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ITS America'’s 14th Annual Meeting and Exposition This year’s ITS America 14th Annual Meeting and Exposition was held in San Antonio, Texas, starting Monday, April 26, and running through Wednesday, April 28. The theme for this year’s meeting and exposition was — “At the Crossroads: Integrating Mobility, Safety, and Security.” San Antonio was a perfect fit for the ITS Americas 14th Annual Meeting and Exposition, as San Antonio is itself a “crossroads.” San Antonio is a blend of many cultures and heritages coming together to form the ninth largest city in the U.S. The ITS America 14th Annual Meeting and Exposition kicked off with an opening session Monday morning where ITS America’s new vision was unveiled. This vision is of “Zero Fatalities, Zero Delays,” referred to as “Vision Zero.” Incoming Chairman of the Board, Brent Bair, accepted the gavel from the outgoing Chairman and presented awards for the top achievements in the ITS industry through the ITS America Best of ITS Awards program. More on this year’s awards can be found later in this edition of the SunGuideSM Disseminator. The opening session’s keynote speaker, James E. Hall, former Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), presented his perspective on the role ITS plays with safety and security. Mr. Hall is a champion of safety and has led efforts to improve aviation safety during his term as Chairman of the NTSB, as well as leading efforts to issue safety studies on child restraint systems, the dangers to children by passenger side automobile air bags, personal water craft safety, transit bus safety oversight, and passive grade crossings. Program Sessions were held Monday afternoon and all day Wednesday. Program Session topics were broken into eight Forum Tracks established as part of ITS America’s reorganization, along with an additional session dealing with the Business of ITS. The eight Forum Tracks addressed Automotive, Telecommunications and Consumer Electronics; Transportation System Operations and Planning; Information; Public Transportation; Public Safety; Commercial Vehicle and Freight Mobility; Policy, Evaluation and Advocacy; and Research, Integration, Training, and Education. In addition to the Program Sessions, ITS America’s program included the Forum Showcase and Business Sessions, as well as Executive Sessions. The Forum Showcase provided an opportunity to learn about each new forum, discuss hot issues with colleagues, and exchange information and resources to better manage and deploy ITS. The Business Sessions were seminar-style sessions put on by venders in the ITS industry. These sessions provided an opportunity to learn what venders offer, ask questions, and bring back new ideas. The Executive Sessions covered topics that discussed the future of ITS in homeland security, legislative opportunities (reauthorization and appropriations), and transportation safety.
A number of peripheral tours, workshops, meetings, and courses were also held on Saturday and Sunday, April 24 and 25, as well as on Thursday, April 29. These tours, workshops, meetings, and courses were provided to participants in order to strengthen their knowledge of ITS and to build better ties to the ITS community.
If you missed this year’s ITS America 14th Annual Meeting and Exposition, your next chance to attend will be next year in Phoenix, Arizona, where the ITS America 15th Annual Meeting and Exposition will be held. Make your plans now. This article was provided by Gene Glotzbach, FDOT ITS Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Glotzbach at (850) 410-5616 or email Gene.Glotzbach@dot.state.fl.us.
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FDOT Wins ITS America Best of ITS Award FDOT’s competition came from the Maine Department of Transportation with their 511 Traveler Information “Know Before You go,” TransCore with their Integrated Interoperability System for Parking and Airport Operations, and the Utah Department of Transportation with their CommuterLink Value-Added Campaign. And the big winner in the Marketing and Outreach category was FDOT with the ITS Working Group Meetings. In addition to the award given for Marketing and Outreach, seven other awards were given. These awards and their winners were:
This article was provided by Gene Glotzbach, FDOT ITS Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Glotzbach at (850) 410-5616 or email Gene.Glotzbach@dot.state.fl.us.
