Transportation leaders to address nation’s future mobility

WASHINGTON (April 16, 2007) — Eight national organizations are joining in an effort to create a new national “vision” for transportation to maintain America’s place in the world economy and way of life.

On May 21-23, some 150 representatives of both public and private sector transportation and industry organizations have been invited to convene at a national conference to lay a common framework on which this new transportation vision can be based.

Joining in this initiative are the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO); AAA; American Council of Engineering Companies; American Public Transportation Association; American Road and Transportation Builders Association; American Trucking Associations; Associated General Contractors; and Association of American Railroads.

To lay the groundwork for the deliberations, nine working groups have been convened to produce recommendations on specific subject areas. A summary of those recommendations will be the starting point for the industry-wide conference May 21-23, at the Hyatt Conference Center in Cambridge, Md.

Topic areas to be considered during the conference include:

• The Big Picture. International competitiveness, and the role of shippers, railroads, trucking, distribution centers, ports and airports in meeting national needs

• Highway System Preservation, Performance and Capacity. What the national highway system of the future will require to meet national needs; including a specific focus on long-distance travel, travel and tourism, and rural needs

• Advanced Technologies and Transportation. How ITS technologies, advanced materials, and innovation can better meet transportation needs

• Transit, and Intercity Passenger Bus. A vision of how these systems can better meet needs for the future.

• Metropolitan Mobility and Congestion. How to improve system capacity, performance, reliability, and better manage demand in urban areas

• Freight and Passenger Rail. How improved rail service can help meet future needs for moving people and freight

• Sustainable Transportation - Energy, Climate Change, Land Use, Community Quality of Life and Environment. This group will address a series of issues that are inseparable from meeting the Nation’s future transportation needs

• Safety. Behavioral as well as vehicle and roadway safety, and 

• Funding. Estimates of what will be required to meet future highway, transit and rail system needs; Revenue options near-term and long-term; and the roles of the federal government, state and local governments and the private sector in funding what is needed.

During the three-day conference, participants will hear from futurist Glen Hiemstra and global transportation expert Michael Gallis.

Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has been invited to address the gathering. Oberstar was one of the authors of the federal reauthorization legislation that created the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission that is expected to report to Congress in December.

“Many of our organizations are framing our own concepts about the future of America’s transportation system. While it will be a challenge for us all to ‘check our acronym at the door,’ by coming together across modes and states and industries we can pool our best ideas to put together a fresh and creative approach to what is an essential part of America’s future,” said John Horsley, AASHTO executive director. “These concepts can move forward to the study commission and to Congress.”

An advanced electronic polling process will be used to assess participants' buy-in on suggested principles and concepts, in order to build a consensus proposal.

For further information on the conference, visit http://www.transportation.org/.

— The Trucker News Services