Items of Interest 2001
Items of Interest was renamed New and Noteworthy in December 2008
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December 2001
Volpe National Technical Expert recognized as Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer- Dr. Aviva Brecher of the Volpe Center was recently nominated and selected as a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer for 2002-2004. Sigma Xi is a nonprofit Scientific Research Society with a membership of nearly 75,000 scientists and engineers, elected because of their research achievements or potential. Lecturers are invited to submit several lecture topics of timely interest related to their work, and then invited to present by small colleges and universities across the country. Dr. Brecher's picture, background information, and lecture topics have been published in the latest issue of the American Scientist magazine, as well as posted on the Sigma Xi website in the Distinguished Lecturers section. (Added 12/31/01)
From left to right: David Phinney, Nicaraguan President Aleman, Henry Wychorski |
Improving navigation in the Port of Corinto, Nicaragua- As part of the Central American Navigation Restoration Project, Volpe Center staff members David Phinney and Henry Wychorski traveled to Corinto, Nicaragua on December 3-7, 2001, to ascertain the readiness of the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) transmitter for full operational use as a navigation aid for the Port of Corinto. Mr. Phinney and Mr. Wychorski also participated in an official ceremony at the port during which the ownership of the DGPS transmitter station was transferred from the United States of America to the country of Nicaragua. Attendees at the ceremony included the President of Nicaragua, the Director of the Empressa Portuaria Nacional (National Port Enterprise), and the Chief Economic Officer from the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua. Following the speeches and official ribbon cutting ceremony, the Volpe team provided a demonstration of the newly installed navigation system to the dignitaries, including President Aleman. The Volpe Center was responsible for the design and development of the DGPS installation as part of a humanitarian program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development to "Build Back Better" the navigational capabilities of the port that were ravaged by Hurricane Mitch in November 1998. This "Sustainable Restoration" project utilizes technological advances that will support 24-hour navigation in the port in all weather conditions. A similar DGPS system was installed at the Port of San Lorenzo in Honduras last year. Since the inauguration of DGPS operations, San Lorenzo has reported a marked enhancement in safety and a considerable improvement in the efficiency and economics of port operations. (Added 12/18/01)
Volpe staff member presents at GAIN conference- On December 5-6, 2001, Bill Wood of the Volpe Center spoke at the Fifth World Conference of the Global Aviation Information Network (GAIN) in Miami, Florida. Mr. Wood's address, "Implementing Near-Real Time Airline Sharing Systems," took place during a series of conference workshops. The GAIN conference is an event that provides a forum for aviation professionals from around the world to discuss the importance of collecting and sharing safety information. The theme of this year's conference was "Safety Information Sharing: Collaboration, Innovation, and Implementation." (Added 12/18/01)
From left to right: Captain Hassan A.A. Hassan (Assistant Harbor Master, Port of Jebel Ali) and Charles McCarthy (Volpe Center) |
Volpe staff member visits U.A.E. for Best Security Practices Report- From October 28-November 7, 2001, Charles McCarthy of the Volpe Center visited the Port Authority and Customs Department at two United Arab Emirates ports in Dubai, Jebel Ali and Rashid, to gather information on best security practices. The Volpe Center is preparing a report on Intermodal Best Security Practices in International Maritime Cargo Transportation and is visiting the international ports with the largest container traffic to learn about procedures and techniques that can be applied world-wide to reduce the threat of cargo theft and terrorism. The Port of Jebel Ali was chosen because it has the largest container traffic in the Middle East and a sophisticated information technology network. (Added 12/11/01)
Volpe Center staff contribute to AIAA publication- Dr. Eugene Gilbo of the Volpe Center, along with co-author Mr. Kenneth Howard of Arcon Corp. (a Volpe Center contractor), contributed a chapter to Air Transportation Systems Engineering, a book published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) as Volume 193 of the AIAA series Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics. In the chapter entitled "Collaborative Optimization of Arrival and Departure Traffic Flow Management Strategies at Airports," the authors propose a new concept called "Collaborative Optimization" for the Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) program to advance current CDM procedures for solving congestion problems at the nation's airports. The Collaborative Optimization model is the first model that jointly optimizes arrival and departure strategies at airports while taking into account both operational constraints at airports and the airlines' priorities in their traffic demand to maximize the airport throughput and minimize delays during the FAA's Ground Delay Program. The CDM program is the high priority initiative of the FAA and airlines to provide improved operational service through sharing of information between the airlines and the FAA's air traffic management and control organization. Volpe work on CDM is related to the FAA Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS). ETMS is the operational air traffic management automation system developed by the Volpe Center for use by air traffic managers and airline dispatchers to reduce delays in the U. S. airspace. (Added 12/11/01)
Volpe staff member contributes to Paris transportation meetings- On November 20-22, 2001, William Lyons of the Volpe Center joined Edward Weiner of the Policy Office, Office of the Secretary of Transportation in working meetings of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) in Paris, France. Mr. Lyons participated as a member of the Steering Committee to plan the third phase of the project on Implementing Sustainable Urban Travel Policies. The second phase report was presented to the ECMT Council of Ministers in Lisbon last May. Secretary Mineta made the keynote speech on the topic. Mr. Lyons also participated in the meeting of the ECMT Working Group on Transport and Environment, and made a presentation on innovative efforts by state and local agencies to incorporate greenhouse gas reduction goals in transportation planning. He also participated in a meeting of the OECD Environment Directorate's Working Party on Transport. (Added 12/3/01)
November 2001
 From left to right: Congressman Lynch, Congressman Capuano, Dr. John |
Congressman Capuano and Congressman Lynch visit Volpe Center- Congressman Michael Capuano and Congressman Stephen Lynch, representing the 8th and 9th Massachusetts Congressional Districts respectively, visited the Volpe Center on November 27, 2001. The Congressmen also spoke at a press briefing arranged by the organizers of the Technologies Against Terrorism Forum, which was underway at the Volpe Center. The Congressmen and their staff members were greeted by Dr. Richard R. John, Director of the Volpe Center, who escorted them to a demonstration of the air traffic management system developed by the Volpe Center for the Federal Aviation Administration. Volpe Center Division Chief Dick Bair and key staff answered questions posed by Congressman Capuano and Congressman Lynch. The Technologies Against Terrorism Forum provided basic program information, guidance, and networking opportunities for potential respondents to recent broad agency agreements issued by federal agencies to develop new technologies to combat terrorism. Dr. John welcomed over 400 participants to the Forum, which was sponsored by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and Arthur D. Little, Inc. (Added 11/28/01)
