July 29, 2009

8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Embassy Suites DC Convetion Center

900 10th Street NW

Washington, DC 20011

Register HERE for this Forum

On July 29, 2009, at the Embassy Suites DC Convention Center, Washington, DC, The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP) hosts its Summer Forum on Enhancing Infrastructure Resilience through Planned Investment Strategies with a focus on the Transportation and Energy CI/KR Sectors. Resilience is more than a buzzword used to describe the strength of community. When considering the subject of infrastructure protection, we ignore many other crucial aspects of securing the nation and its critical infrastructure. Infrastructure resilience addresses the development and implementation of exercised measures and policies to reduce the disaster and devastation impacts of all types of hazards to manageable effects that can be quickly overcome. Investment strategies that take into consideration the reduction of risk, stabilization of the work force, improved efficiencies (such as improvements to the road and rail transportation system that result in faster cargo supply chains), redundancy, business continuity and quick recovery from a catastrophic event will realize significant returns to stakeholders and investors. Infrastructure operations, safety, maintenance, protection and resiliency are so closely intertwined in today’s world that they must all be part of any investment strategy if it is to be cost-effective and long-lasting.

Facilitating public and private sector discourse regarding investment strategies for infrastructure resilience is essential to the TISP mission to lead collaborative effort that advances the practice and policies of infrastructure security and resiliency. We will bring together decision makers, policy analysts, and experts in transportation and energy infrastructure resilience and planning. This forum is designed to encourage audience participation, with a morning discussion of cross-sector topics and with two afternoon breakout sessions (one for transportation and the other for energy sectors).

The issues and recommendations identified by the Forum will be documented and distributed via a summary report to of all participating organizations and an article published in the TISP e-Newsletter and shared with infrastructure resilience stakeholders.

Registration Rates

TISP Dues-paying Members: $75.00

Public Agency Rate: $75.00

TISP Partners (non-paying members): $100.00

Hotel Location and Directions

Embassy Suites DC Convention Center

900 10th Street NW

Washington, DC 20011

202-719-1423

Map and Directions

Register HERE for this Event.

For more information about TISP and this Forum, contact Mr. Bill Anderson, 703-549-3800 Ext 170. For assistance in registering for this Forum contact Carie Losinski, SAME Online Registration Specialist, at 703-549-3800, Ext. 154.

Image Courtesy: NHTSA, USDOT

The U.S. Department of Transportation today proposed a new, consumer-friendly replacement tire label which would include, for the first time, information about the tire’s impact on fuel economy and CO2 emission reductions. Tires with lower rolling resistance – and proper inflation pressure – can contribute to improved fuel economy (Click here to read the proposal.)

In addition to the new fuel efficiency ratings, the proposal by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also would provide consumers with two other key pieces of tire performance information – wet weather traction and tread wear. All three ratings would be prominently displayed on a removable label attached to the replacement tire at the point of sale.  NHTSA is required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to issue a final rule by December 2009.

The new, three-tiered ratings also will appear on safercar.gov to help consumers in compare ratings as they shop for new tires.

Making sure consumers know which tires are the best gas savers could take up to a 2% whack out of the 135 billion gallons of fuel the nation consumes every year, estimates the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The removable label would be affixed to the tire, but since many consumers never see replacement tires that go on their cars, it would be available online, as well.  NHTSA already has lots of tire information on its SaferCar.gov website.

One of the main trade organizations for the tire industry, the Rubber Manufacturers Association, hasn’t taken a stand yet on the proposed federal rule, but supports the idea in concept.

You can see from the sample that the new label would include–for the first time–information about the tire’s impact on fuel economy and CO2 emission reductions, wet weather traction and tread wear.

NHTSA’s proposal would let consumers look at a single label and compare a tire’s overall performance as it relates to fuel economy, safety and durability, which should be pretty useful for consumers looking to buy a tire.

