the geographical distribution of hazardous materials flows over U.S. highways. Both reports are available to the public through the National Technical Information Service.
Completion of Reports on Vessel Accident Prevention (USCG)
The Volpe Center is providing key support to the U.S. Coast Guard in the implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) code, a newly added section to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. This Code requires signatory nations to mandate that international vessel operators institute formal safety management practices and safety performance and evaluation systems. Mr. Robert Church, of the Volpe Center's Economic Analysis Division, collected data and conducted analysis in support of the Coast Guard's preparation of a rulemaking and report to Congress on this issue. Two final reports, entitled, Identification of Significant Types and Circumstances of U.S. Vessel Accidents Potentially Preventable by ISM Code Compliance and Potential Benefits and Costs of the Required Establishment of ISM Cost-Compatible Safety Management Systems by U. S. Vessel Operators, recently were delivered. Data from these reports also will assist the Coast Guard in future decision as to where its resources should be concentrated for the most effective implementation of the ISM requirements.
Safety Chapter For TSAR (BTS)
The Volpe Center provides ongoing support to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) in the preparation of the Transportation Statistics Annual Report (TSAR) publication. A revised draft chapter on transportation safety, for inclusion in this year's report, was recently submitted to BTS for publication. Principal authors were Messrs. Michael Rossetti, of the Office of System and Economic Assessment, and Basav Sen, of EG&G Services. This year's safety chapter includes a special focus on accident causation (with specific reference to adverse weather conditions), sections on the elderly and transportation safety, and an assessment of existing safety data and exposure measures on a mode-by-mode basis.
Key Aviation Safety System Briefing to FAA Executives (FAA)
Members of the Center's Aviation Safety Division recently briefed Director Christopher Hart and Deputy Barry Birmingham, of the FAA's Office of System Safety, in Washington, DC, about the Safety Performance Analysis System (SPAS). The briefing included a live demonstration of SPAS and explained the redesigned functional and analytical capabilities that are now available to the system's users. SPAS, developed at the Volpe Center, is an automated data analysis tool for monitoring the performance of aviation certificate holders and identifying those that pose a greater-than-normal safety risk. The briefing was also attended by Flight Standards Service Acting Director Tom Stuckey and lays a foundation for project cooperation between these departments.
Report Completed on Crashworthiness Research (NHTSA)
The Volpe Center, with key support from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, supports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) program on Vehicle Aggressivity and Fleet Compatibility. A final report, entitled Vehicle Aggressivity: Fleet Characterization Using Traffic Collision Data recently was prepared for National Technical Information Service distribution. This report contains the results of a study to evaluate the crashworthiness and aggressivity of cars and light trucks. At the request of the NHTSA Administrator, 50 advance copies were prepared and delivered on a quick turn-around effort for an upcoming news conference.
Final Report on Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing Safety Research Delivered (FRA)
The Volpe Center's Accident Prevention Division is providing technical support to the Federal Railroad Administration to improve the safety of highway-railroad grade crossings. One effort under this program involves research to evaluate improved auditory warning devices at grade crossings. While traditional train horns provide an audible warning alerting drivers of an approaching train at a crossing, they can also annoy residents living in a surrounding community. An innovative concept for addressing this problem is the wayside horn, a horn which is placed at the railroad crossing, rather than on the train. The Center recently completed an assessment of a wayside horn system at two grade crossings in Gering, NE, in cooperation with the Union Pacific Railroad and the City of Gering. As part of the assessment, nearby residents were asked to compare the annoyance level of the traditional train horn to that of the wayside horn. Acoustic data for both the train and wayside horn systems was also acquired and used to compare the acoustic characteristics of the two warning systems. The final evaluation report was recently submitted to the FRA.
Implementation of Australian GPS Outage Reporting System (Australia)
In its effort to improve aviation safety, the Volpe Center has been developing procedures to detect failures in satellite navigation. The Center for Navigation recently implemented a Global Positioning System (GPS) Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) prediction and outage reporting system at the Australian Notice to Airmen Office (NOTAM) in Brisbane, Australia. This system will provide pilots with GPS outage information during pre-flight planning and support the commissioning of GPS for non-precision approaches. The project is sponsored by Airservices Australia and the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Canberra, Australia.
Runway Incursion Reduction Program (FAA)
The Volpe Center's Airport Surface Division is providing technical and management support to the FAA through its Runway Incursion Reduction Program (RIRP). This is a major effort aimed at preventing aircraft and surface vehicle incursions on airport runways and taxiways. As part the RIRP effort, several low-cost Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE-X) systems are being evaluated under air traffic control operation conditions at three commercial airports. One such system is the Dassault Rapsodie, a French phased-array surface radar installed at Norfolk Virginia's International Airport. Members of the Airport Surface Division technical staff recently completed the installation and site-acceptance testing of the Dassault Rapsodie ASDE-X. Acceptance tests, which include procedures covering the system's functionality, performance, and maintenance, will be followed by air traffic controller training and a test period using controllers to evaluate the system's effectiveness during low-visibility operations. The ASDE-X evaluations will assist the FAA in assessing how effective the low-cost surface surveillance systems can be in reducing runway and taxiway incursions and preventing accidents at airports.
Track Systems Research (FRA)
In support of the FRA, the Volpe Center has been involved in track systems research to improve the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of the nation's rail systems. FRA's Office of Safety has asked the Volpe Center to evaluate a request from the Florida Overland Express (FOX) for relief from certain provisions of the high-speed track safety standards. To address issues raised by the request, Drs. Oscar Orringer and David Jeong, both of the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division, conducted a damage-tolerance analysis of rail containing detail fractures. A draft memo has been prepared summarizing the results of this analysis, which was based on assumptions intended to represent the service environment expected in FOX operations.