Information Systems Security Day at the Volpe Center- On November 14, 2001, Volpe employees and members of the New England Chapter of Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), a nonprofit international organization of information security professionals and practitioners, participated in Information Systems Security Day at the Volpe Center. In the morning, a meeting of the Volpe Information Systems Security Forum (VISS) featured Tom Auston from the Internet Business Group, who presented a talk on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and "Pretty Good Privacy" (PGP) Security. Volpe Center employee Chuck Pandil also gave a presentation on the Volpe Center's Information Systems Security Awareness program. Following the VISS, ISSA members heard Dr. Richard John, Volpe Center Director, deliver the welcome address at the ISSA's New England Chapter Meeting. Later in the day, ISSA members listened to a keynote speech by Simson Garfinkel, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Sandstorm Enterprises, Inc. Mr. Garfinkel's briefing highlighted how to protect security, commerce, and privacy on the World Wide Web, the subject of the second edition of his book, Web Security and Commerce, which was first published in 1997. (Added 11/26/01)
Volpe Center exhibit at ATCA |
Volpe Center participates in ATCA - On November 4-8, 2001, Volpe Center staff members attended the Air Traffic Control Association's (ATCA) 46th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The theme of this year's meeting was "ATCA 2002: Improving Capacity and Efficiency." The objective of this year's International Technical Program was to propose concepts, technologies, procedures, and infrastructure improvements that could increase capacity and efficiency throughout the air transportation system. The ATCA convention addressed many of the issues associated with the upcoming ATC system modernization as the present ground-based system is replaced with a space-based system and traffic control responsibility is shared between the ATC system on the ground and the aircraft cockpit. As in the past, the Volpe Center was well represented in the exhibit area of the conference. This year, the Volpe Center booth highlighted our work on the FAA Enhanced Traffic Management System, wake turbulence, runway incursion reduction, and environmental noise measurement. (Added 11/19/01)
Volpe Center employees honored at the Secretary's Awards Ceremony- On November 1, 2001, Volpe employees and teams that include Center personnel were recognized for their efforts at the Secretary of Transportation's 34th Annual Secretary's Awards ceremony in Washington, DC. Kim Cardosi received the Secretary's Silver Medal award for her achievements in transportation human factors. Phyllis Krantzman received an EEO/Affirmative Action award for her efforts to ensure that the implementation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act was incorporated in Volpe Center business processes. Eva Dykstra received an Excellence award in recognition of her exceptional administrative support and leadership as Recording Secretary to teams involved in complex acquisitions at the Center. Anya Carroll accepted a Partnering for Excellence award for the Railroad Grade Crossing Technical Working Group, a team composed of transportation representatives from across the country. (Volpe employee Michael Coltman is also a member of this group.) John LoBue accepted a Team award for the Volpe Center's U.S. Air Force National Airspace System Engineering and Installation team. Paul Kudarauskas accepted a Volunteer Service award for the 117 Volpe community employees who participated in the 2000-2001 Volpe Center Lunch Buddies Program. (Added 11/19/01)
Back row, left to right: Koen de Groot, Gerard de Jong, Han van der Loop, William Lyons, Pieter Wouters
Front row, left to right: David Madsen, Don Wright, Richard John, Paul Huijbregts |
Volpe hosts visitors from Netherlands' Ministry of Transport- On November 8-9, 2001, the Volpe Center hosted a visit by a five member team from the Dutch Ministry of Transport's State Traffic Inspectorate within the Directorate General for Freight Research in the Hague and the Transport Research Centre (TRC) in Rotterdam. The visit, hosted by Richard R. John, Volpe Center Director, was under the auspices of the formal agreement for collaboration between Volpe and the Transport Research Centre under the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. DOT and the Ministry. The meeting focused on Volpe's experience with developing a road safety management system for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Dutch plans to develop a similar system. The meeting was organized by David Madsen and Don Wright of the Economic Analysis Division, who are the leads under the agreement for safety management systems, and William Lyons of the Service Assessment Division, Volpe coordinator for the agreement. The visiting team consisted of: Pieter Wouters and Koen de Groot of the State Traffic Inspectorate; Han van der Loop and Paul Huijbregts from the Transport Research Centre; and Gerard de Jong from RAND Europe. Volpe and FMCSA staff also organized a visit by the team November 5-7 to FMCSA headquarters to meet with the Administrator and program managers and to a field station. (Added 11/13/01)
Volpe staff participates in ICAO meeting- On October 22-November 1, 2001, Karen Van Dyke of the Volpe Center participated as a member of an FAA delegation to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Panel meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This meeting focused on the development of Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) for the international adoption of GNSS technology for aviation applications. The Volpe Center presented a graphical, Windows-based Global Positioning System (GPS) prediction capability that was developed for DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung in Germany in order to evaluate the availability of the use of GPS for aviation under various input assumptions. At this meeting, DFS offered this software package to the ICAO GNSS Panel as an evaluation tool that may be used by all interested ICAO states. The Volpe Center also participated in the SARPS development and discussed findings and recommendations from the recently released GPS Vulnerability study that was conducted for the Office of the Secretary of Transportation. Information from this study will be incorporated into the ICAO GNSS Panel Manual to provide operational guidance to countries regarding the implementation of GNSS for aviation. (Added 11/13/01)
Volpe staff participates in ISO meetings- On October 8-12, 2001, Michael Sheehan of the Volpe Center participated in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee 204 Working Group 8 meetings in Sydney/Gold Coast, Australia. At this series of meetings, the Working Group decided to link its efforts more closely over the next six months with the proponents of TransModel, a European data modeling product used in public transport, in order to harmonize TransModel with TCIP, the Public Transport Communications Interface Protocol. TCIP is a suite of data interface standards for the transit industry. The TCIP Project was sponsored by the Institute of Transportation Engineers and funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office and the Federal Transit Administration. In May 2002, the Working Group will meet again, in England, to decide whether to submit TCIP for ballot as a Draft International Standard under ISO rules. In addition, the Working Group discussed a preliminary standard on Public Transport Stop Numbering Protocols proposed by Australia and continued work on a Japanese preliminary standard on Traffic Signal Priority for Public Transport Vehicles. U.S. participation in this ongoing effort is led by Mr. Sheehan who serves as Secretary to the Working Group 8 and Rapporteur of the corresponding international ISO Working Group. This effort is funded by the Federal Transit Administration Office of Mobility Innovation. (Added 11/05/01)