USAToday reports that the simplified labels have the blessings of an environmental group that has followed the effort. “Armed with efficiency ratings, consumers can choose replacement tires that can cut the gasoline consumption of their current car, minivan, SUV or pickup and save money with fewer trips to the pump,” said Luke Tonachel, vehicle analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council in a blog note.

Since gas topped $4 a gallon last summer, more effort has gone into developing and marketing gas-saving tires. Goodyear says its new Assurance Fuel Max has 27% less rolling resistance than conventional tires. Michelin says its Energy Saver A/S is 8% more fuel efficient than other tires in its class.

While praising NHTSA for its efforts to push the new rating system, the Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in his blog “…proposal takes the guesswork out of buying the best tires for your vehicle.  Our proposal would let consumers look at a single label and compare a tire’s overall performance as it relates to fuel economy, safety and durability.”  He also noted that “while we’re talking tires, please remember that the best tires in the world will not keep drivers and passengers safe if they are underinflated or if vehicles are overloaded.”

For those interested in reading the proposal, click here.

Image Courtesy: joannapenabickley.typepad.com

Personally, I am a big fan of Google Transit and Google’s approach to making transit a bit more easy for the general public. Today (June 18) being the “Dump the Pump Day” sponsored by the American Public Transit Association, the good folks at Google Transit published a post on their LatLong blog outlining how Google can help you find the transit options in the cities you live.

Here is an excerpt from the blog post by Jessica Wei, Strategic Partner Development Manager, Google Transit: Now, you may wonder how you can plan a transit trip easily if you’re not familiar with your local agency. The answer is – go to Google Maps. So far more than 100 agencies in the United States have made their data available in Google Maps through Google Transit Partner Program. In addition, Los Angeles Metro, City of Edmonton, Houston Metro, and Calgary Transit have released their GTFS data feed to the public so that developers can create innovative transit applications to further promote the awareness of public transportation.Now go to Google Maps on your computer or your cell phone, plan a transit trip, and go catch a train or bus. I bet your won’t miss the congested highway or increasing gas price!”

The last statement in the blog post caught my curiosity leaping and promoted a search on the web (of course using Google)to find out the mobile applications.  Surprise, Surprise!  I found out that this past weekend Google introduced a new version of its glossyMaps application for Android phones.

Version 3.1.0 brings with it several new features, including voice search to go with its text search field and transit and walking directions to go with step-by-step driving directions. “Whether you’re searching for an address, a business, or nearby windsurfing sports, just speak your query and Google Maps will find it,” Google wrote on its mobile blog. “After your search, you’ll see a map of places. To help you decide where to go, we’ve improved our business listings to include content such as store hours, prices, ratings, and reviews.”  Urbanites must be thrilled with this new addition!

Image Courtesy: Google Mobile Blog

The new features were tested by the folks at CNET and they were clearly impressed – an outcome that we have come to expect out of most Google products these days.

Here is what they had to say about the Trip Planner tool:  The trip planner in particular worked extremely well for San Francisco. As with the online version, Google’s Transit works in 250 cities. Indeed, Google Maps quickly and accurately planned and timed my commute, providing options for other routes in the near past and future. To get directions with public transit, tap “Directions'” from the menu, select the middle icon, of a bus, and enter the end point, which can be an address or a business name.

You’re also able to set a specific departure time or arrival time and day. For city-dwellers, accurate walking and transportation directions are a necessity.   Rolled into the release is an experimental feature. Updates, which is connected to Google Latitude, lets you actively change your Latitude status for friends to see–so long as they’re also using the latest version of Maps.

The erasure of Street View as its own map mode is another change you’ll see. Instead, it has been integrated into any search result where the view is applicable. Pressing a point on the map will also bring up a Street View thumbnail if there’s an available image.”

With the growing popularity of transit,  spread of Google Transit in more cities around the globe, such cool new features would make transit a compelling option.  It is a good time to recall that quote by New York Governor David Patterson “Google Maps for Transit is a truly innovative marriage of information and infrastructure. It is a perfect example of how the public and private sectors can partner together to benefit us all — and it didn’t cost New York taxpayers a penny. I applaud my colleagues at the MTA and Port Authority for making this a priority, and our friends at Google for continuing to make the world an easier place to navigate.”

