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Volpe Center Highlights - March 1999

Mobility

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

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

Volpe Center Participates in GPS Risk Assessment Study (FAA)

Dr. Richard John, and Ms. Karen Van Dyke, of the Center for Navigation, participated in a meeting with Federal Aviation Administrator Jane Garvey and other DOT administrators on the Global Positioning System (GPS) risk assessment study for aviation performed by Johns Hopkins University. The study addresses the question of whether GPS, with augmentations, is sufficiently robust to serve as a sole means of navigation for aviation and thus be the only navigation service provided by the FAA. The Volpe Center is already performing a related study for OST that addresses GPS vulnerability for transportation modes. Now the Center will be able to incorporate the findings of the John Hopkins study and other ongoing evaluations to develop a report applicable to all modes of transportation. The effort will also involve collecting additional information on the integration of GPS with other navigation systems and GPS interference mitigation techniques.

Volpe ITS PCB Work Recognized in ITS International

A recent article in the January/February 1999 issue of ITS International entitled Waiting for the Train: How the U.S. is facing up to an ITS Crisis, highlighted the work of the ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) team at the Volpe Center. In the summer of 1997, the first PCB needs assessment was undertaken by a cross-divisional Volpe team including Ms. Maureen Luna-Long, Mr. John O'Donnell and Ms. Suzanne Sloan, of the Economic and Analysis Division, Ms. Cynthia Maloney and Mr. Gary Ritter, of the Policy and Technology Analysis Division, Dr. Sylvia Harris, of the Telecommunications Division, Mr. Terence Smith of EG&G, and contractors from Brattle Systems. Their work resulted in a report that synthesized the previous literature on PCB needs in ITS, reported on a series of field interviews with ITS practitioners, and presented the higher level programmatic issues for the U.S. DOT's ITS PCB Program. The ITS International article summarized the results of the Center's research and PCB Needs Assessment which showed, among other findings, that "well-qualified professionals at high level sites are a precious resource and are not easily replaced."

Volpe Center Conducts ITS Training for Florida DOT and ITS Florida (ITS JPO)

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies promise to improve the safety and efficiency of surface transportation. The U.S. DOT's PCB Program, a joint Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) program directed by the DOT ITS Joint Program Office, has been tasked with promoting ITS deployment through the development of appropriate ITS knowledge and skills for government agencies as well as the transportation industry. The Volpe Center, at the request of the FTA, acts as Program Manager for the FTA ITS PCB program. In that role, the Center develops and delivers awareness training on the application of ITS to public transportation. One of the training resources developed by the Volpe Center's Telecommunications Division is the "ITS in Transit Awareness Seminar," a one-day course that was recently presented at the Florida DOT Training Facility in Jacksonville, FL. The presentation was requested by the Florida DOT and ITS Florida, and was attended by representatives from city transit and traffic agencies, Florida DOT, the University of Florida, and the FHWA Florida Division.

Volpe Center Staff Present at the Fast Ferry International Conference (DOD)

Mr. Robert Armstrong of the Economic Analysis Division, Mr. Michael Dyer of the Environmental Engineering Division, and Mr. Krishna Jain, of EG&G, are providing support to the United States Navy's Office Of Naval Research by conducting an analysis of the market for fast ferries. In support of this work, the team recently attended the 15th Fast Ferry International Conference and Exhibition in Boston, MA, where over 700 conference attendees received information from representatives of the commercial high speed marine craft sector. During a panel session moderated by Mr. Dyer, Messrs. Armstrong and Jain presented an overview entitled, "The Operator's Fast Ferry Decision: To Buy or not to Buy." The panel also included a general overview of the Volpe Center Fast Ferry research. Other panel members included ferry operators, shipyards, and members of the financial community, all of whom presented different perspectives on the high-speed ferry market.

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