Several Volpe Center staff members participated and presented papers at the 2005 National Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Training Conference, held in Austin, Texas, November 6-9, 2005, where grade crossing safety experts gathered to discuss the latest thinking, innovations, and technologies in grade crossing safety.

A summary of Volpe Center participation is given here, and more information can be obtained by contacting individual authors. The work described was sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Offices of Research & Development, Railroad Development and Safety.

• "Use of New Technologies for Highway-Rail Intersections and Train Control" by Mr. Steven Peck of the Railroad Systems Division
• "Connecticut Four-Quadrant Gate Crossing with Vehicle Detection and In-Cab Signaling" by Mr. Adrian Hellman of the Railroad Systems Division
• "PEERS Project: Public Education and Enforcement Research Study" by Ms. Suzanne Sposato of the Railroad Systems Division
• "State of the Art Technologies for Intrusion/Obstacle Detection" presented by Mr. Marco daSilva of the Advanced Safety and Technology Division and co-authored by Ms. Anya Carroll of the Railroad Systems Division, and Mr. William Baron of the Infrastructure Protection and Operations Division.
• "Railroad Infrastructure Trespass Detection Research" presented by Mr. Marco daSilva of the Advanced Safety and Technology Division and co-authored by Ms. Anya Carroll of the Railroad Systems Division, and Mr. William Baron of the Infrastructure Protection and Operations Division.

In addition, Ms. Anya Carroll of the Railroad Systems Division was an active member of the organizing committee for the past year and coordinated the following sessions: Understanding and Developing Guidance on Pedestrian Crossings; Pedestrian Access, Grade Separations and Compliance Issues; and Collision Avoidance System. (Added 12/21/05)

Dr. Richard R. John

Dr. Richard R. John has been appointed to the new position of Director Emeritus in the U.S. Department of Transportation's John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. The Volpe Center is the largest component of the recently formed Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). In his new role, Dr. John., former Volpe Center Director, will serve as Senior Advisor both to the RITA Administrator, Dr. Ashok Kaveeshwar, and to the RITA Associate Administrator/Volpe Center Director, Dr. Curtis J. Tompkins, in the areas of transportation policy, strategic and business planning, innovation and technology. He will provide technical support on transportation-related innovation and technology issues to executives, managers, and employees throughout the Volpe Center, RITA, DOT, and other transportation organizations and entities. Dr. John has worked at the Center for 35 years. (Added 12/15/05)

Please visit the Volpe Center's Technical Experts page to view Dr. John's complete biography.

Important strides have been made in transportation safety over the last 50 years, but statistics show that in some areas progress has leveled off in some areas since the mid-1990s. Realizing that many of the obvious safety advances have been made, researchers are thinking in new and innovative ways to develop strategies for sustaining safety improvements.

This issue of the Volpe Journal provides a framework for transportation safety research and presents examples of the Volpe Center's work over the last 35 years across all modes of transportation. This issue also proposes future directions for transportation safety and asks questions that will help determine the best approaches to increasingly complicated transportation problems.

The Volpe Journal is available online at http://www.volpe.dot.gov/infosrc/journal/index.html. Hard copy is also available from Lynn Murray at (617) 494-2224 or MurrayL@volpe.dot.gov. (Added 12/09/05)

Several Volpe Center staff members presented papers in the technical sessions on rail transportation at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exhibition in Orlando Florida November 5-11, 2005. The papers reflect Volpe Center expertise in the areas of rail equipment crashworthiness, rail equipment integrity research and rail equipment glazing research. The papers are listed below and abstracts are available on ASME's website (www.asme.org). For more information, please contact the individual authors at the Volpe Center. (Added 12/05/05)