We gotta admit that it definitely got a lot more easier to navigate as of this past weekend!

(Source: Google, CNET)

The Federal Transit Administration’s Office of Mobility Innovation is holding a web conference on June 24, 2009 from 2:00-4:00pm to elicit discussion on the vision and direction for transit ITS research for the next five years and beyond.

Specifically, FTA seeks input and insights into a proposed set of goals and research areas. FTA is also interested in exploring new opportunities for research and development, technology transfer, and evaluation of next generation transit ITS technologies. The web conference is designed to present the results-to-date of the strategic planning effort and to invite discussion from the public. All feedback will be captured and incorporated into FTA’s ITS strategic planning effort. Using this input, the FTA’s Office of Mobility Innovation expects to be able to program a robust agenda for research and deployment assistance that reflects the current and future needs of the transit industry.

If interested in attending, please RSVP to:  Charlene.Wilder@dot.gov or   Robert.Marville@dot.gov.

Please note the connection instructions below on your calendar.  There will be no confirmation or reminder Emails sent in response to your RSVP.

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Instructions for Connecting to the Webinar:

Webinar Date:  June 24, 2009; 2:00 – 4:00 PM ET

First:  Connect to the web meeting at: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join/

Conference number: PW4373046

Audience passcode: STRATEGIC

Second:  Dial into the web meeting teleconference:

Toll Free Number: 888-677-1341

Participant passcode (verbal): STRATEGIC

Please connect to the webinar 15 – 20 minutes before the start time to facilitate the processing of attendees by the webinar operator.

Cut and paste links into your browser’s address bar if they do not open automatically.

IMPORTANT:  As of September 2008,  Live Meeting 2007 net conferencing software. You must download Live Meeting 2007 to join this Webinars. There is no upgrade from Live Meeting 2005 to the 2007 version.  Instructions are here:  http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/info_requirements.asp.  If link does not open automatically, cut and paste it into your browser’s address bar.

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(Source: Wall Street Journal, T4America@twitter)

Sec. LaHood proposes 18-month extension for SAFEAT-LU  and shortly thereafter Rep. Oberstar says delay is unacceptable (via T4America@Twitter & WSJ)

Image Courtesy: Apture - Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood

USDOT published a news release this afternoon offering Sec. Ray LaHood’s proposed extension:

“This morning, I went to Capitol Hill to brief members of Congress on the situation with the Highway Trust Fund. I am proposing an immediate 18-month highway reauthorization that will replenish the Highway Trust Fund. If this step is not taken the trust fund will run out of money as soon as late August and states will be in danger of losing the vital transportation funding they need and expect.

“As part of this, I am proposing that we enact critical reforms to help us make better investment decisions with cost-benefit analysis, focus on more investments in metropolitan areas and promote the concept of livability to more closely link home and work. The Administration opposes a gas tax increase during this challenging, recessionary period, which has hit consumers and businesses hard across our country.

“I recognize that there will be concerns raised about this approach. However, with the reality of our fiscal environment and the critical demand to address our infrastructure investments in a smarter, more focused approach, we should not rush legislation. We should work together on a full reauthorization that best meets the demands of the country. The first step is making sure that the Highway Trust Fund is solvent. The next step is addressing our transportation priorities over the long term.”

Shortwhile ago, WSJ published an article covering today’s development, which featured Secrtary’s proposal to delay the reauthorization.  This aricle also captured an interesting response from Rep. Oberstar, delivered his press conference Wednesday.  It notes that Rep. Oberstar was adamant that Congress must pass a new law before the current one expires.

“Extension of current law is unacceptable,” Mr. Oberstar said. “Now is the time to move.”

Bill in the Works at Congress (via WSJ)

House Democrats are busy crafting a transportation spending bill that would cost roughly $450 billion over six years, but no consensus has emerged on how to fund it, reports WSJ citing familiar sources.

