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AERIS BAA announcement DTFH61-10-F-00033

The Intelligent Transportation System Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) announces the selection of seven projects to identify research opportunities which the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) AERIS (Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis) program could leverage.  The seven projects were selected in response to Broad Agency Announcement DTFH61-10-F-00033. 

Each of the seven projects will focus on specific research, as identified below, with the awarded work orders effective October 1, 2010. 

Projects and work orders have been made to the following performing organizations:

  • Mixon/Hill will conduct investigations to extract environmentally relevant real-time data from vehicles and then calculating performance measures based partly upon previous CLARUS and Data Use, Analysis, and Processing (DUAP) research projects.
  • Virginia Tech will develop IntelliDriveSM eco-adaptive signalized intersection algorithms.
  • Virginia Tech and SAIC will develop and evaluate Intelligent eco-drive applications, specifically looking at adaptive cruise control capabilities.
  • University at Buffalo will conduct an evaluation of likely environmental benefits of lowest fuel consumption route guidance in the Buffalo-Niagara metropolitan area (a medium sized metropolitan area).
  • University of California PATH Program (UC Berkeley) will further engagement with the international community on ITS and environmental research initiatives.
  • University of California - Riverside (UCR) will build upon their previous research in ITS and the environment to synthesize research results and to recommend data collection methods, environmental analysis methods, integration of simulation and environmental modeling tools, and suggestions for ITS applications and strategies.
  • University of California - Riverside (UCR) and Calmar Telematics will investigate the use of real-time on-vehicle data to calculate environmental performance measures.  

The AERIS research program is part of the USDOT's IntelliDrive initiative. The AERIS program focuses on the capture, synthesis, and delivery of real-time, vehicle- and infrastructure-based, environmentally relevant information to support system management that advances environmental improvements within the transportation system. For more information on IntelliDrive and AERIS, see www.IntelliDrive.org.

ITS JPO is a program office within the USDOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA).  USDOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is administering these projects.

* IntelliDriveSM is a registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Transportation.


Posted on 18 Nov 2010

Free Webinar: IntelliDrive Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis (AERIS)

Date:   December 8, 2010
Time:  1:00 - 2:30 P.M. Eastern Time

Register for the Webinar

Description
This webinar will introduce participants to the AERIS program, a new multimodal USDOT initiative that seeks to promote more environmentally friendly travel choices through the use of real-time transportation system data.  AERIS is based on the IntelliDriveSM vision of real-time, wireless communication among vehicles and infrastructure to promote safer and more efficient travel.  The webinar will address the following topics:

  • AERIS Overview: Program Manager Marcia Pincus will lead off the webinar with an overview of AERIS and its objectives.
  • Policy Context: Michael Savonis of FHWA will discuss the dimensions of the climate change and air pollution challenge, including transportation’s impacts and the potential contribution of operational strategies.
  • Strategies for Cars and Trucks:  Robert Ferlis and Randy Butler of FHWA will introduce some emerging operational applications of real-time data to reduce emissions.
  • Strategies for Public Transit: Chris Pangilinan of RITA will highlight the potential contributions of IntelliDriveSM data to improving transit mode share and reducing transit vehicles’ emissions.

Background
The total amount of wasted fuel topped 2.8 billion gallons in 2007 according to the Texas Transportation Institute -- three weeks' worth of gas for every traveler -- adding emissions to the atmosphere and worsening climate change. IntelliDriveSM environmental applications will potentially enable system users and system operators to make choices that reduce the environmental impacts of surface transportation travel.

The AERIS program was launched earlier this year and is currently sponsoring research and working with stakeholders to assess the ways in which real-time transportation system data could promote more environmentally friendly travel choices and improve the operation of the surface transportation network.  