10th CIREN Trauma Center Opened in Milwaukee- On October 25, 2001, Mr. Bill Gay and Ms. Marge Saccoccio represented the Volpe Center at the opening ceremony of the 10th Crash Injury Research Engineering Network (CIREN) Trauma Center located at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) in Milwaukee. CIREN, a tool to help researchers collect and review motor vehicle injury data, is a partnership of the federal government, auto manufacturers, and trauma centers. It provides a common database into which the trauma centers can add actual injury case data, and that can then be accessed by researchers throughout the United States. The primary objective of CIREN is to research the causation and nature of injuries that actually occur in motor vehicle crashes and use this information to improve restraint and occupant protection designs for enhanced safety. During this ceremony, a cooperative agreement between the Volpe Center, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the MCW was finalized. Under this agreement, the Volpe Center will provide the resources required for the implementation and operation of a CIREN data system at the MCW's Trauma Center at the Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital. (Added 11/05/01)
October 2001
Volpe Center staff member receives "Thanks a Million" award- On October 22, 2001, sixty-nine Department of Transportation employees received a "Thanks a Million" award from Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta for their efforts to work together in a spirit of partnership to solve the nation's transportation challenges. Volpe Center staff member Don Wright received one of these awards for his health and safety data analysis work in support of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Those who assisted Mr. Wright in his work for FMCSA include Volpe Center employees Dave Madsen, Nancy Kennedy, Jon Ohman, Doug Rickenback, Krishna Jain, Beth Deysher, and Tai Liu as well as Dennis Piccolo and Candy Brown of EG&G Technical Services, Inc. (a Volpe Center contractor). (Added 10/29/01)
Volpe staff present papers at Digital Avionics Systems Conference- On October 14-18, 2001, Dr. Thomas Seliga and Mr. Patrick Martone of the Volpe Center's Surveillance and Sensors Division presented papers at the 20th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC) in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Conference covered a broad range of key engineering disciplines that support transportation applications involving ground vehicles, general aviation, commercial aviation, rotorcraft, commercial space, and the military. Dr. Seliga presented papers in two different areas that support FAA programs. The first paper, "Potential Enhancements to the Performance of ASDE (Airport Surface Detection Equipment) Radars Derived from Multistatic Radar Principles," co-authored by Mr. Francis Coyne of the Volpe Center, deals with airport surveillance. The other, "Improvements in FAA Systems: Reliability Assessments of the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar," co-authored with Edwin Bates of BAE Systems, was in support of reliability assessments of a major weather radar system. Mr. Martone also presented two papers. The first paper, "Helicopter In-Flight Tracking System (HITS) Test and Evaluation Project in the Gulf of Mexico," authored by Dr. Michael Geyer of the Volpe Center, describes the NASA-funded HITS program to provide aircraft surveillance in the unique Gulf of Mexico environment. The second paper, authored by Mr. Martone, is titled "Candidate Requirements for Multilateration and ADS-B (Automated Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast) Systems to Serve as Alternatives to Secondary Surveillance Radar." This paper introduces the concept of beacon multilateration surveillance, the specific HITS implementation, and some of the challenges associated with evaluating multilateration and contrasting the performance to traditional secondary surveillance radars. (Added 10/29/01)
Volpe staff member serves as U.S. delegate to NAFTA Land Transportation meeting- On October 15-16, 2001, Mark Safford of the Volpe Center served as one of the U.S. delegates to the 8th Annual Plenary of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Land Transportation Standards Subcommittee and Transportation Consultative Group meeting in Ottawa, Canada. This annual event is an opportunity for representatives from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to discuss issues that affect land transport between the three nations. Mr. Safford is a member of the Transportation Consultative Working Group #4 on Science and Technology. Issues discussed by the working group included: border crossing technologies, improving the sharing of transportation R&D data and results among the three nations, and possible joint cooperation on transportation R&&D projects with Europe. Participation in this activity is part of the Volpe Center's support to the Research and Special Programs Administration's Associate Administrator for Innovation, Research, and Education. (Added 10/22/01)
Motor carrier safety information posted on A&I Online- On October 1, 2001, the Volpe Center confirmed the successful running of SafeStat for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). SafeStat is a data-driven analysis system designed to incorporate the current on-road safety performance information of all motor carriers with on-site compliance review and enforcement history information to measure the relative safety fitness of individual carriers. The results of SafeStat were posted on the FMCSA website Analysis & Information (A&I) Online, which was developed and is maintained by the Volpe Center. The SafeStat results on A&I Online provide the FMCSA and state enforcement personnel with detailed safety information that assists in their investigations. A&I Online also provides an effective way to disseminate SafeStat results to stakeholders such as federal and state agencies, the motor carrier industry, shippers, insurers and the American public to ultimately promote motor carrier safety improvement. (Added 10/17/01)
Navigating safely through the Saint Lawrence Seaway- The Volpe Center is supporting the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation by designing and implementing the automatic identification system (AIS) technology that will identify vessels and pinpoint their locations on the Seaway. On September 17-21, 2001, Messieurs Kam Chin, Daniel Nim, and Bryan Long of the Volpe Center participated in a field test project on the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The testing conducted was the second of a three-phase program to measure signal coverage for the vessel traffic management system, which will be based on AIS technology. Data recording equipment was installed on transiting vessels to determine the coverage area between shore stations in Orleans, New York and Iroquois, Ontario. When testing is completed, an analysis of the data will be performed to determine the number and location of base stations that will be required for an operational system that will extend from Montreal to Eastern Lake Erie. In addition, on September 19, 2001, the Volpe team participated in a meeting with the Canadian Coast Guard to discuss strategies for information sharing among agencies and to review the current status of the Saint Lawrence Seaway AIS network implementation. The U.S. and Canada are working together to develop an interoperable AIS system so that transiting vessels can operate a single transponder to achieve safe navigation throughout the entire Great Lakes - Saint Lawrence Seaway complex. (Added 10/17/01)