• "Investigation of the Effects of Sliding on Wheel Tread Damage", by Mr. Brandon Talamini and Mr. Jeffrey Gordon, of the Volpe Center's Structures and Dynamics Division and Dr. A. Benjamin Perlman of Tufts University (IMECE2005-82826) (full text will be available at www.volpe.dot.gov/sdd/pubs.html).
• "Crashworthiness Requirements for Commuter Rail Passenger Seats", by Ms. Kristine Severson and Mr. David Tyrell of the Volpe Center's Structures and Dynamics Division, and Mr. Robert Rancatore of TIAX LLC (IMECE2005-82643) (full text will be available at www.volpe.dot.gov/sdd/pubs.html).
• "Design of a Workstation Table with Improved Crashworthiness Performance", by Mr. Daniel Parent and Mr. David Tyrell of the Volpe Center's Structures and Dynamics Division, Mr. Robert Rancatore of TIAX LLC, and Dr. A. Benjamin Perlman of Tufts University (IMECE2005-82779) (full text will be available at www.volpe.dot.gov/sdd/pubs.html).
• "A Crush Zone Design for an Existing Passenger Rail Cab Car", by Mr. Eloy Martinez and Mr. David Tyrell of the Volpe Center's Structures and Dynamics Division, Mr. Robert Rancatore and Dr. Richard Stringfellow of TIAX LLC, and Mr. Gabriel Amar of Taylor, Raynauld, Amar & Associates (IMECE2005-82769) (full text will be available at www.volpe.dot.gov/sdd/pubs.html).
• "Impact Resistance of Rail Vehicle Window Glazing and Related Safety Issues", by Mr. James Lamond of the Volpe Center's Railroad Systems Division, Dr. Thomas Tsai of the Federal Railroad Administration, and Mr. Sam Liao of Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc. (IMECE2005-83064).
• "Development of a Passenger Wheel Standard", by Mr. Jeffrey Gordon, of the Volpe Center's Structures and Dynamics Division and Mr. Dan Stone of Hunter Holiday Consulting (IMECE2005-82790) (full text will be available at www.volpe.dot.gov/sdd/pubs.html).
• "Fatigue Performance of AAR Class A Railroad Wheel Steel at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures", by Mr. Jeffrey Gordon of the Volpe Center's Structures and Dynamics Division, and Mr. Fraser J. McMaster and Mr. Guadalupe B. Robledo of Southwest Research Institute (IMECE2005-82519) (full text will be available at www.volpe.dot.gov/sdd/pubs.html).

This compilation of fiscal year 2005 accomplishments illustrates the Volpe Center's vital role as a unique Federal resource within the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Each Point of Pride is aligned with the DOT's strategic national transportation goals: safety, security, mobility, global connectivity, environmental stewardship or the Federal government's principle management objective of achieving organizational excellence. The Center is committed to helping its clients achieve these goals through safer, simpler, and smarter transportation solutions. View FY 2005 Volpe Center Points of Pride (PDF, 423KB) (Added 11/17/05)

The Volpe Center recently delivered a final report to the U.S. Coast Guard's Office of Naval Engineering. The report, titled "U.S. Coast Guard Cutter and Boat Life-Cycle Recapitalization Plan," provides an engineering analysis of boats and cutters currently in the Coast Guard fleet and defines the requirements to keep them running until they are replaced. The Coast Guard is currently undergoing a large sustainment, modernization and recapitalization program - Integrated Deepwater System (Deepwater program) - to replace existing deep-water capable assets. As part of the Deepwater program, the Coast Guard included funding to sustain legacy assets until the time when those assets were scheduled to be replaced with assets that were acquired under the program. The Deepwater project is scheduled to take 25 years to complete, so keeping the legacy assets running is essential to the Coast Guard's mission. 18 classes of boats and cutters were included in the study and Center staff performed engineering analysis of over 400 systems on more than 400 vessels to determine when the systems needed to be replaced and the cost of replacement. The Center developed a 30-year plan that would cost $2.2 billion to keep the fleet running until the replacements were commissioned. Based on engineering data, manufacturing data and data from the cutters, the Center analysts projected when parts would wear out mechanically or the systems would become unsupportable due to an inability to find replacement parts. Through this work, the Center is supporting the Coast Guard's effort to document its requirements and to tie these requirements to missions and to boat and cutter readiness.

Messrs. Robert Pray, Dave Crawford, Joe Koziol, Mario Caputo, and Chris Murray all of the Technology Applications and Deployment Division contributed to the study and wrote the report, which took over a year to complete and includes extensive supporting documentation. (Added 08/24/05)

The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, in support of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will be hosting an FAA-Industry Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) meeting in Cambridge, Massachusetts from September 7-8, 2005 to discuss a draft EFB job aid for use by FAA inspectors. Volpe Center staff assisted the FAA in the development of preliminary draft material for the EFB Job Aid. The FAA-Industry meeting will provide an opportunity for an overview and review of the EFB Job Aid material and its intended use in combination with Advisory Circular (AC) 120-76A "Guidelines for the Certification, Airworthiness, and Operational Approval of EFB Computing Devices." Please visit http://www.icao.int/anb/humanfactors/ for registration and agenda information. (Added 08/12/05)

Dr. James Carroll of the Volpe Center's Surveillance and Assessment Division participated in the 61st Annual Meeting of the Institute of Navigation - held June 27 through 29. He was co-chair of a Communications and Surveillance Navigation session and presented a paper in that session on using integrated Loran-C GPS navigation and surveillance systems in urban environments. This paper describes field tests where enhanced Loran-C was used to mitigate the impact of possible GPS vulnerabilities and outages, particularly in urban settings where the limitations of GPS may be more pronounced due to the cavernous nature of some city environments.

The Volpe Center has a long history of supporting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in developing navigation and surveillance systems and recently installed vessel tracking and surveillance systems in several waterways worldwide.

