Hurricanes Katrina and Rita's South Florida Visits

Living in Florida Has its Challenges...
This year, the District 6 SunGuide Transportation Management Center (TMC) has been called into action more than ever during this record-setting hurricane season. Below is a recap of events and lessons learned in this active season.

48 Hours—Pre-storm
48 hours to landfall of either storm, the District 6 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated and notified all District employees of possible areas affected by this storm. The TMC alert roster was checked by calling all operators, using primary phone numbers and emergency numbers.

All TMC personnel were notified that, as per the TMC Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), all scheduled leaves were cancelled and to be taken and/or scheduled at a later date.

TMC shift supervisors were assembled for an emergency meeting. Discussion at this meeting included staffing during and after the storm, as well as building issues, such as: security, equipment loss, destruction reporting, backup communications, and possible flooding and evacuation procedures for the TMC.

24 Hours—Pre-storm
The EOC announced the storm watch was confirmed for Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Once this happened, the District was put on storm alert and non-essential personnel were released from duty approximately 12 hours prior to landfall.

At the time of the dismissal of non-essential personnel it was determined that the third shift would be the most affected during both storms. All third shift personnel were notified of the impending storm and briefed on operations during and after the storm.

SmarTraveler®, District 4, and the Florida Turnpike Enterprise were notified and two briefings were setup to inform each District of any equipment outage, Road Rangers coverage, and TMC damage assessments.

The dynamic message signs (DMS) posted messages indicating the affect of the storms on toll operations, and any area evacuations (mandatory and voluntary).

0 Hour—Landfall
Road Rangers were pulled from beats due to gusts meeting or exceeding 35 miles per hour (mph); all equipment such as DMSs and the video wall and workstations were left turned on during the storm and manned by staff, as usual, to watch over catastrophic events, such serious roof leaks, fires, and security breaches in the TMC.

12 Hours—Post-storm
The main operations staff reported in after the "All Clear" was given by the EOC. The third shift was debriefed and relieved from duty by the first shift—three hours after normal scheduled hours. A damage assessment was done on the TMC and any equipment needed for normal operations—cameras, video wall, DMSs, roof leaks, etc.

The other affected Districts, such as Broward and the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise were debriefed and informed other agencies of their operational capacities.

Lessons Learned
All personnel that staffed the TMC during the storm "ride-out" phase needed to be totally self- sufficient, with food, water, and sleeping accommodations. The sleeping accommodations were noted prior to Hurricane Katrina, but the cots could not be purchased until the EOC was activated and, consequently, the cots did not arrive until both storms were over.

The backup generator system needed to be setup so that essential areas in the building would have power during and after the storm; however, there were a few key areas that did not have the benefit of backup power.

The building communications failed and there was no way to communicate (effectively) with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). This led FHP to lend one of their radios to us so that we could have some communication with their dispatchers during the storm.

The Nextel equipment worked off and on, and the main subscribers (management) did not have any backup power sources, batteries, car chargers etc.

The TMC did not have any flashlights and or Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) on hand to accommodate the staff during and after storm operations.

The SunGuide Incident Management System (SIMS) was down due to network issues, and was inoperable during the storm and 36 hours after. This could have been solved using a client-based system running in parallel, so that all incidents could have been inserted into the database instead of being annotated manually on a notepad.

The list of essential personnel needed to include a system administrator, building maintenance manager, and a full list of contacts, including a BellSouth liaison and a Florida Power and Light (FPL) liaison for outages.

The TMC was out of power during Hurricane Katrina for over 2.5 days, which is remarkable considering the importance of this facility and the adjacent FHP building. This complex needs to be placed higher on the power restoration schedule. District 6 will work with FPL in the future to see what can be done in that regard. The TMC currently has enough generator fuel capacity to go 6 days without refueling.

Another valuable lesson learned is the importance of redundant power for our field equipment. Most of our field equipment, with the exception of two DMSs in the Florida Keys, would have been operational if power were available. During the height of the storm, we lost communications to over two-thirds of our field equipment due to loss of power. District 6 is currently reviewing more permanent redundant power sources for key field sites to support the evacuation and recovery efforts. The use of portable generators is something that has not been pursued due to the high probability of theft in this area.