Mitigating traffic in our national parks- On October 3, 2001, Michael Dyer of the Volpe Center visited Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine, to make a formal presentation and lead a discussion with park staff and local stakeholders on the results of a recent Volpe assessment of transportation alternatives to serve the Park's Schoodic Peninsula area. Volpe's assessment investigates the efficacy of ferry, bus, and bicycle transportation to ease traffic into the Schoodic parkland. This assessment was prompted by the Department of Defense's announcement that it will return former Navy-base land to the Park Service in the Schoodic Peninsula area. Acadia National Park staff will now submit comments to the Volpe Center for incorporation into Volpe's final report, which will support an amendment to the park's general management plan. This project is part of the Volpe Center's support to the National Park Service in assessing alternative transportation programs and solutions that have the potential for mitigating automobile traffic. (Added 10/10/01)
The people in the photo are from left to right: Rodrigo Pinto Scholtbach, Richard John, Wilbert de Kok, and William Lyons. |
Volpe hosts visitors from Netherlands' Ministry of Transport- On September 27 and 28, 2001, the Volpe Center hosted a visit from Rodrigo Pinto Scholtbach and Wilbert de Kok of the Netherlands' Ministry of Transport, Office of the Permanent Secretary and Directorate of Strategy and Coordination. Mr. Scholtbach and Mr. de Kok are currently conducting a research trip on "Innovation Themes and Implementation Strategies" in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Mr. Scholtbach and Mr. de Kok are playing a lead role in developing the new Dutch National Traffic and Transport Plan and are interested in gaining U.S. perspectives on strategic planning and implementation of transportation projects. Volpe staff and the visitors discussed a broad range of topics of mutual interest including infrastructure financing, public-private partnerships, and the U.S. and Dutch frameworks for transportation planning and decision-making. The visit was hosted by Richard R. John, Volpe Center Director, and organized by William Lyons of the Volpe Center for the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington, D.C.. The meeting was closely linked to the agreement for collaboration between the Volpe Center and the Dutch Ministry's Transport Research Centre in Rotterdam. (Added 10/03/01)
Volpe meets with Boeing to discuss SAGE development- On September 26-28, 2001, Gregg Fleming and Brian Kim of the Volpe Center met with Angel Morales, FAA Emissions Division, and representatives of the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company, the Logistics Management Institute, and the M.I.T. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Seattle, Washington to discuss Boeing's role in the development of the SAGE (System for assessing Aviation Global Emissions) computer model. SAGE is a forecasting tool that will allow the FAA to make informed policy decisions regarding global emissions from aircraft. This work is part of the Volpe Center's support to the FAA's Office of Environment and Energy in improving and validating air-quality modeling tools and evaluating and assessing the instrumentation and procedures for measuring airport air-quality and aircraft exhaust-emissions. (Added 10/03/01)
September 2001
Newsletter highlighting best practices in environmental streamlining published- Sara McKinstry, Cynthia Maloney, Cassandra Callaway, and Jonah Soolman of the Volpe Center recently published the first installment of a monthly newsletter entitled, "Successes in Environmental Streamlining." Each edition highlights a highway transportation project that was expedited because of successful environmental streamlining practices. Environmental streamlining is the term for cooperative approaches to implementing transportation projects that brings together timely delivery and the protection and enhancement of the environment. This month's issue features the Pennsylvania State Route 119 Improvement Project and the state's effort to streamline their Environmental Impact Statement process. This project demonstrates how early agency coordination and creative use of technology can engage the public and yield better environmental results in less time than normal. The newsletter, which is being prepared in support of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of National Environmental Policy Act Facilitation, has been distributed to approximately 400 contacts from various agencies and is available on FHWA's Environmental Streamlining site (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/strmlng/index.htm). (Added 09/24/01)
Volpe staff member chairs session at Conference on Capacity and Wake Vortices- On September 11-14, 2001, Volpe Center Division Chief Dr. James Hallock chaired a session on Experiments with Wake Vortices at the Conference on Capacity and Wake Vortices at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London, United Kingdom. The purpose of the conference was to bring together U.S. and European researchers, technologists, and the aviation community to address the impact of aircraft wake vortices on aviation system capacity. Dr. Hallock also discussed capacity-increasing concepts, including the recently published paper on modified approach procedures for close-spaced parallel runways (Air Traffic Control Quarterly, v. 9, #1, 2001). For more information about Volpe's work in this area, please visit our Turbulence Research page (http://www.volpe.dot.gov/wv/about.html) (Added 09/24/01)
DOT releases report regarding vulnerabilities of GPS- On September 10, 2001, the U.S. Department of Transportation released the results of a study assessing the vulnerability of the national transportation infrastructure that relies on the Global Positioning System (GPS). The report was mandated by a Presidential Decision Directive and prepared by the Volpe Center. The study notes that GPS is susceptible to unintentional disruption from such causes as atmospheric effects, signal blockage from buildings, and interference from communications equipment, as well as to potential deliberate disruption. It contains a number of recommendations to address the possibility of disruption and ensure the safety of the national transportation infrastructure. The report, Vulnerability Assessment of the Transportation Infrastructure Relying on the Global Positioning System, has been made available to the public to improve user awareness of the vulnerabilities of GPS and avoid over-reliance on GPS in safety-critical situations. It may be obtained through the Coast Guard Navigation Center website at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov. (Added 09/17/01)
Volpe Center collaboration in Europe- On August 28-31, 2001, Dr. Richard R. John, Director of the Volpe Center, and Mr. William Lyons of the Volpe Center updated the Volpe Center's cooperative agreement with the Dutch Ministry's Transport Research Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Under this cooperative agreement, first signed in 1998, the Volpe Center and the Transport Research Centre share information and technical assistance. Dr. John and Mr. Lyons met with Centre Director Houko Luikens and his staff to discuss priorities for future research collaboration, including national performance measures for strategic planning; human factors, risk analysis and safety; transportation databases; and safety management and monitoring.