This paper discusses an extension of this technology to land applications in urban areas, using positioning and timing information provided by an integrated GPS/Loran-C system. The original Loran-C, now about 60 years old, is nearing completion of a significant upgrade and enhancement effort funded by the FAA. Enhanced Loran (e-Loran) is a very complements the GPS system well. Its signals are much less susceptible to the interference that can impair GPS, and its broadcast frequency has minimal line-of-sight issues. E-Loran has recently been shown to be an adequate backup system to GPS for many applications.

An important issue for the integrated GPS/Loran system is how well Loran can supplement GPS when the GPS signal is not usable. This paper describes the design and uses of the integrated GPS/Loran surveillance system, presents results from performance evaluations conducted in the Boston and New York City areas, and under GPS-band jamming in New Mexico. Preliminary conclusions are that Loran can be a valuable surveillance supplement to GPS in some urban applications.

The paper was authored by Dr. Carroll, and Messrs. Henry Wychorski, Kam Chin, David Phinney and Bryan Long all of the Volpe Center. (Added 08/03/05)

This figure shows how blockage of navigation signals in the Wall St. area "urban canyon" produces various estimates of the same vehicle's position (depicted by colored circles). Note that one position fix is off the chart, somewhere in Brooklyn. All fixes but one are too inaccurate at the instant shown to locate the vehicle correctly. The one exception is the Dead Reckoning solution - the green dot just to the left of "Doherty" - but Dead Reckoning also degrades unacceptably after further exposure to this environment.

The 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, held every two years for international vehicle safety experts from government and industry, took place in Washington DC June 6-9, 2005. The conference seeks to reduce motor vehicle fatalities and injuries by addressing safety issues and international cooperation. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) hosted this year's conference. United States Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta welcomed participants and stressed the importance of this opportunity for the international community to come together to reduce traffic fatality rates and referred to "the enormous costs of traffic crashes in terms of human lives and pain and suffering as well as economic productivity and lost opportunities worldwide."

The Volpe Center was well represented and co-authored three papers with NHTSA colleagues. Two of the papers address child safety research and the third discussed new technologies for pre crash sensing countermeasures. (Added 07/25/05)

• Child Safety Research in School Buses -by Ms. Linda B. McCray of NHTSA and Dr. John Brewer of the Volpe Center's Vehicle Crashworthiness Division This paper provides an overview of past, present and near-term school bus research efforts and summarizes safety data for injuries and deaths associated with school bus accidents. It provides reassuring information on the safety records of school buses and describes school bus transportation as one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States. American students are nearly eight times safer riding in a school bus than with their own parents and guardians in cars. The paper also describes NHTSA's role in developing and enforcing safety standards and the continuing vigilance by NHTSA, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the US Congress to ensure that safety measures remain adequate and to investigate potential approaches that could further enhance safety.

• Child Safety in Light Vehicles by Ms. Linda B. McCray of NHTSA and Dr. John Brewer of the Volpe Center's Vehicle Crashworthiness Division This paper provides a status on recent analyses and proposed child safety research efforts. In the last 30 years, our nation has achieved significant gains in child passenger safety. Child restraint systems (child safety seats and booster seats) have saved thousands of children. The paper provides statistics that demonstrate that child safety seats are an effective safety innovation. Even though child restraint systems have proven to be an excellent concept for injury mitigation, Congress directed the Secretary of Transportation to initiate a rulemaking for the purpose of improving the safety of children. NHTSA conducted extensive research and developed several consumer information programs to provide better consumer information on child safety restraints and their use. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards are currently being upgraded to continue improvements in child safety.

• Pre-Crash Sensing Countermeasures and Benefits - by Mr. Ron Pack of NHTSA, Mr. Jonathan Koopmann, Dr. Wassim G. Najm of the Volpe Center's Advanced Safety Technology Division, and Dr. Hailing Yu of Chenega Advanced Solutions and Engineering, an on-site Volpe contractor. The paper introduces NHTSA's research plan for developing objective test procedures and estimating safety benefits of pre-crash sensing countermeasures. Vehicle safety could be enhanced and severity of crash injury reduced if occupant protection components such as airbags were deployed more rapidly. Currently decisions for activation of restraints come from signals from accelerometer sensors. Pre-crash sensing technologies have the potential for providing quicker crash-sensing times and more robust information. This paper also provided preliminary results from a preparatory analysis to review state-of-the-art pre-crash sensing technology and applications, proposes a methodology to estimate their safety benefits, and defines relevant crash problems

The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) today launched a new project to make seats and tables on commuter trains safer.

Working with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), RITA's Volpe National Transportation Systems Center has awarded two contracts worth $850,000 to a Massachusetts-based technology firm, TIAX (www.tiaxllc.com), to develop a safer passenger seat and worktable that will reduce injuries and improve the ability of passengers to safely exit a train following a collision.

The project supports several other rail safety initiatives being conducted jointly by the FRA and RITA's Volpe Center, including ongoing research in the areas of crashworthiness, emergency evacuation, grade crossing and safety decision-making.