Providing travelers with real-time information about traffic congestion and other travel conditions helps them make more informed decisions that can reduce the environmental impact of their trip. Informed travelers may decide to avoid congestion by taking alternate routes or public transit, or by rescheduling their trip -- all of which can make their trip more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly. The ability for vehicles to “talk to” the infrastructure could provide information to the vehicle operator so that he/she can drive through a traffic signal network at optimum speeds to reduce stopping. IntelliDriveSM research is designed provide traffic managers with better real time information and tools to help them manage transportation systems in the most environmentally sensitive manner, but this information could also be used for applications such as those described.

Learning Objectives

  • Identify opportunities for stakeholders to contribute to the IntelliDrive AERIS Program. 
  • Understand how the USDOT envisions assessing the ways in which real-time transportation system data could promote more environmentally friendly travel choices.
  • Understand transportation’s impacts on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions and the potential contribution of operational strategies.
  • Learn more and stimulate creative thinking about potential applications of real-time data to reduce car and truck emissions.
  • Gain and promote greater insight of how transportation system data can increase transit mode share and reduce transit emissions.

Intended Audience:
State and local DOT staff, policy researchers, ITS software and system developers, environmental advocates, consultants, academics, and others with an interest in the potential to use real-time transportation system data to reduce environmental impacts.

Host:
Marcia Pincus, Program Manager, Environment (AERIS) and ITS Evaluation, ITS Joint Program Office
Marcia Pincus is currently the Program Manager, Environment (AERIS) and ITS Evaluation, for the ITS Joint Program Office at USDOT. Marcia joined the ITS JPO six years ago, and has over 15 years experience as an ITS policy analyst and program manager in the public, private, and academic sectors.

Presenters:
Randy Butler, Transportation Specialist, Operation and Technology Team, Federal Highway Administration
Randy joined FHWA in November of 2003 as a Transportation Specialist on the Operation and Technology Team.  Prior to joining FHWA, Randy completed a thirty-five year career in the private sector in managing freight transportation operations, engineering, customer service, business process reengineering, information systems and project management.  Randy’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology from University of Memphis, Master of Business Administration and Master of Science Management Information Systems from Bellevue University, and a Master of Arts in Transportation Policy, Operations, and Logistics from George Mason University. He is currently completing a Doctor of Business Administration in Global Supply Chain Management at Walden University.  Randy also holds a Project Management Professional Certification from the Project Management Institute.  

Robert Ferlis, Technical Director of the Office of Operations Research and Development, Federal Highway Administration
Bob currently serves as a Modal Manager Lead on the AERIS research initiative.  He also serves on the Implementation Group of the Exploratory Advanced Research Program, and conducts advanced research on applications to take advantage of vehicle-infrastructure and vehicle-vehicle communication technologies and on innovations to achieve safer, more efficient, and more sustainable transportation systems.  Before joining FHWA, he worked as a transportation research consultant and as a systems manager in the private sector. He received a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Illinois and a M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Northwestern University.   

Chris Pangilinan, Special Assistant to the Deputy Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology Administration
Chris Pangilinan is the Special Assistant to the Deputy Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) at USDOT.  Prior to joining the USDOT, Chris was a transportation engineer and planner at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), the city's DOT and transit agency.  Chris's work in transit operations and planning while at the SFMTA provides the transit experience that he is able to bring to the AERIS team.  He earned his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering at Portland State University and his Master’s degree in Transportation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Chris is a registered Civil Engineer in the State of California.

Mike Savonis, Senior Policy Advisor, Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Natural Environment
Mike is a Senior Policy Advisor at the Federal Highway Administration. He has 25 years of experience in transportation policy, with extensive expertise in climate change, air quality and emerging environmental issues. Mr. Savonis was instrumental to the creation of the DOT Center for Climate Change, and is co-Chair of the Transportation Research Board’s Climate Change Subcommittee. He holds a Masters in Regional Planning from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

This webinar is brought to you by the IntelliDriveSM Program at the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) ITS Joint Program Office, Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Reference in this webinar to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by U.S. Department of Transportation.