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Florida to Evaluate the Freight Information Real-Time System for Transport Florida’s Port of Miami, Port Everglades, and Port of Palm Beach
to Evaluate Deployment of the Freight Information Real-Time System for
Transport (FIRST) — A Port Information Network
This evaluation will be a cooperative effort of the Florida Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) Program, the Florida Ports Council, the Port of Miami, Port Everglades, the Port of Palm Beach, and the PANY&NJ. The effort is also supported by the I-95 Corridor Coalition as a means to mitigate increasing congestion along the I-95 Corridor from Maine to Florida, and to export this innovative port information network to other areas along I-95 as well as the remainder of the country. If Florida implements FIRST, it will be the first time the information network has been deployed outside of the New York/New Jersey area. The I-95 Corridor Coalition has contributed funding for FIRST in past years and is very supportive of the FDOT/PANY&NJ collaboration. The Florida’s FIRST will be designed to:
Florida will leverage work already completed by the PANY&NJ as well as the investment (approximately $2.5M) that was previously made during development and testing of the port information network in the New York/New Jersey region. By working together, Florida will gain tremendous benefits by sharing processes and ideas, thus providing better service to the citizens of Florida – and especially Florida’s freight stakeholders. FIRST provides a central database of all port and cargo related information, in real-time, to authorized users. The system offers a “one-stop-shopping” site for all the cargo information needs of the port community. Information available to a user includes:
The goals of FIRST are to improve the overall efficiency of a port; increase trucker productivity (more turns per day, less time in queue, less time at the terminal); improve air quality and congestion mitigation; reduce data transmission and receiving costs; reduce paperwork; improve workflow; and increase a port’s competitive advantage. Although FIRST was originally developed to facilitate efficiency and productivity at the port, FIRST also plays a role in port security. Security personnel have access to a myriad of information regarding the containers being unloaded and the drivers delivering and picking up the containers. Security personnel can view the last 90 days of a container’s activity and verify driver information, including a digital photo assuring that not only is the driver who he says he is, but that he’s authorized to pick up the respective container. Florida Selected to
Prototype Transportation Security Administration’s
TWIC The joint effort also complements FIRST as the TWIC database, which contains driver information, can be used to provide that information to FIRST. By marrying FIRST and the TWIC database, Florida will lead the way in providing a complete “picture” of freight moving in and out of its ports. Florida’s FIRST will contain information on both the container and the driver. Since drivers will not be issued a TWIC identification card unless they have passed the requisite background checks, this information will add another layer of security to FIRST. Both the FIRST and TWIC initiatives will provide many benefits for intermodal freight operations stakeholders, not only in Florida, but worldwide. As a national leader in ITS, Florida will once again demonstrate how technology can be successfully used to save lives, time, and money. This article was provided by Richard Easley, E-Squared Engineering. For more information, please contact Mr. Easley at (703) 858-5588 or email Richard.Easley@gte.net. * * * *
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The SunGuideSM Software Technical Review Committee, Executive Review Committee, and other invited participants met with the SunGuideSM Software Development Team at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas, on April 29, 2004. This unique joint meeting, which included software demonstrations in the SwRI Labs, provided very helpful interfaces among the SunGuideSM Software users and developers. During the meeting, the FDOT briefed the participants with the latest status of the license negotiation. Each FDOT District and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise member was provided with an updated RTMC project development schedule.