In addition to renewing the cooperative agreement with the Dutch Ministry, Dr. John participated in an international peer review panel for the research program of the Netherlands Research School for Transport, Infrastructure and Logistics (TRAIL) in Delft, the Netherlands to evaluate the scientific and educational quality of the TRAIL program and participated in meetings with the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) in Paris. ECMT is an intergovernmental organization providing a forum in which Transport Ministers can cooperate on policy. Within this forum, Ministers can openly discuss current problems and agree upon joint approaches aimed at improving the utilization and at ensuring the rational development of transport systems of international importance. ECMT has 40 member countries and 6 associate countries, including the United States, represented by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Dr. John and Mr. Lyons met with ECMT Secretary General Jack Short and his staff to discuss mutual interests and opportunities for collaboration. (Added 09/10/01)
Volpe staff presents at Internoise 2001- On August 26-30, 2001, Volpe Center staff member Gregg Fleming presented "Lateral Attenuation of Aircraft Sound Levels Over an Acoustically Hard Water Surface: Logan Airport Study" at the Thirtieth International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (Internoise 2001) in the Hague, the Netherlands. In addition, Judith Rochat presented "Update on TNM Validation Study" at the same conference. The Volpe Center currently supports the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Federal Highway Administration by providing expertise in the measurement of aircraft noise in the development and maintenance of the Integrated Noise Model (INM), a computer model used to predict and assess aircraft noise around airports, and in the development of the Traffic Noise Model (TNM), a computer model applied in the design of highway noise barriers. (Added 09/10/01)
Missile dismantlement in Russia- During August 18-29, 2001, Ross Gill of the Volpe Center served as railway technical advisor to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Cooperative Threat Reduction Team in Russia. The team is involved with the transport and elimination of SS-N-20 inter-continental ballistic missiles from the Russian submarine fleet and SS-24 missiles currently placed on mobile launch trains. The Cooperative Threat Reduction Program calls for the United States to provide assistance to states of the former Soviet Union in disabling their nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons of mass destruction. Administered by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program began in response to the implementation of Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties (START) I & II in the early 1990s. Mr. Gill traveled to Zlatoust, Suravotika, and Bryansk, Russia where the storage and elimination sites are located. Rail is the primary mode of transportation for the missiles and their components to and within these sites. (Added 09/04/01)
August 2001
DOT Research, Development, and Technology Plan cited as model for R&D planning - The General Accounting Office, in a draft report on combating terrorism, cited the Department of Transportation's Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) Plan as the model for research and development planning in the U.S. Government. Prepared by the Volpe Center's Transportation Strategic Planning and Program Development Division, the RD&T Plan is a key resource for the Department's strategic planning process. The plan supports R&D budget and program development within the Department, establishes research priorities, and ensures that R&D initiatives occurring throughout the Department help to achieve DOT's strategic goals. An updated edition of the plan, for FY 2002, is currently under development. (Added 08/27/01)
Applications of Advanced Technology in Transportation Conference- The Volpe Center, in cooperation with the American Society of Civil Engineers, is co-sponsoring the 7th International Conference on "Applications of Advanced Technology in Transportation" (AATT 2002) to be held August 5-7, 2002, at the Marriott Hotel in Cambridge, MA. Conference topics will include: Advanced Technologies in Transportation, Transportation Infrastructure Management, Information Technology in Transportation, and Transportation Planning and Modeling. The deadline for technical paper abstracts has been extended to August 31, 2001. For more information, please visit the American Society of Civil Engineers web site. (Added 08/24/01)
Volpe staff member invited to join FAA General Aviation Data Improvement Team - Dr. James Hallock of the Volpe Center has been invited to join the FAA General Aviation Data Improvement Team (GADIT). GADIT was formed to recommend ways to (1) improve current measures of general aviation activity (2) improve the "richness" of data included in general aviation accident and incident reports, and (3) use alternate metrics for measuring general aviation safety. As Chief of the Aviation Safety Division at the Volpe Center, Dr. Hallock is well qualified to contribute to GADIT's efforts. Many of the projects conducted in the Aviation Safety Division deal with General Aviation data and numerous shortcomings in the data have been identified. In particular, the Safety Performance Analysis System (SPAS) has recommended specific changes to data collection that could assist analysts. (Added 08/27/01)
Volpe staff participates in FRA meetings with German Railway Administration to discuss Maglev technology - On August 20-26, 2001, Robert Dorer of the Volpe Center participated in the Maglev Organization of Cooperation Meeting between the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA- German Federal Government's railway administration) in Berlin and Lathen, Germany. The Organization of Cooperation (OOC) was formed to implement the Memorandum of Cooperation between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Housing. The OOC is jointly headed by the EBA and FRA Maglev Program Officers and consists of two working groups. In support of the FRA, Mr. Dorer is U.S. co-chair of the Working Group on Safety, Environment, and Legal Affairs. Among the responsibilities of the working group are: coordination of technical information exchange between the two countries, exchange of ideas on the regulatory process of each country, preparation work for possible future regulatory actions, and familiarization of the latest German Maglev technology. Maglev is an advanced technology in which magnetic forces lift, propel, and guide a vehicle over a guideway. (Added 08/27/01)
Volpe staff interviews McCain for ATMP training video- On September 6, 2001, Volpe Center employee Ann DiMare will interview Senator John McCain for the Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) training video in Washington, DC. The ATMP video is part of the Volpe Center's support to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is designed to introduce the ATMP Program to FAA personnel and National Park Service (NPS) supervisors and staff. The video will explain how the ATMP Program will protect national parks, teach FAA inspectors how to implement the Interim Operating Authority, which regulates the number of flights tour operators can provide over national parkland, and stress the importance of cooperation between FAA and NPS. The ATMP program, developed by the FAA in cooperation with the National Park Service and public input from stakeholders, including air tour and environmental communities, is an air tour management plan for parks currently or potentially affected by air tour flights. Senator John McCain, along with Senator Daniel Akaka, established regulatory controls over air tour operations at national parks through their work on Title VII of the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000. (Added 08/20/01)