To make passenger trains safer, TIAX will design a worktable that will absorb energy upon impact and reduce the risk of head, chest, abdomen and leg injuries. The table also will be designed to allow passengers to evacuate more easily following a collision. In addition, improved three-person seats will be developed to reduce the risk of head, chest, and leg injuries by safely compartmentalizing passengers and ensuring that the seat remains attached to the floor upon impact.

Since 1992, Volpe Center and FRA have focused on both passenger and freight structural crashworthiness and occupant protection. The research has found that it is possible to make passenger train travel safer using a combination of these two elements.

"We want to do everything we can to make commuter trains safe," said RITA Administrator Dr. Ashok G. Kaveeshwar. "If there is a way to make seats and tables safer, we will find it," he said.

RITA's Volpe Center is a non-profit, fee-for-service organization that conducts more than $300 million annually in cutting-edge transportation research and technology development for federal, state and local agencies, as well as for private organizations. For more information about RITA, go to www.rita.dot.gov. (Added 07/20/05)

Dr. Ashok G. Kaveeshwar
Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) Administrator

Dr. Ashok G. Kaveeshwar was sworn in Monday as the first administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), a newly created agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Dr. Kaveeshwar was sworn in by Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. The United States Senate approved Dr. Kaveeshwar's nomination by President George W. Bush on June 30th.

RITA was created under the Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act to more effectively coordinate and manage the Department's research portfolio and to expedite the implementation of cross-modal, innovative technologies.

"The goal in creating RITA is to have a focused research agency, which is part Silicon Valley entrepreneurial company and part university research lab. By forming innovative partnerships with transportation-related industries, government agencies and other public and private stakeholders, RITA will be more effective in coordinating research to more efficiently address the transportation needs of the 21st century," said Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. "Dr. Kaveeshwar's diverse experience, from managing successful high-technology companies to performing cutting-edge scientific research, makes him uniquely suited to carry out this vision."

Dr. Kaveeshwar has 35 years of experience in high-technology companies, providing research and technology development to a wide range of federal agencies. He most recently served as president of Orange Technologies, Inc., a small business that provides information technology to government and commercial customers. From 1998 to 2002, Dr. Kaveeshwar served as Senior Vice President of Raytheon Technical Services Company, where he was responsible for leading the Scientific and Technical Services Division with more than 4,000 employees worldwide.

Previously, Dr. Kaveeshwar served as President and CEO of Hughes STX Corporation, a subsidiary of Hughes Electronics Corporation, where he led the successful integration of an independent company into a large aerospace and defense corporation.

"I would like to thank President Bush for giving me this opportunity to serve as RITA's first administrator, and I am excited to be able to work with Secretary Mineta, the RITA team and our partners throughout DOT to develop a focused research and technology agenda that will move our nation's transportation system forward in the 21st century," said Dr. Kaveeshwar. "I look forward to helping RITA live up to its mission of identifying and facilitating solutions to the challenges and opportunities facing America's transportation system."

Dr. Kaveeshwar moved to the United States from his hometown of Indore, India in 1961. He received his bachelor's degree from Holkar College in Indore, and his Ph.D. in physics from the University at Buffalo, NY. Dr. Kaveeshwar lives in Bethesda, MD with his wife, Tuti, and their son, Jaya. (Added 07/13/05)

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently posted the results of a Volpe study on the effectiveness of its on-site motor carrier compliance reviews on its Analysis and Information (A&I) Online web site. A Compliance Review is an on-site examination of a motor carrier's records and operations to determine whether the carrier meets the FMCSA safety fitness standard. The Volpe Center developed the Compliance Review Effectiveness Model to measure the effectiveness of these reviews, and this study documents the methodology used to develop this model and presents the results of the implementation of the model for carriers receiving Compliance Reviews in 2002.

The goal of the compliance review program is to improve safety in the operation of commercial motor vehicles. Previously, there was no means to measure the benefits and effectiveness of these programs. Using the analytic model developed by Volpe the benefits of the reviews can now be calculated in terms of crashes avoided, lives saved, and injuries avoided. The results for 2002 show that for the 9,172 motor carriers that received compliance reviews, there were 1,426 crashes and 1,087 injuries avoided, and 62 lives saved in the immediate 12 months following the reviews.

This model provides FMCSA and state safety program managers with a quantitative basis for optimizing the allocation of field safety resources. It also provides FMCSA management with the information it needs to address the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, which obligates federal agencies to measure the effectiveness of their programs as part of the budget cycle process.