The importance of regional SOPs cannot be overestimated. Due to our active involvement in the Southeast Florida Regional Transportation Operations Committee, there are standard procedures in place that help guide our activities and coordination with our regional partners. The upcoming deployment of the SunGuide software and the center-to-center (C2C) module will only improve our ability to work seamlessly with all our neighbors and allow for some redundancy in the event that it is needed.

These are all valuable lessons that will help us, not if, but when, the next storm comes to South Florida.

This article was provided by Jesus Martinez, FDOT District 6. For more information, please contact Mr. Martinez at (305) 499-2446 or email Jesus Martinez@dot.state.fl.us.

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Live From the Palmetto Expressway... Thanks to ITS!

It’s 8 a.m. in the District 6 SunGuide Transportation Management Center (TMC). The lights are dimmed and a handful of ITS operators are bathed in the blue/grey light that emanates from the video wall, where more than 50 video screens provide a bird’s eye view of the District’s major roadways.

This morning’s main attraction is State Road 826, known by locals as “The Palmetto.” This expressway averages over 190,000 vehicles on an average day. Operators are watching as a heavy stream of traffic flows southward toward the urban core of Miami-Dade County. It is morning rush hour and all is well on this broad swath of asphalt. The camera providing this live feed to the TMC is just one of 19 recently installed on this expressway.

Thanks to a dedicated team of ITS engineers, construction personnel and consultants, this hybrid wireless/wireline surveillance system is up and operational. The new system stretches more than 20 miles along one of Miami-Dade County’s busiest corridors. It features 21 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, 3 repeater poles, 50 remote traffic detector stations and 4 dynamic message signs (DMSs).

ITS uses electronics and advanced communications equipment to improve traffic flow on Florida’s major roadways. It also improves emergency services dispatching (medical and law enforcement) and roadway assistance to the scene of incidents/accidents. In District 6, which encompasses Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, the benefits of the ITS network are many, and include:

• A continuous flow of “real time” video images provided from the CCTV cameras and detector information to the TMC on a 24/7 basis. The ITS surveillance system alerts the TMC of problem areas, traffic delays, and accidents and/or incidents that impact the highways in Miami-Dade County.
• Instant display of important en-route, or critical, messages relayed by the TMC operators to the DMSs (ahead of the incident/accident) to avoid secondary collisions or to advise motorists to exit and avoid further highway congestion.
• Information provided to the public via the “511 Travel Information Line,” broadcast, and other media outlets, which allows motorists to plan their travel routes and avoid serious delays on major roadways.
• A direct link provided to the Amber Alert system already operating in various locations throughout Florida.
• Supplementing critical evacuation efforts.

The Palmetto ITS Project is just one of several ITS projects underway along the District’s major roadways. In addition to the cameras, monitoring stations, and DMSs, the I-95 ITS Project includes ramp metering—a new and innovative system of signals and sensors designed to keep traffic flowing smoothly onto the Interstate during the busiest hours of the day.

Residents and visitors in the Florida Keys will also soon enjoy the benefits provided by ITS. The Florida Keys are unique in that there is only one road in or out—US 1. ITS has been successfully implemented along US 1 from Florida City to Key Largo and the project team is busy fine-tuning plans and constructing ITS-related components from Key Largo south to Key West.

“The Palmetto surveillance system greatly improves our incident management and traveler information capabilities,” says Rory Santana, District 6 Traffic Operations Engineer. “It takes a team of dedicated individuals to make a project like this come together. We congratulate ITS and Construction for a job well done.”

This article was provided by Patricia Burgher, FDOT District 6 Construction Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Jesus Martinez, FDOT District 6, at (305) 499-2446 or email Jesus Martinez@dot.state.fl.us.

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800 MHz Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System Pilot Project Provides Road Rangers Communications Solution

The Incident Management Program, managed by Mike Akridge, Deputy State Traffic Operations Engineer, has received approval to join the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS). This landmark action will allow the Road Rangers teams and FDOT supervisory personnel to communicate directly with Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officers, functioning as incident commanders at the scene of roadway incidents. The Executive Board of the 800 MHz system, after receiving positive analysis of the request from its Technical and Standard Operating Procedure sub-committees, unanimously approved the proposal at its scheduled meeting on September 19, 2005.

The SLERS vendor, M/A-COM Mission Critical Radio, is now in the process of testing the final areas of southern Florida, after which the switch will occur, making interoperability between state law enforcement officers a statewide reality.

