ITS Professional Capacity Building Program

T3 Webinars

Webinar Overview

Description

This webinar will discuss the eleven technologies or systems that constitute the Transit Core Suite of Technologies. These eleven technologies are considered the most basic and useful technologies for public transportation agencies to deploy. The suite of core technologies was developed through a cooperative and interactive process that included the APTA/ITSA Public Transit ITS Forum and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). This effort is a direct response to the May 3, 2005 GM Summit where the attendees requested FTA assistance in helping sort through all of the technologies available to public transportation agencies. A list of Core Technologies was developed after assessing the technological needs of various sized transit agencies. The webinar will provide background on how the core technologies were reached and describe the core technologies recommended for transit agencies according to agency size (large, medium, small), and the type of transportation service or mode (Fixed Route Bus, Demand Response Service, Human Service Transit, Rural Transit, Rail Transit, Ferry Boat).

The Core Suite list was first presented to transit representatives at the July 2006 APTA Rail Conference in New York City and subsequently, has been presented at the October 2006 APTA Annual Conference in San Jose, California. A series of technology fact sheets are being developed and will soon be available for distribution. The contents and uses of these fact sheets will be incorporated into this webinar.

Intended Audience

The Transit Core Suite of Technologies are targeted to those public transportation agencies that have deployed a minimal level of transit technologies, yet are interested in learning where they should direct their limited time and technology funds. The fact sheets were written for non-technical Transit Board Members, General Managers, and other transit administrators to enable them to understand technologies that they may be asked to approve and fund. This webinar is for any transit agency representative that is "starting to examine or apply technologies" or technical manager that needs assistance in talking to non-technical decision makers regarding various intelligent transportation systems for transit. This webinar and the accompanying materials should also appeal to transit managers of medium, smaller, and rural transit agencies that are looking for like-sized peers to discuss transit technology applications. In addition, specific discussion of human service transportation needs should also interest transportation providers in human service agencies.

Learning Goals and Outcomes:

• An understanding of the range of technologies available to in transit applications.
• An approach for determining the types of technologies suitable for your own agency.
• An understanding of when and how to consider technologies that would aid future service or mode expansions.
• A summary of materials available to help understand the various types of technologies under consideration.

Host:

Charlene Wilder, Federal Transit Administration, US DOT

Ms. Charlene Wilder has served as Transportation Program Specialist for the Federal Transit Administration in Washington, D.C. since 1996. She manages Intelligent Transportation Systems Programs for the Office of Mobility Innovation. Her areas of expertise include traveler information systems; bus rapid transit; ITS deployment tracking; ferry systems, Value Pricing, Advanced Vehicle Locator Systems, parking management systems, and advanced technologies for the transportation disadvantaged.

On Capitol Hill, Ms. Wilder served as a Congressional Fellow on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Ms. Wilder received the Secretary of Transportation’s award for developing communities of best practices. She also received special recognition from the Department of Transportation and the Transportation Research Board for her expertise in older Americans’ transportation issues.

Ms. Wilder earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Troy State University, majoring in Business Management and a Master of Arts Degree from Central Michigan University, majoring in Human Resources Management and Supervision.

Presenter:

David Jackson, Volpe Center, Research and Innovative Technologies Administration, US DOT

Mr. David Jackson has been working with USDOT's Volpe Center since 1994. Since joining the Volpe Center, Mr. Jackson has worked extensively on program and policy analysis and project evaluation concentrating on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), transit technology applications, and management and operations (M&O) efforts at state and local levels of government. Mr. Jackson has conducted interviews and evaluations on planning, policy, and project deployment activities with over 600 federal, state, regional, and local public transportation professionals representing over 50 metropolitan areas and 30 states.

Mr. Jackson is currently engaged in the development of a Core Suite of Technologies lists for public transportation providers with the FTA, the creation of a Transit Rail ITS research and deployment strategic plan for the FTA, the establishment of an Alternative Transportation Program database and website for the National Park Service, and the development of an emergency public transit system in the State of Louisiana for the households displaced by Hurricane Katrina and Rita in 2005. Mr. Jackson recently completed work involving the coordination and planning for the operations of multiple agencies to be housed at a $100M public safety and transportation operations center in Fairfax County, Virginia.