The full report "FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Compliance Review Effectiveness Model, Results for Carriers with Compliance Reviews in 2002, May 2005," as well as a summary of the findings are posted on the FMSCA Analysis and Information website at http://www.ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/ProgramMeasures/PM/PM.asp. Ms. Julie Nixon of the Motor Carrier Safety Assessment Division authored the report. (Added 07/12/05)

Lisandra Garay-Vega, a Ph.D. candidate in Civil Engineering/ Transportation Engineering at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, was recently chosen to participate in the 2005-2006 John A. Volpe Transportation Internship program. Developed five years ago in recognition of the contributions of John A. Volpe, the second Secretary of Transportation, the Volpe Transportation Internship features substantial tuition assistance and paid work opportunities at the Volpe Center for selected outstanding graduate students in engineering, scientific, and social science disciplines who have expressed an interest in working in the field of transportation. Additional information on the Volpe Center Transportation Internship is available at: http://www.volpe.dot.gov/career/intrnshp.html. (Added 06/23/05)

An aircraft rerouting module is part of ETMS version 8.0, and this Traffic Situational Display screen shows some of the reroutes - red, yellow, and light blue lines on the map - that are part of the reroute monitor function. The module allows traffic managers to reroute air traffic around severe weather and to share that information with decision makers in the air space user community.

On June 6, 2005, the Volpe Center completed operational deployment of ETMS 8.0. The Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS) is a mission essential system used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support its Traffic Flow Management (TFM) system. ETMS is used to track, predict, and plan air traffic flow, analyze effects of ground delays, and evaluate alternative routing strategies. The Volpe Center is responsible for development and daily operation of ETMS.

The ETMS deployment included a significant infrastructure modernization component where computers and telecommunications equipment at the Volpe Center's ETMS Hub site and over 75 FAA field sites were successfully upgraded resulting in a considerable increase in processing speed and capacity for handling air traffic information. ETMS 8.0 contains new traffic flow management decision support tools that enhance the ability of traffic managers to reroute air traffic around severe weather. In addition, this release provided several enhancements to ETMS' Traffic Situation Display - a tool that monitors the position of air traffic and helps to determine the traffic demand on airports and sectors. A common Air Traffic situational awareness makes possible collaborative decision-making between FAA, air carriers, and military operations. This leads to improved aviation efficiency and safety. (Added 06/22/05)

Volpe Center and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) staff held meetings in May with United Kingdom's Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). The overall purpose of these meetings was for the FRA, Volpe and the RSSB to share rail safety results particularly in the focus areas of crashworthiness, risk modeling, emergency evacuation, grade crossings and safety decision-making. Other topics discussed included, railway operations, human factors research, public education and enforcement and trespass prevention, accidents at platforms, methods of reducing derailment risk, operator protection, window securement, accident investigations, injury criteria research, and staffing and training issues. During the course of the meetings several outcomes and action items were agreed upon where explicit research areas could benefit from information sharing. The group was able to identify specific individuals doing similar work in their respective countries who could share information about their work. The broad range of topics covered reinforces the need for this kind of international collaboration - where the rail research community can benefit from shared experience and results.

The team also had the opportunity for site visits to three grade crossing locations and to view damaged equipment from a highway rail grade crossing accident, which took place in November 2004 in Ufton Nervet (Berkshire UK).

This collaboration is made possible by a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the USDOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the United Kingdom Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) in June 2004. The FRA was represented by Dr. Tom Tsai and Mr. Jim Smailes of the Office of Research and Development, and Volpe participants were Ms. Anya Carroll of the Rail and Transit Systems Division and Ms. Karina Jacobsen and Mr. Daniel Parent of the Structures and Dynamics Division. (Added 06/14/05)

EUROSTAR: The high-speed passenger train operating between London, Paris and Brussels.
From left to right: NetworkRail Host; Ms. Anya Carroll (Volpe Center), Dr. Tom Tsai (FRA); Mr.Daniel Parent (Volpe Center), Ms. Karina Jacobsen (Volpe Center), Mr. Jim Smailes (FRA), Mr. Michael Woods, (RSSB).

Dr. James Hallock (right) receives NASA Exceptional Service Award from Eric Peterson, RITA Deputy Administrator (left).

Dr. James Hallock recently received an Exceptional Service Award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for his service on the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) following the Columbia Space Shuttle Accident of February 1 2003. CAIB released a six volume final report in October 2003. In addition to playing a major role in determining the physical causes of the accident, Dr. Hallock provided numerous background briefings to the press on the science involved with the accident and participated in many of the press conferences dealing with the investigation. He was also one of the final technical editors of the report. He briefed the families of the astronauts who perished on Columbia as well as the entire astronaut corps before the report was released to the public. He testified with Admiral Gehman, the Board chairman, before Congress, and has given presentations on the accident investigation and lessons learned from Columbia to the Secretary of Energy and his senior staff, the Commander Electronics Systems Command at Hanscom Air Force Base and his senior staff, and a number of other government, academic, and professional organizations.