FDOT and FHP have mutually agreed to share a goal of clearing each highway incident in 90 minutes or less. Experience has shown this will conserve many thousands of gallons of fuel and make the roads safer for the traveling public and other users. The ability for on-scene direction and instant communication increases the speed of deploying safety signals and other equipment. Safety for officers is increased and the chance of secondary accidents is decreased. Proper machinery and materials are alerted and dispatched to the scene for efficient clean-up.

A year-long pilot project conducted in District 5 along the I-4 corridor, involving District 5 ITS, the District 5 Road Rangers, and the FHP, exhibited positive results in proving the concepts and solving operational problems. This project tested the ability of the radio system to handle the volume of calls, develop training for all users in professional radio usage, and develop incident management skills.

The success of the pilot and the ability of the Road Rangers to directly communicate will contribute to the continued growth and capabilities of this program, managed by Paul Clark, Road Rangers Program Coordinator. Interoperability is vital to emergency operations. The ability to transmit information and requests in a 7/24 dispatch atmosphere is unquestionably the single most important factor in saving lives and providing precise information as to location of incidents and their severity. Road Rangers will soon be much more important as a link in this chain.

This article was provided by Nick Adams, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations. For more information, please contact Mr. Clark at (850) 410-5631 or email Paul.Clark@dot.state.fl.us.

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Defining Florida's Next Generation Traveler Information System

“What will Florida’s Next Generation Traveler Information System look like?” was the question Florida’s 511 Working Group asked itself in early 2004. The 511 Working Group was tasked with coordinating the state’s traveler information programs and they wanted to ensure that Florida remained a leader in deploying the best technology and services to support the traveling public. Their recommendation was that once the current generation of 511 projects ended in 2008, a more integrated, consistent, statewide, and seamless traveler information system should be deployed. The 511 Working Group also recommended that the Central Office ITS Section take the lead in defining and establishing a single phone and Web site “infrastructure” to support the state’s travel information services in 2008 and beyond, with the Districts and their partner agencies being responsible for the content provided.

Following best system engineering practices, the Central Office ITS Section decided to complete a concept development for this next generation statewide traveler information system. This concept development process was kicked off at the beginning of October 2005, and will run until March 2006. The ultimate goal is to establish a consensus vision for Florida’s Next Generation Traveler Information System, with a preliminary Concept of Operations and high-level system requirements that can serve as the starting point for the project in 2008.

To achieve this, the Central Office ITS Section, has begun to:

• Research and document ongoing and planned efforts related to travel information that could be affected by, replaced by, or influence the statewide traveler information system.
• Obtain widespread stakeholder input regarding the needs, issues, problems, and objectives that could be satisfied by a statewide traveler information system.
• Plan for a vision and concept development workshop(s) in early 2006 to facilitate the drafting of a realistic vision statement and initial concept of operations.

Several of you reading this article can expect to be contacted for input in the coming weeks by Gene Glotzbach, Erik Gaarder, or Rick Schuman. Of course, we don’t have the time or resources to directly contact all who have an interest in the study. To help us get this input, in the next edition of the Disseminator, there will be a link to a web survey where we plan on eliciting input from professionals involved in Florida transportation issues. We hope to get your views on the quality of today’s travel information services; the issues you view as needed to be addressed; and the features and functions that you would like to see included in a statewide traveler information service.

By the end of March 2006, with your help, we will be able to answer the question “What will Florida’s Next Generation Traveler Information System look like?” and, more importantly, we will have a plan on how to get there. The future is exciting! Let's make sure that Florida continues to lead the way.

This article was provided by Erik Gaarder, PBS&J. For more information, please contact Mr. Gaarder at (407) 647-7275 or email ErikGaarder@pbsj.com.

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2005 ITS Florida Annual Meeting!

This years’ ITS Florida Annual Meeting, on December 6, 2005, at the Florida Mall Hotel, in Orlando, Florida, features an excellent Weather Workshop, Business Meeting, Reception, and Awards Dinner. To register, go to http://www.itsflorida.org/contact.php . The 2005 ITS Florida Annual Meeting is being held in conjunction with the Statewide Traffic Incident Management Team Meeting on Wednesday, December 7th and the FDOT ITS Working Group Meeting on Wednesday and Thursday December 7th and 8th.  For information about the FDOT meetings, contact Pamela Haynes (Pamela.Haynes@dot.state.fl.us). The meeting program is summarized below:

Road Weather and ITS Workshop – 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Is Weather on Your Mind? How do we know what is happening in the weather, and how should traffic operators respond? This workshop will be conducted by national and Florida weather experts who will address the integration of road weather information systems with ITS informational services.

