ITS Heartland 2013 Annual Meeting March 25-27, 2013 // Topeka, Kansas Thomas E. Kern Executive Vice President, ITS America
Greetings from Peter Sweatman, Chair, ITS America and Executive Director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute And Scott Belcher, President/CEO, ITS America
Surface transportation in the United States is at a crossroads. The mobility we prize so highly is threatened. Many of the nation s roads are badly clogged. Congestion continues to increase, the conventional approach of the past building more roads will not work in many areas of the country, for both financial and environmental reasons. A Strategic Plan for Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems, IVHS America, 1992
ITS industry is on the move
Where Are We Today?
What is Intelligent Transportation? Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) encompass a broad range of information and communications technologies that improve the safety, efficiency, and performance of the transportation system When integrated into the nation s roadways, vehicles and public transit network, ITS can help reduce congestion, improve mobility, save lives and optimize existing infrastructure
We live in an increasingly connected world
Connectivity is changing how we think about transportation
America s transportation challenges Traffic congestion - $230 billion per year Highway fatalities and injuries - $300 billion Growing and aging population Deteriorating infrastructure Shrinking budgets at all levels Gas tax not keeping up with costs
Traffic projections for 2035 It looks like the U.S. is having a heart attack and this is just the trucks! Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory s Center for Transportation Analysis
We need smarter solutions We cannot afford to simply build new roads to meet demand Technology enables us to: Manage the existing system to optimize capacity, reduce costs Provide new and improved travel alternatives Improve vehicle and highway safety Ensure that new and reconstructed roads and bridges incorporate the latest technology to meet future demands
ITS America s role in advancing smart solutions We bring together policymakers and industry leaders to advance a safer, smarter, more efficient and sustainable transportation network Members include state and local agencies, universities, national labs, private companies spanning the highway, transit, automotive, commercial vehicle, telecom, tolling, and high-tech sectors Our state chapters represent over 1,000 companies and public agencies in 40 states
Current political landscape Gridlock in Washington, DC does not just apply to the Beltway Transportation is traditionally more bipartisan than other issues but progress is still difficult Republicans and Democrats came together to pass the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21 st Century Act (MAP-21) Signed into law July 6, 2012 MAP-21 policy took effect October 1, 2012 Implementation underway MAP-21 expires September 30, 2014
MAP-21 policy reforms Consolidated or eliminated nearly 100 federal programs Provided states with increased spending flexibility Accelerated project delivery process Expanded state tolling authority and the TIFIA loan program to finance infrastructure projects Encourages states to develop freight plans that utilize innovative technologies and operational strategies Established a performance-based process: National performance measures, state and local targets Categories include highway and bridge condition, fatalities and serious injuries, traffic congestion, freight movement
Technology provisions ITS eligible for funding in all core highway and transit programs Transition to a performance-based system will require ITS to both measure, improve performance States and metro areas required to promote efficient system management and operations Creates a new Technology and Innovation Deployment program Funds connected vehicle program, other ITS research priorities
Looking ahead MAP-21 Implementation Establishment of performance measures, program consolidation, institute new freight policy, many other statutory requirements MAP-21 Reauthorization Good start, but more work needs to be done Must bring long-term financial stability to transportation program New House T&I Chairman Bill Shuster open to exploring all revenue options including mileage-based user fees, increased tolling ITS America s top-line policy priorities: Accelerate deployment of existing technology solutions Advance next generation transportation innovations Explore high-tech financing options Improve safety, mobility, competitiveness and the environment
Regulatory environment Expected U.S. DOT/NHTSA decision on Connected Vehicle deployment and path forward FCC seeking to open up the 5.9 GHz band to unlicensed users, potentially interfering with Connected Vehicle signals FCC Proposed Rulemaking expected Wednesday Distracted driving regulations International standards harmonization CAFE standards Continued push for new stimulus spending (now called Fix it First )
On the horizon Pay as you drive insurance Mileage-based user fees Integrated payment systems Real-time multimodal navigation and trip planning Connected and semi-autonomous vehicles Smart parking Open data for transit Smarter cities
2013 Annual Meeting 2014 World Congress Nashville, Tennessee April 21-24, 2013 Detroit, Michigan September 11-14, 2014 2013 World Congress Tokyo, Japan October 15-18, 2013