On behalf of NASA, Eric Peterson, Deputy Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), presented the Award. (Added 05/19/05)

The Volpe Center's Environmental Measurement and Modeling Division has supported the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) in both developing a new final rule for traffic noise regulation as well as developing a computer noise model for predicting noise impacts in the vicinity of highways. In April, the final rule for 23 CFR Part 772, Procedures for Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise and Construction Noise was published in the Federal Register. The final rule requires the use of the FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM) (or any other model consistent with TNM methodology.)

The new rule that went into effect on May 2, 2005 is intended to help protect the public health and welfare, to supply noise abatement criteria, and to establish requirements for information to be given to local officials for use in the planning and design of highways, as well as to provide procedures for noise studies and noise abatement measures. The rule amends the FHWA regulation that specifies the traffic noise prediction method to be used in highway traffic noise analyses.

TNM was developed by the Volpe Center in 1998 as a means for aiding compliance with policies and procedures under FHWA regulations. The TNM Version 2.5 (released in April 2004) uses advances in personal computing to improve upon the accuracy and ease of modeling highway noise and implements a scientifically founded and experimentally calibrated acoustic computation methodology, as well as a new and flexible data base, and an improved interface. Among other uses, the model can be used to design effective, cost-efficient highway noise barriers. (Added 05/19/05)

Recently, the Volpe Center delivered a final report titled, "DOE Shipment Tracking System Assessment," to the Department of Energy's (DOE) Director of the Office of Transportation in the Office of Environmental Management. The DOE has worked for more than 20 years with state and tribal governments to develop transportation programs for safely moving the nation's hazardous wastes to storage sites. As a result, the DOE developed the Transportation Tracking and Communications (TRANSCOM) System to monitor and communicate with vehicles transporting "high visibility" unclassified shipments of radioactive and hazardous chemical waste. TRANSCOM is a Web-based system that provides in-transit monitoring information needed by the state and tribal governments. In July 2004, the DOE asked the Volpe Center to assess the functional effectiveness of TRANSCOM and determine whether other tracking systems, methods, or applications might be more cost effective than the current TRANSCOM system in fulfilling its mission. The Volpe assessment found that TRANSCOM does meet its functional requirements and has a large number of satisfied users, but recommended that the system be fully maintained, updated, and improved to meet current and future DOE requirements. Ms. Ruth Hunter, Ms. Nancy A. Cooney, and Mr. Kenneth Troup (now retired) of the Office of Information and Logistics Management contributed to this assessment report. (Added 05/16/05)

Dr. Aviva Brecher of the Office of Environmental Preservation and Systems Modernization was recently reelected to serve as a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers' (IEEE) Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR) for a second three-year term. COMAR is a Technical Committee of the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). COMAR is primarily interested in preparing Technical Information Statements (TIS) and other public communication informational materials on the biological effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields and radiation (EMF/EMR), including environmental, health and safety impacts of radio-frequency and microwave radiation sources used in transportation. COMAR has been examining and interpreting the biological effects, and presenting its findings in an authoritative and professional manner. Elected members of COMAR are either IEEE members or members of another scientific or technological society that is recognized by COMAR as having expertise in the area of the radiobiology of non-ionizing electromagnetic energy. For more information on COMAR and its public information IEEE position statements on EMF/EMR, please visit their web site at: http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/embs/comar/

Dr. Brecher has served as the Department's expert on EMF/EMR safety, safety and environmental issues for the past 15 years, having conducted surveys and analysis of EMF in the transportation environment. She was elected 10 years ago to the IEEE International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (ICES) and the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA), and will continue to actively represent DOT interests on the Committee and its subcommittees. The ICES has issued and is currently updating the national consensus standards on electromagnetic radiation human exposure safety. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has recognized the standards set forth by the IEEE as national standards. The ICES website is http://grouper.IEEE.org/groups/scc28. (Added 04/21/05)

On April 26, the Volpe Center will co-sponsor the 2005 IEEE Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security. Over 300 members of the New England innovation community will gather for this conference to focus on addressing the most pressing technical challenges; identifying the most critical knowledge gaps; and understanding the opportunities for start-ups and small businesses to work with government and large system integrators. The conference will highlight over 35 papers on technology innovations in this area. Attendees to the IEEE Conference will include technology innovators, industry professionals, government officials, system integrators, business developers, and legal professionals involved in the homeland security marketplace. The one-day conference will take place at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center in Boston, Massachusetts. For additional information on the conference, please visit http://www.ieee-boston.org/homeland2005/index.htm. (Added 04/07/05)