This workshop is packed with excellent presentations and new information on weather initiatives and research. Get an overview of "Clarus," the national surface transportation weather observation and forecasting system. Learn about road weather enterprises, trends in road weather detection and prediction, use of camera imagery for weather detection, vehicle infrastructure integration (VII) with vehicles as weather probes, wildfire impacts on transportation, and road weather impacts on hurricane evacuation management.

Annual Business Meeting – 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
The Annual Business Meeting will have two key speakers.  Neil Schuster, President of ITS America, will present the ITSA perspective of SAFETEA-LU. Also, the Chairman of the ITSA Coordinating Council, Pat McGowan, will discuss the three councils that support ITSA.

In addition, there will be reports from the ITS Florida committees and the Advisory Council regarding ITS Florida activities including ITS Florida’s new, measurable goals.

Reception and Awards Dinner – 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
ITS Florida's 2005 Annual Awards for Excellence will be presented to winners in the categories of:

• ITS Florida President’s Award,
• ITS Champion,
• ITS Florida Member of the Year,
• ITS Professional of the Year, and
• A special Certificate of Outstanding Achievement.

The results of the election of officers and the Board of Directors will be also announced.

Registration includes the Road Weather and ITS Workshop, Annual Business Meeting, and the Reception and Awards Dinner. The registration fee, before November 20th, is $75 for ITS Florida members. Non-members may register for $100. After November 20th, until December 1st, the registration is $80 for members ($105 for non-members). Registration at the door will be $100 for members and $125 for non-members. The registration fee can be sent to Chris Ritch at P.O. Box 14695, Gainesville, Florida, 32604 (cdritch@ufl.edu); or you may register online through PayPal at www.itsflorida.org/contact.php. 

The deadline for receiving the hotel group rate is November 5th. Make your hotel reservations at the Florida Mall Hotel by calling (407) 859-1500.

For information on the ITS Florida events, please contact the Executive Director, Diana Carsey, at (727) 409-5415 or email at executivedirector@itsflorida.org. For information on FDOT events, contact Pamela Haynes at Pamela.Haynes@dot.state.fl.us.

For more information on ITS Florida, please check the ITS Florida 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 SunGuide Disseminator on behalf of ITS Florida, please contact Erika Ridlehoover at (813) 376-0036, or email Erika.Ridlehoover@transcore.com.

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Editorial Corner – Florida 511: The 'Eye' of the Travel Information System

The Moment We Have All Been Waiting For...
For those of you who do not know, FDOT is launching Florida 511, a statewide traffic and travel information service from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Floridians and tourists alike can now “Drive easy.” by simply calling 511 or visiting www.FL511.com for easy and direct access to real-time information on road construction, traffic accidents/incidents, hurricane evacuations, and weather conditions on interstate roads and Florida's Turnpike around the state.

To some Florida regions, such as Tampa Bay, Southeast Florida, and Central Florida, calling 511 is as common a morning routine as drinking coffee or reading the paper. But very soon, southwest northeast, and northwest Florida will also be able to call 511 on either a cellular or conventional phone, or even hit the Web site (www.FL511.com) to find out highway conditions before heading out in the morning.

No need to hang on every word of the car radio – desperately listening for the one piece of traffic information that may matter to you – 511 is not only voice-activated, but also updated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you receive the most accurate and timely information for your particular needs.

Another convenient feature is that the system allows you to “barge in” and state the region or service desired, without having to listen to several menus. Once you have become familiar with the system, you can “shortcut” directly to the roads, cities, or counties you would like information about. For example, if part of your daily commute takes you on I-95 in Jacksonville, you can call 511, ask for “Jacksonville,” then say “I-95,” and get information for the section of I-95 in the Jacksonville area. Or, if you are driving through a particular city, you can just say the city name and get information on all roads covered in that city in one convenient report.