Register for the Webinar

IntelliDriveSM is the registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Transportation.


Posted on 04 Nov 2010

ITS-JPO Director Gives Keynote Address at 17th Annual ITS World Congress

Opening remarks by Dr. Robert Bertini, ITS-JPO Director (Acting) and Deputy Administrator for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), during the Opening Ceremony at the 17th ITS World Congress in Busan, Korea. 

Transforming Transportation Through Connectivity, Robert L. Bertini[PDF 896KB]


Posted on 26 Oct 2010

Road Weather Policy Forum

What:  Road Weather Policy Forum
When: Monday November 8 (afternoon) and Tuesday November 9 (morning)

Where:  University of California Washington Center
              1608 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
              Washington, DC 20005

*Registration is free but required to attend the meeting. Please click here to go to the registration page. Maximum attendance is 100 people.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program is pleased to invite you to the Road Weather Policy Forum. We continue to face great challenges from the weather given its severe impacts on transportation safety, mobility and the economy.

Like the Forum before it, held in 2003, this Forum will seek consensus around a high-level Research Agenda for the next several years and explore ways to carry it out. It will build on input received from a Research Needs Workshop held last May, weather and transportation industry meetings over the summer, and private sector interviews. Draft priorities are identified in the summary document (click here).

Click here for the Agenda, Registration and other event-related information.


Posted on 25 Oct 2010

US and Japan Agree to Cooperate on ITS Research


Dr. Robert Bertini and Mr. Michio Kanai Director-General, Road Bureau, Ministry of Land,  Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Dr. Robert L. Bertini, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), and Acting Director, RITA ITS Joint Program Office delivered a "Memorandum of Cooperation on Cooperation in the Field of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)" which was signed by Peter H. Appel, USDOT/RITA Administrator and Michio Kanai, General Director, Road Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan.  The agreement, concluded under the terms of the "Implementing Arrangement between the USDOT and the MLIT of Japan on Cooperation in Transportation Science and Technology," formalizes and advances the existing technical cooperation and information exchange on ITS between the two nations.

The USDOT/RITA and MLIT have agreed to promote collaboration in the field of intelligent transport systems by:

  • identifying research and development areas that would benefit from joint development;
  • sharing information on ongoing research and development projects, estimated benefits, research outcomes, and results of field demonstrations;
  • informing stakeholders involved in the development of Cooperative Systems based on ITS technologies of continuing cooperation and progress between the nations; and
  • supporting development of globally open standards that ensure ITS interoperability.

Appel signed a similar agreement along with European Commission Deputy Director-General for Information Society and Media Zoltan Stancic in Washington, DC, on November 13, 2009.  The EU-US Joint Declaration of Intent on Research Cooperation in Cooperative Systems is intended to:

  • support, wherever possible, global open standards in order to ensure interoperability of cooperative systems worldwide and to preclude the development and adoption of redundant standards;
  • identify research areas that would benefit from a harmonized approach and that could be addressed by coordinated or joint research; and
  • avoid duplication of research efforts.

This MOU with Japan is part of RITA's continuing effort to develop international ITS research cooperatively, and to support international harmonization of ITS standards.

Dr. Robert Bertini's Presentations in Japan


Posted on 21 Oct 2010

IntelliDrive(SM) Mobility and Environment Workshop

When: November 30 - December 1, 2010
Where: George Mason University, Arlington Campus

Registration Form - Return this form to Nicole Oliphant at [email protected] by November 26, 2010

Agenda: Click here to see the agenda for the meeting.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will be hosting a free public meeting to discuss the IntelliDrive(SM) Mobility research programs (Real Time Data Capture and Management and Dynamic Mobility Applications).

The goal of this listening session is to inform and communicate with stakeholders interested in the data capture and dynamic mobility components of the IntelliDrive program. IntelliDrive is a multimodal research initiative that is based on wireless Vehicle to Vehicle, (V2V), Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) communications which will improve traffic safety and mobility while helping the environment.