(London, England) - In early February 2005, Ms. Anya A. Carroll, Acting Division Chief of the Railroad Systems Division, attended the first European Union (EU) committee meeting to discuss Highway Rail (Level) Grade Crossing research needs. The formation of this committee is recognition of a shared concern between nations on this issue, and for the Volpe Center it represents an ongoing effort to collaborate internationally in support of the Federal Railroad Administration. In June 2004 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the USDOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the United Kingdom Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) with the overall objective to provide options for increasing the safety and cost-effectiveness of rail systems, through structural, technological, operational, and human factors research. The MOU incorporates future potential research topics to include: management information systems for rail, photo enforcement of rail right-of-way, crashworthiness, safety decision-making, and glazing and aerodynamics and its affect on roll risk. With the UK/US agreement on rail safety research in place, it was suggested that a greater European cooperation in research would be of considerable value. As a result, the first EU committee on highway rail grade crossing research needs was formed. The EU committee meeting provided an opportunity for participants from 11 countries to share their knowledge on research and research results on highway rail (level) grade crossings. Ultimately, the committee will create a platform for shared research from the issues and topics discussed at these meetings. The next MOU coordination meeting is scheduled to take place in mid-May in London, England with participation by FRA and Volpe staff. (Added 03/31/05)

A paper coauthored by Ms. Margaret Petrella and Ms. Jane Lappin, both of the Economic and Industry Analysis Division, was published in the Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board (No. 1886). The paper titled, "Comparative Analysis of Customer Response to Online Traffic Information in Two Cities: Los Angeles, California and Seattle, Washington," compares customer response to online traffic information in the Los Angeles and Seattle areas. A voluntary online survey was administered to users of the Travel Advisory News Network (TANN) and SmarTraveler web sites in Los Angeles. A similar survey was fielded on the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Traffic Conditions web site. The comparative analysis finds that the demographic profile of online users is similar across the two regions. Users of the system tended to be male, well educated, employed, upper income, and 26 to 45 years of age. The study also finds that users in both samples were more technologically savvy than the general populace. Despite these similarities, the data reveal that traffic conditions differ in the two regions, as users in Los Angeles tend to experience significantly longer commutes and greater traffic congestion and volatility. The customers who were surveyed in both regions offered positive assessments of the traffic information web sites; however, respondents to the Seattle study were more enthusiastic in their ratings of the service and in the benefits it provides. Ms. Lappin and Ms. Petrella conclude that underlying traffic conditions in these regions precondition the customers' response to the service. The research suggests that the greater the traffic congestion, the better the service has to be in order to satisfy customers, and so realizing the benefits of online traveler information is particularly challenging in regions characterized by significant traffic congestion. (Added 03/28/05)

Dr. Kim Cardosi and Ms. Amanda DiFiore of the Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division coauthored the lead article of the January 21 (Volume 12, Number 4) issue of Air Traffic Control Quarterly on aviation communication metrics. Their paper titled, "Metrics of Communication Performance," reviews the results of research performed at the Volpe Center on aviation voice communications and the implications for system safety and future enhancements. The report describes empirical studies of actual tapes of operational communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. The report also presents a review of studies of communications metrics, and summarizes what is known about factors relating to communication performance, such as the number of controller transmissions per minute, the characteristics of pilot responses, communication error rates, and the time required to transmit a message. Metrics of voice communications between pilots and air traffic control provides valuable indices of national airspace system (NAS) performance. These metrics help to characterize current operations, define the requirements for future communication systems, and establish standards against which performance of new systems can be compared. Performance studies also shed light on the factors that contribute to communication problems that may result in operational errors or runway incursions. (Added 03/28/05)

On March 17, 2005 the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that it will make available $3.5 million in funding for innovative research that will help to enhance the safety and efficiency of the U.S. transportation system, and asked small businesses to submit their project ideas. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program encourages small business to engage in research and development activities that have the potential to produce commercially viable applications as well as meet federal research objectives. The program is administered by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, a part of DOT's newly created Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). To view the press release in its entirety, visit the RITA Press Room. To obtain more information on DOT's SBIR program and the current solicitation, please visit the USDOT Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) web site. (Added 03/21/05)

Volpe staff from the Advanced Safety Technology Division recently published a final report in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) titled, "Analysis of Fatal Crashes Due to Signal and Stop Sign Violations." Authored by Ms. Brittany Campbell, Mr. John D. Smith, and Dr. Wassim Najm, the report presents results from the analysis of fatal crashes at traffic signals and stop signs in support of the Intelligent Vehicle Initiative (IVI). The IVI accelerates the development and deployment of vehicle-based and vehicle-infrastructure cooperative crash countermeasures using advanced technologies. The 1999 and 2000 Fatality Analysis Reporting System databases were analyzed to gain a better understanding of fatal crashes involving light vehicles (passenger cars, vans, minivans, sport utility vehicles, and light trucks). A total of 9,951 vehicles were involved in fatal crashes at traffic signals, with 20% of those failing to obey the signal, and another 13% failing to yield the right-of-way. The total number of vehicles involved in fatal crashes at stop signs was 13,627, of which 21% failed to obey the sign and 23% failed to yield the right-of-way. Fatal crashes involving light vehicles that violated the traffic signal or the stop sign were separated into single-vehicle, two-vehicle, and multi-vehicle crash categories. For each crash category, the report identified the crash scenarios, described the contributing factors, and characterized the roadway where these fatal crashes occurred. Single-vehicle crashes were three times as likely to involve alcohol than two-vehicle crashes. Single-vehicle crashes also had the highest rate of speeding and driver inattention. Two-vehicle crashes had the second highest involvement rate of driver inattention, while multi-vehicle crashes had the second highest rate of speed-related collisions. It is hoped that the findings from this report and analysis will help mitigate these types of traffic violations and reduce traffic deaths. (Added 03/09/05)