The bill for the first time would establish standards — like reducing oil consumption and spurring economic growth — that would influence which highway and transit projects get federal funding. It would also consolidate to six or fewer the number of Transportation Department programs used to channel money to states, giving local officials more flexibility to combat their transportation challenges.

Image Courtesy: Apture

The legislation is being drafted by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D., Minn.), who plans to release a blueprint of his bill tomorrow at a press conference starting at 11:00AM.  Since this is the internet age, there will be a live webcast of the news conference (an invitation-only press conference). Transportation for America informs that Chairman Oberstar is releasing a 12-page paper and a 100-page outline of the bill and it’s likely that at least one of those — probably the shorter white paper — will be released the first press conference.

The current system relies heavily on taxes from gasoline and vehicle purchases. Revenue from these sources is dropping as Americans drive less and opt for more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. Meanwhile, states are encountering similar funding problems due to declines in tax revenue. The result is a growing gap between the nation’s infrastructure needs and what is being spent to maintain and upgrade it.

The Obama administration has opposed any gas-tax increase. The White House also opposes any quick transition to a new system, which has been tested in Oregon, where drivers are taxed based on the miles they drive rather than the number of gallons they pump into their gas tanks.

People familiar with the matter say Mr. Oberstar hasn’t come up with a funding solution, and the task of writing the bill’s funding component will fall to the Ways and Means Committee. Things may proceed even slower in the Senate. That makes it unlikely Congress will pass a new bill by the time the old one expires at the end of September.

Meanwhile, states may be forced to further curb their transportation spending if Congress doesn’t come up with more money soon. Last year, Congress opted to transfer $8 billion from the Treasury’s general fund into the Highway Trust Fund to prevent last-minute cutbacks.   Click here to read the entire article.

Grading the Transportation Bill (via T4America)

To help us all judge whether the bill delivers the promised transformation, Transportation for America has developed this scorecard (see below) laying out the changes that must be included to clear the bar. When the bill is released, we can begin using this as our measuring stick. Click here to download the PDF version of this awesome scorecard.

(Source: RAND & Progressive Railroading.com)

The U.S. freight transportation system’s long-term efficiency and effectiveness is “threatened” by capacity bottlenecks, inefficient use of some components of the freight infrastructure, interference with passenger transport, the system’s vulnerability to disruption, and the need to address important emission and energy constraints, according to a study recently released by RAND Corp.

Despite the global financial crisis, experts continue to estimate that there will be increased demand for freight transportation in the future, even as the capacity of the nation’s highways, port and railroads are nearing their limits in key urban areas and transportation corridors.  The annual average road delay in the United States for rush hour travelers increased from 14 hours per year in 1982 to 38 hours per year in 2005. And the Association of American Railroads predicts that by 2035, more than half of the national rail network will be operating near or above capacity, resulting in significant travel delays and limiting the ability to maintain tracks and equipment. This would limit the opportunity to increase rail’s share of freight, which could help tackle environmental concerns and road congestion.

Titled “Fast Forward: Key Issues in Modernizing the U.S. Freight Transportation System for Future Economic Growth,” the study was supported by the Dow Chemical Co., U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and Union Pacific Railroad.  The authors provide a broad overview of U.S. freight transportation, discuss its role in the supply chains of various types of businesses, and provide data about its capacity in relation to demand for goods movement. They conclude with a discussion of the need to modernize the freight-transportation system and the overarching issues this involves: increasing capacity through operational improvements and infrastructure enhancement, making the system more adaptable and less vulnerable to disruption, addressing the energy and environmental concerns associated with freight transportation, and building support for public and private investment in the system.

The report description on RAND’s website offers the following: Efficient movement of freight within the United States and across its borders is a critical enabler of future U.S. economic growth and competitiveness.

Freight transportation system delays and “uncertainty in the performance of the system” have meant higher prices for consumers and reduced productivity, according to the study.