The public meeting will feature:

  • Background on the IntelliDrive Real-Time Data Capture and Management, and Dynamic Mobility Applications Programs
  • Information about the IntelliDrive program’s concepts, organization, schedule, projects, procurements and products
  • A discussion on how the IntelliDrive program plans to engage stakeholders in the future
  • Details of the IntelliDrive program’s open data environment and its open source mobility applications
  • Results of a recent request for information where stakeholders submitted the top dynamic mobility application concepts
  • Information about upcoming procurements and other opportunities to participate in the development of IntelliDrive
  • A discussion on cross-cutting policy issues
  • An opportunity to discuss how improved mobility and efficient travel can support the environment and mitigate pollution

REGISTRATION AND EVENT DETAILS

November 30 - December 1, 2010
8:30am-4:00pm

George Mason University
3401 Fairfax Drive, MSN 5A7
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703-993-8140

Registration Form - Please return this form to Nicole Oliphant at [email protected] by November 26, 2010

Click here to see the Agenda for the meeting

Local Hotel Accommodations:

AKA Virginia Square
3409 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201
(888) 252-0310
(703) 294-6415
1 1/2 blocks (walking distance) from Arlington Campus

Arlington Hilton and Towers
950 N. Stafford Street
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 528-6000
3 blocks (walking distance) from Arlington Campus

Holiday Inn - Arlington at Ballston
4610 N. Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 243-9800
(800) 465-4329
.8 miles from Arlington Campus

Residence Inn by Mariott - Arlington Courthouse
1401 North Adams Street
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 312-2100
(703) 248-9616
1.1 miles from Arlington Campus

Listing of additional hotels available here.

Metro Access: Take the Orange Line to the Virginia Square/GMU station. Take the escalator to the street level, and turn to face Fairfax Drive. Across the street and to the right, you will see the FDIC building. The Arlington Campus is next door.

Hope to see you there! For any questions please contact Nicole Oliphant at [email protected] or 202-721-4215.

IntelliDriveSM is the registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Transportation.


Posted on 20 Oct 2010

Save the Date! Webinar - An Overview of IntelliDrive Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis (AERIS)

Date:  November 10, 2010 from 1:00�2:30 P.M.  Eastern Time
Webinar:  An Overview of IntelliDrive Applications for the Environment:  Real-Time Information Synthesis (AERIS)

This webinar will introduce participants to the AERIS program, a new multimodal USDOT initiative that seeks to reduce the environmental impacts of surface transportation by reducing greenhouse gases and other air pollution emissions and improving the operation of the surface transportation network.   AERIS is based on the IntelliDrive(SM)* vision of real-time, wireless communication among vehicles and infrastructure to promote safer and more efficient travel. 

Registration information will be distributed by the end of October.

* - IntelliDrive(SM) is a registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Transportation


Posted on 18 Oct 2010

Procurement Opportunity: U.S. Department of Transportation Small Business Innovation Research - DTRT57-11-R-SBIR1

A solicitation for research proposals has been issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program on October 8, 2010.

The SBIR Program encourages small businesses to engage in research or research and development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization and meets Federal research or research and development objectives. To learn more about the SBIR program, please visit: http://www.volpe.dot.gov/sbir/.

The purpose of this solicitation is to invite small businesses with their valuable resources and creative capabilities to submit innovative research proposals that address high priority requirements of the DOT.

THIS SOLICITATION IS FOR PHASE I PROPOSALS ONLY. There are a total of eight (8) Phase I research topicsfor DOT Operating Administrations.

The links to detailed descriptions for all proposed research topics can be accessed at http://www.volpe.dot.gov/sbir/sol11/topics.html.  The 2011 Solicitation is available for downloading in Microsoft Word and PDF formats. Click here to Download the entire FY11.1 Program Solicitation.