Although local call message units, wireless minutes, and roaming charges may apply, the service is free to the public. And, let’s face it, we can all afford free! Taking advantage of the free Web site, www.FL511.com, is also a safe bet. Drivers can log on and see what route to take before they get in their car.

You don’t order an entrée without looking at the entire menu, so why would you take your chances when choosing which road to drive?

Florida 511 cannot promise that you will never hit a traffic delay, of course, but it can let you stay informed of the latest updates on road construction, traffic incidents, hurricane evacuations, and weather conditions. We all know traffic is one thing you don’t want to be “blissfully ignorant” about; however, sometimes it is choosing the better of two evils, or the road with less traffic.

Twenty-three states now have a 511 service, with more to come in the near future. I’d say those three digits have a pretty impressive resume. So make life a little easier on yourself…the information is (or will soon be) out there. Drive easy and use Florida 511.

When you call 511, the service automatically connects you to the most local 511 service available from your current location. However, you can transfer to other Florida area 511 services from any Florida location. For metropolitan Tampa Bay area travel information, you may visit www.tampabay511.com. For Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe Counties travel information, you may visit www.southflorida511.com.

Through Florida 511, callers will be able to receive information on all interstate roads across the state, including: I-4, I-10, I-75, I-95, I-110, I-175, I-195, I-275, I-295, I-375, I-395, I-595, and the Florida’s Turnpike. Callers who wish to get more detailed traffic information on these roads, or information on roads other than interstates, can transfer to a local 511 service for more information and more road choices.

For those whose telecommunications provider does not provide access to 511, who are out of state or are hearing impaired, call the toll-free access number (866) 511-3352.

Florida 511 is part of the iFlorida FHWA Model Deployment initiative to provide an information “infostructure” program in which security, reliability, and safety can be enhanced through widespread availability of real-time information.

This article was provided by Andy Lucyshyn, PBS&J. For more information, please contact Mr. Lucyshyn at (407) 806-4225 or email Andy.Lucyshyn@pbsj.com.

Also, thanks to Katrina Priore with PBS&J for her contributions to this article.

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FDOT Equipment Certification

The FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office, through the Traffic Engineering Research Laboratory (TERL), is responsible for approving all traffic control signal devices. Approved devices are kept on the FDOT Approved Products List (APL), a listing of devices that may be relied upon as meeting FDOT specifications, standards, or other criteria.

The APL is a means for the FDOT to meet Florida Statute 316.0745, Uniform Signals and Devices, which states, “All official traffic control signals or official traffic control devices purchased and installed in this state by any public body or official shall conform with the manual and specifications published by the Department of Transportation pursuant to subsection (2).”

More information on the FDOT APL may be viewed at www.dot.state.fl.us.TrafficOperations/ TERL/APL.htm. Specific approved products in the FDOT APL may be searched at rite.eng.fsu.edu/iapl/page1.php.

For more information, please contact Carl Morse, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office, at (850) 414-4863 or email Carl.Morse@dot.state.fl.us.

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Announcements

Wishing Nick Good Luck in His Retirement!
Nick Adams recently announced his retirement, effective at the end of November 2005. Nick has served as the Telecommunications Administrator for FDOT's Traffic Engineering and Operations Office ITS Section for the last four years.

During that time he has overseen major upgrades to the state's microwave system, which now forms the backbone of the emerging ITS wide area network, connecting the District regional transportation management centers. Nick also worked diligently to gain approval for the Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Program staff to use the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System. This approval came from the Joint Task Force Board of Directors and allows two-way communications for TIM staff and direct communications with law enforcement personnel during incidents and emergencies.

Nick began his career with the state in 1989 at the Department of Management Services, in what was then called the Division of Communications, in the Joint Task Force Radio Bureau Facilities Section. There, he designed tower sites and upgrade projects for the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System and directed various disaster recovery efforts, especially the recovery effort following Hurricane Andrew.

Join us in wishing Nick good luck in his retirement!

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Mark Roberts Appointed to Senior ITS Project Manager Position!
Chris Birosak, FDOT District 1, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Roberts who has accepted the position of Senior ITS Project Manager in Traffic Operations. Mark attended Hillsborough Community College. He started with FDOT in 1979 working on the survey crew. He also worked for Construction out of Temple Terrace. In 1986, he came to Traffic Operations to work in the signal design section as a Project Manager. Mark continued to advance in Traffic Operations, and in 1994, he began working as a Transportation Systems Project Manager in the ITS Section. Now, he is ready to take on his next challenge as Senior ITS Project Manager.