RAND researchers determined there are four freight transportation and infrastructure issues that need to be addressed:

• increasing national and international freight system capacity through a combination of operational improvements and selected infrastructure enhancements;

• creation of an adaptable, less-vulnerable and more-resilient freight transportation system;

• critical energy and environmental issues associated with freight transportation; and

• the pursuit of public and private investments in supply-chain infrastructure, and sustainable funding priorities.

The study also recommends that “responsible” agencies conduct system-level modeling of the freight transportation system to determine where bottlenecks occur and to understand vulnerabilities, and shippers be encouraged to use alternative ports to reduce strain on the system.

Increasing the nation’s freight transportation capacity can be done by using a variety of strategies, not just through a massive program of adding new roads or rail lines. Suggested strategies include regulations, pricing, technology, improved operating practices and selective infrastructure investments. Examples of these improvements include adopting congestion pricing to promote more highway transportation during non-peak hours, encouraging more goods to be shipped by rail instead of truck and expanding some port operations to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To make the system more flexible and less vulnerable to disruption, the report recommends that responsible agencies conduct system-level modeling of the freight transportation system to determine where bottlenecks occur and to understand its vulnerabilities. Encourage shippers to use alternative ports, instead of relying on just the largest, also would reduce strain on the system.

Transportation accounts for 25 percent of the nation’s hydrocarbon fuel use; of that amount, about 25 percent is freight transportation. So while passenger vehicles are the primary energy users and emitters of pollution, the freight transportation industry also must consider environmental effects as it develops expansion plans. Methods to reduce pollution include increasing the operational efficiency of freight transportation (which also increases capacity) and such direct mitigation measures as cleaner fuel, better engines and more-aerodynamic vehicles.

Finally, the report suggests that a greater effort needs to be focused on developing sustainable priorities for public investment in the freight transportation system.

Click here to access the PDF version of the Full Report or the Executive Summary.

(Source:Autobloggreen & Wired)

Image Courtesy: Wired - Wired's Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson (L) talks with Tesla's Elon Musk (R)

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors, is no stranger to controversy and has proved it time and again.  Be it labelling a poor reporter “douchebag” or calling the Toyota Prius “not a true hybrid,” he has always had a way to get into controversies. Appearing at WIRED’s business conference, Disruptive by Design, in Manhattan yesterday and said the following while declaring that he’d like a chance to run Detroit:

It’s not out of the question to have unions, but if there’s going to be a union, they’d better understand that they’re on the same side as the company. I’m against having a two-class system where you’ve got the workers and then the managers, sort of like nobles and peasants […] Most of our experienced factory workers come from unionized environments, and we asked them what benefit did they see in unions. They said, ‘Well, if their boss was an asshole, they had recourse.’ “I said, ‘Let’s make a rule: There will be no assholes.’ I fired someone for being an asshole. And I only had to do that once, actually.

(Source: Guardian, Nigeria, John MAcilree’s weblog & Mysinchew.com)

Some 50 million jobs and US$3.6 trillion of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) will depend on aviation by 2026, according to a report from Oxford Economics.  The Oxford Economics report provides an in-depth look at the aviation industry’s contribution to global economic development and social prosperity, while considering what that really means for individual countries, regions, towns, families and species.

Image Courtesy: Michael Davis @ Flickr via Apture

The forecast was contained in the report on “Aviation: The Real World Wide Web” by Oxford Economics, a world leader in quantitative analysis and economic forecasting.  The 120 page report is offered along with four page summaries available in English, French, German and Spanish.

In a statement Monday, Oxford Economics highlighted that limiting aviation’s growth to one percent below the current trend would cost six million aviation related jobs and the industry’s GDP contribution by US$600 billion.

Among other things, the report finds that air transport directly employs over 5.5 million people and contributes $425 billion to global GDP, which is more than several members of the G20.”Close to 20 million jobs could be supported by the Asia Pacific region’s air transport sector in 20 years,” it said.

