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U.S. DOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
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U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology |
December 22, 2017 |
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By
2021, there could be 4 million remotely piloted aircraft—commonly referred to
as drones—in the hands of hobbyists and commercial users. Safely and
efficiently integrating the coming influx of drones into our nation’s airspace
creates a variety of technical, operational, and regulatory challenges. Recently, the U.S. DOT's Volpe Center worked closely with the U.S. Air Force and the Ohio Department of
Transportation to test technologies that may enable safe and efficient flight
of small drones. Read the full story. |
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U.S.
DOT Volpe Center Chief Economist Don Pickrell and a team of Volpe data
experts recently completed an in-depth study for the Federal Highway
Administration to produce detailed statistics on travel speeds and vehicle
hours traveled that can provide new levels of insight into how the nation’s
roads are performing. Read more and watch video highlights.
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The
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration turned to U.S. DOT’s
Volpe Center to investigate current training programs and the causes behind 93
real-life hazmat tanker truck rollovers, and to develop recommendations to
improve cargo tank safety. Read the full story.
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A recent
report to Congress offers data on safety and security incidents at alternative
transportation facilities—like bicycle lanes, walking paths, and transit
stations—and provides recommendations for innovative technologies that could address
some of the most urgent risks to the traveling public. Read the full story.
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To
provide service-wide guidance on maintaining and improving various
transportation assets, the National Park Service recently released its first
National Long-Range Transportation Plan, a 20-year vision plan that a team of
Volpe planners helped develop. Read the full story.
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The
world of intelligent transportation systems is complex. There are mobile apps
that riders use to pay for transit, and vehicle-to-infrastructure and
vehicle-to-vehicle communication networks that have the potential to save
thousands of lives. The U.S. DOT Intelligent Transportation
Systems Professional Capacity Building Program provides flexible, accessible
ITS learning for the transportation workforce. Read the full story.
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As
the nation observed Veterans Day on November 11, we honored the many veterans
who have transitioned from military service into a civil service career at the
U.S. DOT Volpe Center. Meet some of our veterans.
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Getting
stuck in traffic isn’t just a nuisance. On an aggregate level, traffic can have
major financial impacts for cities and countries. Aviation innovator Carl C.
Dietrich, PhD, co-founder and chief technology officer of Terrafugia, explains
the potential to use the space right above our heads to relieve automobile
congestion. Read more and watch video highlights.
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Joseph F. Coughlin, founder and director of the MIT AgeLab, discussed how an aging American population will shape the nation's transportation system. Read more and watch video highlights.
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Technology
is advancing, societal trends are changing, and new visions for self-driving
vehicles are emerging. Harry Lightsey of General Motors provides the
manufacturer's perspective on how self-driving cars are putting safety in the
driver's seat. Read more and watch video highlights.
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Volpe Experts in the Field
Volpe staff engaged in the following noteworthy activities in November and December:
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Automated Vehicles and
Human Factors: Don Fisher, PhD, was a panelist at an Impact of Vehicle Technologies and Automation on
Users conference sponsored by TRB and the AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety. The conference brought together leading researchers from around the
world in human factors and automated vehicles.
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Automated Vehicle
Safety: A Volpe Center team led by Matt Cuddy, PhD, assisted with the U.S. DOT Roundtable on Data for Automated Vehicle
Safety. The roundtable, sponsored by the Office of the Secretary and executed
by ITS JPO, focused on data exchanges to accelerate the safe rollout of
automated vehicles (AVs). Participants included automakers; technology companies
focused on AV development; and states, counties, and cities active in AV
deployments.
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Aviation: Gregg
Fleming co-chaired the International Civil Aviation Organization/Committee
on Aviation Environmental Protection’s Modeling and Databases and Forecast and
Economic Analysis Support Groups meetings. U.S. and European industry
representatives, along with government officials from more than 12 countries,
attended the meeting.
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Aviation
Infrastructure and Safety: Sharon Chan Edmiston participated in the Third
World Aviation Forum sponsored by the International Civil Aviation
Organization, which includes a specific focus on financing aviation
infrastructure and capacity development in Africa.
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Global Maritime
Domain Awareness: Brendon Providence and Henry Wychorski completed deployments of Automatic Identification
System (a tracking system used on ships) equipment in the Philippines. Under sponsorship
of the Department of Defense, the Volpe Center is working with the Philippine
National Coast Watch Center to expand the Maritime Safety and Security
Information System network in the region.
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Surface
Transportation Innovation: Anthony Thomas presented on emerging trends in
surface transportation at the Association of General Contractors for New York
State’s Construction Industry Conference. He also provided an overview on the
technologies, capabilities, and potential impacts on the transportation system.
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Unmanned
Aircraft Systems (UAS): David Senzig
trained Department of Defense personnel to use the low-cost, light-weight UAS
tracking system developed at the Volpe Center.
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Transportation Planning - Public Lands
Transportation Planning - Rest Areas
Transportation Planning - State and Local
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