Introducing Volpe’s New Deputy Director for Research and Technology, Stephen Popkin

NOVA Documentary on Rail Safety Features Volpe’s David Tyrell The new NOVA documentary Why Trains Crash features Volpe’s David Tyrell, a principal technical advisor for train crashworthiness and safety. The documentary, which aired February 22 on PBS, explores recent rail tragedies and technological advances that can help prevent train crashes. Read more and watch the video.

“Our Shared Transportation Future” with General Darren W. McDew General McDew commands USTRANSCOM, which delivers global defense logistics anyplace, anytime, and for however long is needed. He recently came to Volpe to discuss the nation’s most pressing military and civilian transportation challenges, and the new thinking required for new solutions. Read the full story.

Coordinating Emergency Transportation Response to Hurricane Matthew When disasters hit, U.S. DOT deploys a team of emergency transportation representatives to coordinate large-scale transportation responsibilities that come with massive emergency response efforts. One of these representatives is Volpe’s Terry Sheehan. Read the full story.

Laying the Foundation for Vehicle-to-Pedestrian Communications When a car hits a pedestrian, the pedestrian takes the full brunt of the severe and sometimes fatal injuries. Vehicle-to-pedestrian communications can help avoid impacts or reduce the consequences when light vehicles collide with pedestrians. Read the full story.

Volpe Spreads the Love with Care Kits for the Homeless The Volpe community helped spread the love this past Valentine’s Day by putting together care kits full of toiletries, water, snacks, socks, and handmade scarves for the homeless. Volpe employees created 100 personal care kits to donate to the Pine Street Inn and Rosie’s Place. Read the full story.

Volpe Staff at U.S. and International Events

Volpe staff were featured at the following events in January and February:                                     

• Stephen Popkin facilitated the U.S. DOT Safety Council Meeting in Washington, D.C., on February 24.

• Michael Dinning participated in a workshop focused on cybersecurity in the Internet of Things and smart cities, and multimodal payment systems to improve mobility. He led discussions on transportation payments and gave a presentation on payments for multimodal mobility. The workshop was sponsored by the Smart Card Alliance and hosted at the Utah Transit Authority February 1-2 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

• Karen Van Dyke, Stephen Mackey, and Hadi Wassaf presented “DOT GPS Adjacent Band Compatibility Assessment Test Results” at the Institute of Navigation’s International Technical Meeting, held January 30 to February 3 in Monterey, California. The DOT GPS Adjacent Band Compatibility Assessment evaluates adjacent radiofrequency band power levels that can be tolerated by GPS and Global Navigation Satellite System receivers to better understand how such power levels impact transportation safety devices.

• Gregg Fleming and David Pace participated in the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) Modelling and Databases Group, part of the International Civil Aviation Organization, in Denpasar, Indonesia, from January 30 to February 2. Fleming chaired and led the meeting and Pace presented a series of papers on modelling fleet evolution and how the economic environment can influence aircraft delivery and retirement trends.

Aviation

• Analysis of Reportable Events in Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center
• Comparison of Potential Temperature Gradient Estimates from Various Temperature Profile Data Sources
• Human Factors Considerations in the Design and Evaluation of Flight Deck Displays and Controls: Version 2.0
• Loss of Controller-Pilot Voice Communications in Domestic En Route Airspace

Motor Carrier Safety

• FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model, Fiscal Year 2012

Safety – Pedestrians and Bicyclists

• FHWA Bicycle-Pedestrian Count Technology Pilot Project: Summary Report

Transit

• NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2015

Transportation Planning

• Every Place Counts Leadership Academy: Stories from Community Transportation Leaders
• Every Place Counts Leadership Academy: Transportation Toolkit
• Every Place Counts Leadership Academy: Transportation Toolkit Facilitator’s Guide
• Every Place Counts Leadership Academy: Transportation Toolkit Quick Guide
• Regional Models of Cooperation Handbook
• White River National Forest Hanging Lake Visitor Transportation Survey: Summary of Results