Mark has been assisting in the development of the District 1 ITS Program over the last 10 years and is well-qualified for his new position.

Please take a moment to congratulate Mark on his promotion to Senior ITS Project Manager.

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Mark This Date on Your Calendar...
FDOT will hold its ITS Working Group Meeting on December 7-8, 2005, at the Florida Mall Hotel in Orlando, Florida. This will be a condensed version of the annual meeting with the following events:

By selecting this link, you may download a fillable (with Adobe Reader or Acrobat) PDF document that you can either print, fill out, and fax back to 850-410-5502, or fill in on your computer and email back. You will not be able to save your filled in document if you are using Adobe Reader; additionally, you will be prompted to use Adobe Reader 7.0 in order to email the form. If you encounter any difficulties, please feel free to contact Karen England at KarenEngland@pbsj.com.

For more information on the ITS Working Group Meeting, please contact Ms. Pamela Haynes at (850) 410-5632 or email Pamela.Haynes@dot.state.fl.us.

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Hold the Date—December 5-6, 2005
ITS Florida will hold its Annual Meeting on December 5-6, at the Florida Mall Hotel in Orlando in conjunction with the FDOT's Traffic Incident Management Team Meeting on December 7 and ITS Working Group Meeting on December 8.

All ITS members and friends are cordially invited to attend this 2-day program, sponsored by ITS Florida. There will be golf on Monday, a social Monday night, a Weather and ITS Information Seminar on Tuesday, followed by the Annual Membership Meeting. Closing the event is the ITS Florida Awards Dinner. Awards will be announced along with the ITS Florida annual scholarship winner. The chapter election results will be announced as well.

The Weather and ITS Information Seminar, on December 6, will feature national and international perspectives of the role of ITS in weather events and the availability of weather data to transportation.

The Annual Meeting will feature a status report on chapter progress and a presentation of ITS Florida's newly adopted goals and objectives. The featured presentations will be by Patrick McGowan, Chairman of the ITS America Coordinating Council, describing ITS America council activities, including the Coordinating, State Chapters, and Business Leadership Councils. Pat will also give an overview of the new Transportation Act, SAFETEA-LU's ITS provisions, and ITS America's strategies to leverage this federal authorization Act.

For more information, visit the ITS Florida Web site at www.itsflorida.org.

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I-95 Corridor Coalition Annual Meeting
Please join us for the I-95 Corridor Coalition Annual Meeting on December 13 and 14 at Saratoga Hotel and Conference Center in Saratoga Springs, NY. Program highlights include New York ITS Showcase; Coalition Project Highlights and Demonstrations; Awards Dinner; Information Exchange Forums; and Program Track Committee Meetings.

For additional information on the Annual Meeting, or on the I-95 Corridor Coalition, contact Noreen Hazelton at 978-835-3127 or i95nhaze@aol.com, or visit the I-95 Corridor Coalition Web site at www.i95coalition.org/.

For sleeping rooms, please contact the hotel directly at 518-584-4000 or 888-999-4711 and request a room under the I-95 Corridor Coalition conference.

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CATSS 2005 Driving Simulation Conference of North America
The Center for Advanced Transportation Systems Simulation (CATSS) at the University of Central Florida is hosting the Driving Simulation Conference of North America 2005 which will be held at the Marriott Orlando Airport during the period of November 30 to December 2. The program agenda may be found at http://www.catss.ucf.edu/dsc2005/agenda.aspx.

This conference is the third in a series. The first was hosted by the University of Iowa (where the National Advance Driving Simulator resides) and the second by Ford Motor Company.

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FDOT's ITS General Consultant Contract is Coming to an End!
The ITS General Consultant Contract for the ITS Program under Traffic Engineering and Operations is coming to an end. FDOT is seeking a new contract to continue the work to support the ITS Program. It is anticipated that a new contract will be issued prior to the completion of the existing contract. A request for letters of interest was sent out and three firms have responded. These three firms, being qualified for the job, were short-listed. The three firms are DKS Associates, Parsons Transportation Group, and PBS&J. Good luck to all the firms.

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