Phase II of ADART successfully demonstrated- On July 26, 2001, the Regional Transportation Authority of Corpus Christi, Texas successfully demonstrated Phase II of the Autonomous Dial-a-Ride Transit Program (ADART) on two vehicles that served trip requests in real time. Conceived by and developed under the leadership of the Volpe Center's Dr. Robert Dial, ADART is a fully automated dial-a-ride transit system that aims to provide higher quality door-to-door service at less cost than conventional paratransit. Using off-the-shelf vehicle tracking and wireless communications components, coupled with Dr. Dial's state-of-the-art routing and scheduling algorithms, ADART is unique in its high degree of automation and sophistication, made possible by distributing dynamic decision-making authority to computers on board the vehicles. To present the Phase II results, Volpe Center employees Michael Jacobs and John O'Donnell joined Dr. Dial and employees of TecMasters, Inc. (a Volpe Center contractor) at a meeting in Corpus Christi with Regional Transportation Authority and Federal Transit Administration officials. The meeting included an ADART simulation that preceded the successful on-road demonstration. (Added 08/20/01)
Volpe staff participates in measurements of Maglev technology in Germany- On August 11-16, 2001, Volpe Center staff provided technical oversight of electromagnetic fields and interference (EMF/EMI) and noise measurements of Maglev technology in Lathen, Germany. Dr. Aviva Brecher provided support for EMF/EMI measurements to ensure consistency with Federal Railroad Administration protocol while Mr. Christopher Roof provided support for noise and vibration measurements. Field work included both measurements of the technology as well as technical oversight. These measurements are necessary for a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement that the Volpe Center is preparing in support of the Federal Railroad Administration's Maglev Deployment Program. Maglev is an advanced technology in which magnetic forces lift, propel, and guide a vehicle over a guideway. (Added 08/20/01)
Aviation systems presentation at Volpe Center- On August 10, 2001, Nadeem Sultan and Anil deNie, research interns at the Volpe Center, presented the results of their research activities in the area of aviation systems. For their senior thesis and research project at the Volpe Center, Mr. Sultan and Mr. deNie studied the flow of aircraft into five major U.S. airports to develop a concept of patterns used by air traffic controllers to merge and descend traffic through en route airspace to the terminal. To accomplish their project, Mr. Sultan and Mr. deNie studied air traffic extensively on the Traffic Situation Display available to them through the Research Traffic Management System (RTMS) facility. RTMS is a shadow copy of the Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS) and is used for research and development purposes. ETMS, developed and operated at the Volpe Center, is the real-time operations system used by the FAA and airlines to manage traffic through the nation's airspace. Mr. Sultan and Mr. deNie have been at the Center for 4 months and are currently seeking their Bachelors' degrees from the Hogeschool von Amsterdam. Their internship in the United States was sponsored by the University of Rhode Island. (Added 08/13/01)
The "TRAX" Siemens light rail vehicle above is the first of a fleet of 10 new additional cars that will be added to the existing fleet of 25 to transport spectators during the 2002 Olympic Games. |
Assessing safety readiness of Olympic Transportation Plan- On July 30-August 3, 2001, a team of transit professionals lead by Bob Adduci of the Volpe Center conducted a System Safety Readiness Review of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) Olympic Transportation Plan for the February 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. The System Safety Readiness Review (SSRR) team is supporting UTA's Olympic planning efforts by providing a cooperative and peer-based assessment of the agency's readiness to provide safe, efficient service during the Winter Olympics and the opportunity to discuss on-going challenges in a supportive environment and obtain additional perspectives from seasoned practitioners. UTA has demonstrated to the SSRR team that appropriate measures are in place to ensure that safety decisions made for its Olympic Transportation Service are logically evaluated and documented, and that determinations regarding risk acceptance and possible contingencies are clearly communicated and understood throughout the agency. The SSRR team offered several recommendations to ensure that sufficient priority is placed on safety planning and management prior to and during the Olympic Games. The Volpe Center's participation in this project is in support of the Federal Transit Administration, which has been involved in transportation planning for three previous Olympic Games. (Added 08/13/01)
Korea Railroad Institute senior researchers visit Volpe- Two senior researchers from the Korea Railroad Research Institute, Choon-Soo Park and Yong-Jang Kwon, visited the Volpe Center on July 31, 2001 to discuss the mission and research and development policy of the Volpe Center. In addition, the researchers reviewed the Volpe Center's support to the Federal Railroad Administration's railroad research and development program and the role of the U.S. Government, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Volpe Center in research and development projects. Choon-Soo Park and Yong-Jang Kwon also showed particular interest in examining the options available for privatizing the Korean Railway system. Participating in the discussion were Volpe Center Director Dr. Richard John, and Volpe employees Bob Ricci, Don Sussman, Frank Barone, John Choros, Jeff Gordon, Jim Lammond, John Pollard, and Ron Mauri. (Added 08/13/01)
Volpe staff member chosen for Committee on Weather Radar Technology Beyond NEXRAD- Dr. Thomas Seliga of the Volpe Center has been chosen to serve on the National Research Council's (NRC) Committee on Weather Radar Technology Beyond NEXRAD (Next Generation Radar). The NRC's Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate charged this Committee to study the state of knowledge regarding ground-based weather surveillance radar technology and to identify the most promising approaches for the design of the replacement for the present NEXRAD Doppler Weather Radar. Dr. Seliga has been a radar meteorology pioneer in the use of polarimetry to improve quantitative rainfall estimation, to detect hail, and to discriminate between various types of hydrometeors. He also has been actively involved in several FAA-related applications of weather systems that include the NEXRAD radar system. (Added 08/14/01)
Volpe staff briefs FAA on aviation safety data - On July 26, 2001, Rick Jordan of the Volpe Center and Jan Popiel of the Computer Sciences Corporation (a Volpe Center contractor) gave a briefing on the Clean Sheet Data Model for Aviation Safety to the FAA's National Airspace System (NAS) Information Architecture Committee (NIAC) Forum in Washington, D.C. The NIAC Forum was formed in January 1997 to guide, direct and coordinate the establishment and future maintenance of information-based processes and procedures. Its purpose is to enable interoperability of systems across the National Airspace System via data standardization and data exchange at the minimum cost consistent with high quality. The briefing focused on the logically defined entities in the Clean Sheet Data Model and their potential value for the FAA data architecture, data standardization, and system design programs. (Added 08/06/01)