Posted on 15 Oct 2010

Procurement Opportunity: NCHRP 03-101 [RFP] - Costs and Benefits of Public-Sector IntelliDrive (SM) Deployment

Project Data

  • Funds:  $500,000
  • Contract Time:  24 months (includes 3 months for NCHRP review and for contractor revision of the final report) 
  • Authorization to Begin Work:  4/10/2010 -- estimated 
  • Contracting Authority: National Cooperative Highway Research Program, National Academy of Sciences
  • Staff Responsibility:  B. Ray Derr
       Phone: 202-334-3231
       Email: [email protected]
  • RFP Close Date: 12/2/2010
  • Fiscal Year: 2011

BACKGROUND
IntelliDrive (SM)* is a multimodal initiative that aims to enable safe, interoperable networked wireless communications among vehicles, the infrastructure, and passengers' personal communications devices.  IntelliDrive research is being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) and others to leverage the potentially transformative capabilities of wireless technology to make surface transportation safer, smarter, and greener.  If successfully deployed, the U.S. DOT maintains that IntelliDrive will ultimately enhance the safety, mobility, and quality of life of all Americans, while helping to reduce the environmental impact of surface transportation.
 
IntelliDrive is being developed through coordinated research, testing, demonstration, and deployment. The federal research investment is targeted to areas that are unlikely to be accomplished through private investment because they are too risky or complex. Other stakeholders, including the states, the automotive industry and its suppliers, and consumer electronics companies, also are researching and testing IntelliDrive technologies and applications (i.e., the specific tasks being addressed by the technology, for example, transit priority at traffic signals) so that the transportation community can realize the full potential and vision of IntelliDrive.
 
The IntelliDrive program is a major initiative of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Programs Office (JPO) at the U.S. DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). The ITS JPO’s goal is to advance the program to a deployment readiness state by 2014. In order for state transportation departments to fully benefit from this effort, AASHTO has formed an IntelliDrive technical working group that developed a strategic plan and action plan for the development and deployment of IntelliDrive. A pooled fund program has been established to begin work on the plan. A need identified in the plan that has not yet been addressed is to evaluate and document the benefits and costs of IntelliDrive investment.
 
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this research are to evaluate and document agency and societal benefits and costs of IntelliDrive to assist with deployment decisions by state and local DOTs. 
 
Click here to read the entire RFP announcement.

* - IntelliDriveSM is a registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Transportation


Posted on 08 Oct 2010

ITS-JPO Selects Eight Firms to Develop and Produce V2V and V2I Communications Devices

The Intelligent Transportation System Joint Program Office (ITS-JPO) announces grants to eight contractors to develop prototype devices capable of generating “Here I Am” basic safety messages to other vehicles and devices using DSRC 5.9 GHz communication technology. 

Each of the eight device manufacturers will produce five “Here I Am” units for qualification testing.  Those vendors/products that pass DOT’s device certification testing will be placed on a Qualified Product List (QPL) and be eligible for supporting the upcoming IntelliDrive Safety Pilot model deployment which will involve approximately 2500-3000 vehicles.  The devices will be used for identifying vehicle location, trajectory, and speed using the SAE J2735  basic safety message; messages will not include any personally identifiable information. 

Awards have been made  to the following contractors:

  • AutoTalks Ltd 
  • Cohda Wireless 
  • Cohda Wireless/TomTom
  • Denso International America, Inc.
  • DGE Inc.
  • Industrial Technology Research Institute 
  • Savari
  • Siemens Industry Inc.

The period of performance for device development and qualification testing is seven months, starting October 1, 2010.

The Safety Pilot research program is part of the USDOT’s IntelliDriveSM* initiative.  For more information on IntelliDrive and Safety Pilot, see www.IntelliDrive.org
ITS-JPO is a program office within the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration.

* - IntelliDriveSM is a registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Transportation.


Posted on 27 Sep 2010

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