On October 28, Dr. Stephen Popkin of the Volpe Center's Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division presented the U.S. DOT Human Factors Coordinating Committee's program on operator fatigue management (OFM) to senior Swedish government officials at the Nobel Forum. The seminar, hosted by the Karolinska Institute, was a first step in educating Swedish transportation officials about the potential dangers of fatigued or drowsy drivers. Approximately 70 government and industry officials attended the seminar, as well as members of the Swedish National Press. The OFM program, co-chaired by Dr. Popkin, began in 2000 to explore alternative, non-prescriptive approaches to the fatigue management of transportation personnel, reducing reliance on regulation as the primary strategy. The long-term goal of this effort is to change human behavior, corporate and government practice, and cultural norms to improve safety and reducing work fatigue. For this effort to work, it is necessary to gain a high degree of stakeholder acceptance of fatigue management, including willingness to change work scheduling practices and to make available and utilize appropriate countermeasures. If properly implemented, a tailored non-prescriptive fatigue management approach should provide quicker, more sustainable and substantial progress towards improving fatigue-related safety and health concerns than through regulation alone.

Dr. Popkin is responsible for the development and co-leadership of the Volpe Fatigue Monitoring and Countermeasures Research Team, and is an elected board member of the International Commission on Occupational Health's Working Time Society. He is also serving as a DOT representative to the International Conference on Fatigue and Transportation, which will be held September 2005 in Seattle, Washington. (Added 02/23/05)

On February 15, 2005 Transportation Secretary Mineta announced the creation of two new agencies at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) - one to focus on innovation and research and the other on pipeline and hazardous materials safety - to help the Department more effectively execute its mission of developing and applying innovative technologies to create the transportation system of the 21st century.

The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) were authorized on Nov. 30, 2004 when President Bush signed the Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act. According to Secretary Mineta the creation of "RITA reflects how important research and technology are to our core mission, while the creation of PHMSA will continue and strengthen our commitment to safety." RITA will be dedicated to the advancement of the department's priorities for innovation and research in transportation technologies and concepts.

As part of RITA, the Volpe Center will continue its focus on providing creative solutions to complex and challenging problems across the transportation enterprise and to support of the department's strategic objectives in safety, mobility, global connectivity, environmental stewardship, security and organizational excellence through safer simpler smarter transportation solutions.

The two new agencies replace the Research and Special Programs Administration and expand its functions. (Added 02/16/05)

The Volpe Center is now accepting applications for the 2005-2006 John A. Volpe Transportation Internship. The program allows interns to work under the direct supervision of a senior Volpe Center manager on one or more transportation policy or technical-related projects. The project assignments will be chosen based on the recipient's background and career interests and the staffing needs of the Volpe Center and may relate to the Department of Transportation's strategic goals. The internship is open to all students who are in, or have been accepted into, or have an application pending at, an accredited graduate level program in the engineering, scientific, or social sciences disciplines; are U.S. citizens; and who have an interest in contributing to the future of the transportation enterprise. Complete application packages must be received or postmarked by March 31, 2005. For additional information about internship application requirements, please visit http://www.volpe.dot.gov/career/intrnshp.html or call 617/494-2500. (Added 02/09/05)

Dr. Curtis J. Tompkins,
Volpe Center Director

Samuel G. Bonasso, deputy administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), announced today the selection of Dr. Curtis J. Tompkins as director of RSPA's Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. Tompkins is currently the director of Volpe's management improvement initiatives.

"Dr. Tompkins is a proven visionary leader," Deputy Administrator Bonasso said. "I am confident he will be an effective steward of the Volpe Center's unique mission as a high-performing organization."

As Volpe Center director, Tompkins will oversee the operations and management of all the center's programs. "He will build on the impressive track record already compiled by the Volpe team as a world leader in the field of technical transportation research and service, and will implement the DOT-initiated improvements designed to create a new vision for the center," Bonasso said.

Prior to coming to the DOT, Tompkins served as the president of Michigan Technological University from 1991 to 2004. He spent 11 years as dean of the College of Engineering at West Virginia University and served as a faculty member at the University of Virginia and the Georgia Institute of Technology. He began his professional career as an engineer at E.I. DuPont. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Virginia Tech and his doctorate in industrial and systems engineering from Georgia Tech. (Added 01/25/05)