According to the report, aviation’s GDP contribution is around one and a half times the size of the pharmaceutical industry ($270 billion GDP) or the textile industry ($286 billion GDP) and a third bigger than the motor production industry ($322 billion GDP).  When combined with its supply chain and dependent industries, including its contribution to tourism, aviation supports over 33 million jobs and $1.5 trillion GDP. As a country this would rank aviation in eighth position, between Italy and Spain.  An estimated 35 per cent of all trade in manufactured goods travel by air. This is worth some $3.5 trillion.

Oxford Economics said while reduced growth in aviation would have considerably impact on global employment, economic output and social development but it would not necessarily imply lower emissions when the impact of replacement activities and alternative transport are taken into account.

“Aviation currently contributes two percent of worldwide man-made carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and will be no more than three percent by 2050,” it said.

The full report includes a number of case studies, as well as regional summarie,  from around the world about the impact of aviation.

The report acknowledges that aviation has an impact on the environment, but seeks to balance the debate about its future by highlighting the benefits it brings to so many people worldwide. The solution, says Oxford Economics, is policy that supports a sustainable balance between the positive contribution of aviation and the impact of future growth.

The report was commissioned by Airbus, with support from British Airways and EasyJet, but the results are independent and unbiased, says Adrian Cooper, managing director of Oxford Economics.”The conclusions and data in the report are a result of widely accepted economic modelling and Oxford Economics’ extensive knowledge of the aviation industry.

(Source: ABC News, FastLane Blog & YouTube)

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood made a post this morning on his FastLane blog that had a time stamp of 5:53AM.  Feels good to know that someone at the Secretary’s-level cares to let the citizens know about what he is doing through such blog posts, even if can squeeze a minute or two to press a blog at that ungodly hour of the day.   Thank you, Hon. Secretary LaHood for keeping us informed. 

 In his post he noted that later in the day, he will convene a summit with representatives from the major air carriers, their regional partners, aviation industry groups and labor on the topic: improving airline safety. “Every one of us who gathers here today has a responsibility to take the necessary steps to make flying safer. And, we will make sure that carriers and their regional partners are working together on all aspects of safety. Our goal is simple: We must inspire confidence in every traveler, every time he or she steps onto a commercial aircraft of any size, at any airport in the country. It’s an enormous responsibility; it’s our highest duty” ,observed the Secretary.

Along with the FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, he pulled together the FAA and industry leaders to produce an immediate “to do” list to assure the flying public that all our country’s carriers–including our regional carriers–are operating as safely as possible.  He stated the highest priority is protecting lives and to that end, the USDOT will act quickly to set effective industry standards on crew education, training and performance, professionalism, and flight discipline.

ABC News report from the Summit had the following: FAA administrator Randy Babbitt told airline companies today he expects them to do complete background checks on pilots before hiring them to fly passengers — including getting permission from pilots to access all of their training records. Airlines are allowed to do that today but it became clear in wake of the February plane crash in Buffalo, N.Y., that not all of them do.

“There’s a public perception out there, unfortunately, right now that pilots can repeatedly fail check rides and still keep their jobs,” Babbitt said. “We want the passengers in this country to have absolutely no doubt about the qualifications of the person or crew flying their airplane.”

“I want a recommendation today about asking Congress to expand the scope of the Pilot Records Improvement Act to give employers access to all of the records available in a pilot’s file,” Babbitt also said.

Though current law dictates that pilots must sign a release allowing potential employers access to their training records, the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday set new expectations and strongly recommended the airlines ask for access. Finding ways for airlines to voluntarily make flying safer was the focus of conversation as representatives from all corners of the airline business gathered at the FAA in Washington, D.C., with Babbitt and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

“We want to be innovative,” Dan Morgan, vice president of Colgan Air’s safety and regulatory compliance, said last week. “We’re part of an industry that’s highly regulated, but there’s nothing that says that we can’t try to do a few things that haven’t been done before.”

High on the agenda was crafting a manifesto by day’s end to reassure travelers that airlines are doing all they can to ensure pilots are beyond prepared to fly passengers to their destinations, and to help more senior pilots mentor those with less experience.

Click  here to read the entire summit report.