ITS America—s 2013 Annual Meeting to begin national discussion on next-generation transportation solutions

NASHVILLE, TENN. — Nearly 2,000 of the nation’s top transportation officials and high-tech leaders will gather alongside policymakers at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s (ITS America) 23rd Annual Meeting & Exposition being held from April 21 – 24, 2012 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Leaders will explore solutions for easing traffic congestion, financing the nation’s transportation system, and advancing life-saving vehicle technologies through exhibits and panel discussions featuring national, regional and local transportation officials and innovation leaders.

The latest intelligent transportation system (ITS) innovations being developed and implemented across the United States will be showcased at the meeting — solutions such as Connected Vehicle technology, adaptive traffic signals, advanced traffic and incident management systems, electronic tolling and pricing systems, smart mobility apps, and real-time traffic, transit, navigation and parking information.

This year’s Annual Meeting and Exposition will also feature more public sector participation. As governments at all levels are always being asked to do more with less, leading transportation professionals from public agencies, private industry and academia will explore new ideas on how ITS can make the nation’s roads and public transit systems more efficient and cost-effective, while providing commuters and highway users with more convenient, modern travel options.

The Annual Meeting will kick-off with a State DOT Roundtable featuring 20 State DOT CEOs from across the country who will share strategies and opportunities for making better use of ITS technologies to finance, manage and modernize their transportation network.

The Annual Meeting will highlight transportation leaders and innovators including:
• Polly Trottenberg, Under Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Victor Mendez, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration
• David Strickland, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Bill Bronrott, Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• Greg Winfree, Deputy Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology Administration
• Ken Leonard, Director, ITS Joint Program Office
• Marsha Blackburn, Vice Chairman, House Energy and Commerce Committee (R-Tenn.)
• Karl Dean, Mayor, City of Nashville
• Tom Taylor, Vice President of Advanced Strategy, Hughes Telematics, A Verizon Co.
• Dan Ferrick, CEO, Agero
• Kamyar Moinzadeh, President and CEO, Airbiquity
• Dennis Beal, Vice President of Global Vehicles, FedEx Express
• Dan Pallme, Director, Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute, University of Memphis
• Thom Mason, Laboratory Director, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

This year’s program will feature:

State DOT Roundtable — More than 20 state DOT CEO’s from around the country will discuss ITS deployment after MAP-21 and share best practices and discuss strategies for making better use of intelligent transportation systems to finance, manage and modernize their transportation systems.

Future of Telematics — The opening plenary will feature a panel of senior executives from three of the world’s largest telematics companies — Agero, Airbiquity, and Hughes Telematics (A Verizon Company) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator David Strickland — who will discuss the future of vehicle telematics and auto safety.

U.S. DOT Programs Update — Senior officials from U.S. DOT’s Office of Transportation Policy, Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Research and Innovative Technology Administration will present the latest developments in federal highway, transit and safety programs, including the ITS Strategic Plan and what lies ahead for 2013 and beyond.

Movement of People and Goods — The closing plenary will feature top research and business leaders from FedEx, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Intelligent Imaging Systems and the University of Memphis as they share their views on how intelligent transportation systems can keep freight moving on our already congested roadways.

Legislative Breakfast and Town Halls — Attendees will have a unique opportunity to hear from and provide input to policymakers who have jurisdiction over transportation and technology legislation, participate in town hall meetings with issue experts on transportation financing and connected vehicles, and attend a special mileage-based user fee symposium.

Training — State, city and county transportation professionals can register for training courses on numerous ITS-related subjects. The training sessions are hosted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Sessions — 28 special forums on safety, sustainability, transportation management, commercial vehicles and freight among other issues.

Additionally, a 70,000-square-foot exhibit hall provides a close-up look at the technologies that are changing transportation across the nation.