Volpe supports US Army's Force Projection Office - On July 18-19, 2001, Barry Mickela of the Volpe Center witnessed contractual testing of a mobile railcar "spotter" (rubber-tired highway/rail vehicle) at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. Redstone Arsenal requires the remote unit for impact testing hazardous materials. Mr. Mickela met with Central Manufacturing representatives and Redstone Arsenal rail personnel during the test to discuss vehicle operations, safety, and maintenance. With an added benefit to safety, this particular "spotter" is equipped with a remote control option, which allows operations to be controlled at a safe distance from hazardous materials. This activity is part of the Volpe Center's engineering and programmatic assistance to the U.S. Army's Force Projection Office, Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), primarily in support of U.S. Army installation rail requirements, systems modernization, and acquisition of rail related infrastructure. (Added 08/06/01)
July 2001
Volpe to host Enabling Technologies and Transportation Innovation Symposium- On August 7-8, 2001, the Volpe Center will hold the last in a series of three National Symposia on Transportation, "Enabling Technologies and Transportation Innovation," in Cambridge, MA. The symposium will draw together a wide range of professionals to exchange ideas concerning the ways in which a sampling of emerging technologies could be part of the solution to major current and future transportation challenges. It will emphasize the importance and promise of enabling technologies in achieving key transportation advances, offering glimpses of some of the exciting system building blocks already being used, and those likely to be available in the near future. For more information, please visit the National Symposia on Transportation web site. (Added 07/23/01)
Volpe staff participates in TRB committee meeting - On July 22-25, 2001, Gregg Fleming and Judith Rochat of the Volpe Center participated in a Transportation Research Board, Transportation Related Noise and Vibration Committee meeting in New Orleans, LA. Mr. Fleming served as Chairman of the meeting and Dr. Rochat presented the paper "Update on the TNM Validation Study." Participation in this meeting is part of the Volpe Center's support to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Office of Natural Environment, in the development and maintenance of the FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM). TNM is an entirely new, state-of-the-art computer program used for predicting noise impacts in the vicinity of highways. (Added 07/30/01)
New fleet of propane powered shuttle buses introduced on Cape Cod - On July 20, 2001, Paul Bushueff of the Volpe Center attended a ceremony for the introduction of a new fleet of propane powered shuttle buses at the Cape Cod National Seashore. The five alternate fuel vehicles will be used in a shuttle service to the National Park Service outer beaches from the towns of Truro and Provincetown on Cape Cod. This is a joint project with funding from the participating towns, service provided by the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, and the vehicles provided by the National Park Service. Last year, this service carried over 50,000 visitors. The Volpe Center's David Spiewak has been assisting both the National Park Service and the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority in their transportation planning activities and assisted the National Park Service in developing and acquiring these new clean burning alternate fuel vehicles. This is one step in the process of improving transportation to our national parks using alternate fuels and hybrid vehicle technologies. (Added 07/30/01)
Volpe Center works with Cape Cod Transit Task Force - Mr. Terry Sheehan of the Volpe Center is currently leading a Volpe team working with the Cape Cod Transit Task Force to develop the Cape Cod Five-Year Public Transportation Plan. A key Volpe recommendation in the transportation plan offers public transportation to people who would ordinarily drive their automobiles from the Boston area to Woods Hole on Cape Cod and take the ferry to Martha's Vineyard. On weekends from June 29 through September 3, 2001, the "Relax and Ride" program will provide luxury buses for travelers from a 2,600 space, multimodal commuter rail parking lot in Westwood, Massachusetts, to the Steamship pier in Woods Hole. There is an additional option to purchase at substantial discount a 3-day unlimited transit pass for the Martha's Vineyard Regional Transportation Authority. For more information on Volpe's recommendations for improving transportation on Cape Cod this summer, please view the article in the Volpe Center's April/May Highlights. For additional information on the "Relax and Ride" program, see the MetroWest Daily News article. For a "Relax and Ride" schedule, visit www.islandferry.com. (Added 07/23/01)
Volpe staff presents findings to National Steering Committee- On July 10, 2001, Allan DeBlasio of the Volpe Center presented the preliminary findings of a review the Volpe Center is performing for the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Operations Core Business Unit to the National Steering Committee of the National Dialogue on Transportation Operations in Washington, DC. The review identifies how well operations projects compete for funding in the existing transportation decision-making process and will serve as input for the reauthorization of TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century). The National Dialogue was created to assist the transportation community in operating the infrastructure more effectively. Christine Johnson, FHWA Program Manager for Operations, is sponsoring the National Dialogue and Frank Francois, formerly president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), is the Chairman. The National Steering Committee consists of representatives from several professional transportation organizations, state departments of transportation, municipalities, universities, and consultants. (Added 07/23/01)
Volpe supports NASA on AATT project - NASA and the U.S. Department of Transportation are currently testing a new in-flight tracking system that is smaller, less costly and more flexible than anything seen to date. The primary objective of the Advanced Air Transportation Technologies (AATT) project, led by NASA's Ames Research Center and the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, is to fully explore the possibilities of the "Free Flight" concept. For more information on current AATT testing, see http://amesnews.arc.nasa.gov/releases/2001/01_45AR.html. (Added 07/23/01)
Volpe Center hosts important EPA, NESCAUM, Union of Concerned Scientists meeting - On July 16, 2001, the Volpe Center hosted an all-day conference entitled "Keeping the Lights On and The Air Clean," to discuss the air quality outlook for the Northeast in light of growing energy demands. Experts at the conference agreed that the Northeast states can achieve substantial additional reductions in air pollution while meeting forecasted needs for an adequate, reliable, affordable energy supply in the Northeast. The conference was sponsored by EPA-New England, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), and the Union of Concerned Scientists. For more information, view NESCAUM's press release. PDF file 22 KB (Added 7/17/01)
Volpe Center Begins Work with Papua New Guinea Civil Aviation Authority - The Volpe Center recently began working with the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Civil Aviation Authority to determine how broadly the Global Positioning System (GPS) can be used to meet aviation requirements in PNG. On June 18-24, 2001, Ms. Karen Van Dyke, Center for Navigation, met with the PNG Civil Aviation Authority in Port Moresby, PNG, to discuss performance requirements for their aviation applications. Papua New Guinea has only 500 miles of roads and depends on aviation extensively to serve the remote areas of the country. PNG, however, cannot sustain their current ground-based navigation infrastructure. As a result of the meeting, the Volpe Center will conduct a technical study to determine how Papua New Guinea can transition from a ground-based navigation system to satellite-based navigation.