After a morning break, SwRI demonstrated the software functions of the Executive Handler, Status Logger, Map, Graphic User Interface, Data Bus, Closed-Circuit Television, and Transportation System Sensor. Members from the Technical Review Committee, Executive Review Committee, and the SunGuideSM Software Development Team had very productive discussions which led to an understanding of the latest SunGuideSM Software progress. The FDOT and SwRI personnel met in the afternoon to reach consensus on the SunGuideSM Software testing procedures. This article was provided by Liang Hsia, FDOT ITS Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Hsia at (850) 410-5615 or email Liang.Hsia@dot.state.fl.us. * * * *
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Lakeland Electric Expands its Fiber Network Through Agreement with FDOT A new unique project between the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Lakeland Electric and the city, will provide the utility with additional revenue and an expanded fiber network, improve the city’s traffic control system – and save the FDOT $1.2 million. Under the agreement, approved in early February by the Lakeland City Commission, Lakeland Electric will install a new fiber network system that will link 177 traffic intersections to the city’s main traffic control center. At the same time, Lakeland Electric will be expanding its existing 230-mile fiber system by an additional 54 miles. The work is expected to begin in March; with the bulk of the project due for completion within eight months. Lakeland Electric’s fiber network is enclosed in cables that run along power lines throughout the utility’s service territory. The system transmits data from substations and carries all the city’s information systems and phone service for city departments. “This fiber network upgrade will put us in a very good position
for additional opportunities in the future,” said Richard Hesse,
Lakeland Electric’s Telecommunications Engineering Supervisor,
who is coordinating the project. For example, the additional fiber could
be leased to phone companies offering local phone service or be used
for high-speed internet service, he said. It will also aid in the expansion
of Lakeland Electric’s new wireless system currently used by the
Reliability Response Team to receive and process work orders. The FDOT traditionally pays
for the installation of the fiber system and then turns the responsibility
of maintaining the system over to the
local agency. But Morris and the FDOT believed it would be beneficial
if the FDOT hired Lakeland Electric to install the new system – and
at the same time, the utility could expand its existing fiber capabilities.
The idea proved to be a good one. Having Lakeland Electric fiber optic engineers design and install the system, will save the FDOT approximately $1.2 million in construction and installation alone. Lakeland Electric will maintain the fiber network under a separate agreement with the FDOT for a little more than $20,000 per year over a 20-year period. Morris is assembling a team of engineers from the Energy Delivery Telecommunications Group to design the new system and line crews will do the installation. Lakeland Electric will be installing cables with 96 fibers inside. Twelve of those will be used by the FDOT for the city’s traffic control; the remaining 84 will be dedicated for Lakeland Electric’s use. “This project is a good opportunity for everyone involved,” said
Chris Birosak, a Senior Transportation System Project Manager for FDOT’s
District One. Birosak says he believes this may be the first time FDOT has entered a fiber network installation project with a municipal utility. This article was written
by Susan Shulins for The Currents, the Lakeland Electric employee For more information on ITS FloridaTM, please check the ITS FloridaTM Web site at www.itsflorida.org or contact Diana Carsey, Executive Director, at (727) 409-5415, or email CarseyD@verizon.net. If you wish to contribute an article to the SunGuideSM Disseminator on behalf of ITS FloridaTM, please contact Erika Ridlehoover at (813) 376-0036, or email Erika.Ridlehoover@transcore.com.
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Editorial Corner — Performance Measures Instrumental to ITS Although ITS are not really new, over the past few years we have seen significant changes in our approach to ITS within Florida. These changes have challenged Florida’s ITS Program, and created an opportunity for the FDOT to develop a sound management strategy for the entire ITS Program. We can all be proud of our recent ITS Program advances, including:
In addition to these recent accomplishments, our greatest achievement can be found in the groundwork that has been undertaken to ensure the future of Florida’s ITS Program. Our future plans for Florida’s ITS Program are comprehensive, and in many ways visionary. Even so, we will undoubtedly be confronted with numerous opportunities and unanticipated challenges over the next several years. These future opportunities will include technological advances and innovations that will cause us to rethink many aspects of how we currently monitor and manage the operation of our transportation system. How we respond to the challenges presented by advancements in technology and innovation will be the true barometer of our future performance. Fortunately, the FDOT has a strong organization and team in place to properly respond to these future challenges. It is critical for the future success of the ITS Program, that we develop techniques to objectively define the effectiveness of Florida’s ITS. Some may be tempted to judge the success of our ITS Program by the number of ITS deployments in place, or the extent of ITS coverage areas. We must keep in mind that ITS effectiveness is the true measure of our performance. ITS effectiveness will be contingent upon many of the key program components being developed today, such as system interconnectivity or compatibility of the systems, incorporation of advancing technology, appropriate operation and maintenance of the systems, and the ability to quantify system effectiveness through meaningful performance measures. Performance measures remains one of the most difficult, and also one of the most important challenges, for the ITS Program, as it is with many of the FDOT’s programs. Although often times misunderstood, meaningful performance measures can be the single most important component of a well-managed program. Performance measures can be used in many ways to:
This is the case with our ITS Program. We, as transportation professionals, understand the significance and importance of the ITS Program. In order to develop the ITS Program to its fullest potential, we must create performance measures to communicate program importance, evaluate ITS success, define key program elements, and continue to demonstrate the benefits of the ITS Program. It is crucial to the long term viability of the ITS Program that we communicate the importance and benefits of ITS; and there is no better way of doing that than by monitoring and reporting performance using fully developed, meaningful, and well-understood performance measures. I am confident that the FDOT will continue to be recognized as national leaders in ITS, as we work to build on our current successes, optimize our future opportunities, address inevitable challenges, and fully engage the team we have in place to lead our organization into the future. This editorial was provided by Bill Albaugh, FDOT Highway Operations. For more information, please contact Mr. Albaugh at (850) 414-4116 or email to Bill.Albaugh@dot.state.fl.us. * * * * |
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SunGuideSM Disseminator Word Challenge Answers
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We hope you will make plans to attend! For more information, please contact Ms. Kristen Blanton at (850) 410-5631 or email Kristen.Blanton@dot.state.fl.us. * * * * State
Highway Engineer Division Employee of the Year 2003 In addition, as the Statewide Road Rangers Program Manager, Buddy and all the District Road Rangers Project Managers were selected to receive a Davis Productivity Award for their efforts in producing a training program for the Road Rangers. The Davis Productivity Awards Committee will honor Buddy and his team at the Tallahassee Award Ceremony on June 08, 2004. * * * * District
6 SunGuideSM Regional Transportation Management Center Grand Opening Please come join us to celebrate this significant milestone in our ITS Program. RSVP by June 1 by email to Erika.Garcia@dmjmharris.com or call (954) 972-0895. * * * * The
FDOT Statewide Annual Maintenance Conference Professional Development Hours (PDH) will be provided to qualifying participants in accordance with Chapter 471.017(2), Florida Statutes. In order to qualify for the PDH, the qualifying participant must be pre-registered for the conference. Unregistered walk-in attendees will not receive PDH for the conference, in order to ensure adequate seating and meeting materials for the registered attendees. District 3 is co-hosting this event with the State Maintenance Office. We are working together to finalize plans for some voluntary activities and amenities associated with the Annual Maintenance Conference. Because participation at this event will be limited, each District Maintenance Engineer is asked to coordinate and approve the registration of conference participants from his/her District. Please send Tommy Cook an email with the names of staff from your District that will be attending this event by May 14, 2004, including participant titles and work locations. For those seeking PDH, the participant’s PE license number should be provided. If you have any staff that would like to attend a portion of the meeting, identify them as such, and we will try to accommodate them on a space available basis. All hotel room reservations should be made directly with the Wyndham Palace Resort at http://www.wyndhamevents.com/palace/04fdotb.htm or by calling 1-407-827-2727. Please make sure the FDOT Statewide Annual Maintenance Conference is mentioned when making the reservation in order to qualify for the room rate of $79.00 plus tax, per night, single or double occupancy. Reservations must be made by 5:00 p.m., Friday, May 14, 2004, in order to ensure availability at the preferred rate. The hotel has offered to extend this room rate to our meeting participants three days before and three days after the meeting date. A joint meeting of the District Directors of Operations and the District Maintenance Engineers will be held on Tuesday, June 1, beginning at 1:00 p.m. to discuss the Tier 2 Business Models for Maintenance, Construction, Materials, and Traffic Operations. This discussion will be followed by a District Maintenance Engineers meeting on Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Thank you for your support and interest in the FDOT Statewide Annual Maintenance Conference. We look forward to seeing you and your staff at this event, and appreciate the Districts’ willingness to assist in making this conference a success. For more information, please email Sharon Holmes at Sharon.Holmes@dot.state.fl.us. * * * *
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SunGuideSM Disseminator May 2004
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