In addition, Ms. Van Dyke attended a meeting held on June 25-27, 2001, with the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Canberra, Australia. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the operation and future upgrades to the GPS prediction software used for flight planning that the Volpe Center implemented in Australia in 1998. (Added 07/16/01)
Volpe co-sponsors symposium on transport of air pollution across national boundaries - On July 11-12, 2001, Alfred Barrington, Gregg Fleming, and Kevin Green of the Volpe Center participated in a symposium on Exporting and Importing Air Pollution--Regional and Global Transport. The symposium, which was organized by MIT's Laboratory for Energy and the Environment and co-sponsored by the Volpe Center, brought together approximately fifty researchers and policy developers from academia, industry, and governments at multiple levels throughout North America. Discussion topics included ozone and particulate matter transport in the U.S., health effects associated with long-range transport, and cross-border transport at the Mexican and Canadian borders. (Added 07/16/01)
Briefing given on aviation safety data - On July 9th, Rick Jordan of the Volpe Center and Jan Popiel of Computer Sciences Corporation (a Volpe Center contractor) gave a briefing on the Clean Sheet Data Model for Aviation Safety at a Technical Meeting of the Object Management Group in Danvers, MA. This briefing was addressed to the Air Working Group of the Transportation Domain Task Force at their invitation. The briefing focused on the project's purpose and highlighted key aspects of the Clean Sheet Data Model. The project is resulting in proposed logical designs of aviation safety data and includes a formal set of data models and business rules. It is intended to aid in providing improved data for aviation safety analysis and to better share data within the FAA and with external stakeholders. The project is part of FAA's response to the 1997 White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security. The Volpe Center is developing this model in support of the FAA's Office of System Safety. (Added 07/11/01)
Volpe employees present at environmental conference - Dr. Aviva Brecher and Mark Raney of the Volpe Center's Office of Environmental Preservation and System Modernization attended the annual National Association of Environmental Professionals Conference in Washington, DC on June 24-28, 2001. At the conference, Dr. Brecher and Mr. Raney staffed the Center's "Transportation and the Environment" exhibit which featured the Center's environmental accomplishments and capabilities. The conference theme, "Environmental Policy and Process: New Directions or Staying the Course?," attracted speakers from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Congress, federal and state agencies, academia and the private sector. Two Volpe Center papers were presented at the conference: "Electromagnetic Fields, Electromagnetic Radiation and Environmental Health" by Dr. Brecher and "Ecological Impact of Hovercraft Transportation in Alaska" co-authored by Dr. Paul Valihura. (Added 07/11/01)
AFS 2000 Good Friend Award presented to Volpe employee - On Thursday, May 31, 2001, Ann DiMare, Aviation Safety Division, attended the Northwest Mountain Region Flight Standards Service Recognition System Award Ceremony to receive the AFS 2000 Good Friend Award. At the award ceremony, Ann received a plaque, and letters of commendation from ANM-200 and from AFS-1. This award is given to a non-FAA employee for promoting, enhancing and supporting the Flight Standards Service safety mission. Ann received the award for her contributions in designing, developing and delivering the Safety Performance Analysis System (SPAS) Training. SPAS is a decision support tool developed for the FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors to point out situations when the performance of an air carrier or repair station or flight school deviates from a norm. (Added 07/02/01)
June 2001
APTS Mobile Showcase receives Best of ITS 2001 Award - On Tuesday, June 5, 2001, the Federal Transit Administration Advanced Public Transportation Systems Mobile Showcase was awarded the "Best Of ITS 2001" award in the Education and Training category. The award, voted on by the members of ITS-America acknowledged the Mobile Showcase as the best program in the country to provide ITS education and training. The Mobile Showcase is a Federal Transit Administration program managed by the US DOT Volpe National Transportation Research Center and funded by the Department of Transportation's Joint Program Office for Intelligent Transportation Systems. The program is a public private partnership which uses the Volpe Center's Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) authority. The award was accepted by Walter Kulyk of the Federal Transit Administration. In addition to Mr. Kulyk, Matthew Rabkin the project manager at the Volpe Center was in attendance at the ITS-A awards. (Added 06/14/01)
Volpe receives Corporate Citizen of the Year Award - On Wednesday, April 25, 2001, Dr. Richard John accepted the Corporate Citizen of the Year award on behalf of the Volpe Center at the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce's Annual Excellence in Business Awards Ceremony at the Charles Hotel. The Volpe Center, Akamai Technologies, Inc., and Harvard University were nominated in the Corporate Citizen of the Year category. This category recognizes a business that has been a Chamber member for at least one year and demonstrates significant contributions, involvement, or distinguished community service in Cambridge, as well as consistent and tangible effort, and involvement to improve the community. This event was attended by over 300 representatives from the Cambridge business community. (Added 06/14/01)
Mack I. Davis II Award presented to Volpe employee - On Thursday, May 3, 2001, the Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV) held their annual volunteer recognition ceremony at the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge. David Daley, a Volpe Center employee, was awarded the prestigious Mack I. Davis II award for his leadership and extraordinary contributions to the "Lunch Buddies" reading program at the Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School. Under his leadership, the program has doubled in size so that now every 2nd and 3rd grader has his or her own Volpe Lunch Buddy. There are currently 117 Volpe community volunteers participating in this program. This program has been so successful that it has been replicated by several other businesses in Cambridge. (Added 06/14/01)
