Subject: TRB Transportation Research E-Newsletter - November 14, 2006
Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 13:53:18 -0500
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TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH E-NEWSLETTER
Transportation Research Board
of The National Academies
11/14/2006
*****************************************

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS

***** TRB NEWS *****

* 2007 TRB 86th Annual Meeting: Transportation Institutions, Finance, and
Workforce Spotlighted Sessions

* TRB Web-Based Services Will Be Unavailable during the November 17th
Weekend
* 4th International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver
Assessment, Training, and Vehicle Design
* Water Resources and the Highway Environment: Impacts and Solutions

* RFP: Survey of Laws and Regulations of Commercial Ground Transportation –
Proposals Due December 1, 2006
* RFP: Theory and Law of Airport Revenue Diversion - Proposals Due December
1, 2006

***** RECENTLY RELEASED TRB PUBLICATIONS *****

* Guidebook for Evaluating, Selecting, and Implementing Suburban Transit
Services
* Completing the Forecast: Characterizing and Communicating Uncertainty for
Better Decisions Using Weather and Climate Forecasts
* Statistical Methods and Crash Prediction Modeling
* Validation of Performance-Related Test of Aggregates for Use in Hot-Mix
Asphalt Pavements: Appendixes A through F

***** FEDERAL RESEARCH NEWS *****

* Vehicle Backover Avoidance Technology Study
* FAA's Proposed Plan for Implementing a Reliability-Centered Maintenance
Process for Air Traffic Control Equipment
* Transportation Services Index: September 2006
* Highways for LIFE Brochure

***** UNIVERSITY RESEARCH NEWS *****

* Evaluation of Composite Pavement Unbonded Overlays: Phase III

***** INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH NEWS *****

* Research into Obstacle Detection at Level Crossings
* Daytime Running Lights (DRL): A Review of the Reports from the European
Commission
* Report on Workshop--Travel Time Use: Developing a Research Agenda

***** IN THE KNOW *****

* Impacts on U.S. Energy Expenditures of Increasing Renewable Energy Use
* Evaluating Driver Education Programs: Comprehensive Guidelines
* National Transportation Operations Coalition Newsletter: November 8, 2006

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TRB News
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2007 TRB 86TH ANNUAL MEETING: TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTIONS, FINANCE, AND
WORKFORCE SPOTLIGHTED SESSIONS
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6996

The TRB 86th Annual Meeting, January 21-25, 2007, in Washington, DC, will
include a series of spotlight sessions on “Transportation Institutions,
Finance, and Workforce–Meeting the Needs of the 21st Century.” Sessions
under this spotlight theme, which represent three of the nine TRB “Critical
Issues in Transportation,” will examine some of the most significant policy
issues facing transportation agencies today, the areas most in need of
innovation, and the latest innovations.

TRB WEB-BASED SERVICES WILL BE UNAVAILABLE DURING THE NOVEMBER 17TH WEEKEND
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6975

During the weekend of November 17th, the entire National Academies Internet
network and all computing resources will not be available. The system will
be shut down for infrastructure relocation beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time (EST) on Friday, November 17, 2006. The system is expected
to be back on-line on Monday, November 20, 2006, at 6:00 a.m. EST. During
this timeframe, all systems will non-operational.

4TH INTERNATIONAL DRIVING SYMPOSIUM ON HUMAN FACTORS IN DRIVER ASSESSMENT,
TRAINING, AND VEHICLE DESIGN
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6981

TRB is cosponsoring the 4th International Driving Symposium on Human
Factors in Driver Assessment, Training, and Vehicle Design on July 9-12,
2007, in Stevenson, Washington. The symposium will focus on providing an
interdisciplinary forum for scientific exchange among users of driving
assessment tools, applications, and technology. Attendees are expected to
include researchers and practitioners working on applications of driving
assessment from the perspective of engineering, psychology, medicine, and
public health. For additional information contact Richard Pain.

WATER RESOURCES AND THE HIGHWAY ENVIRONMENT: IMPACTS AND SOLUTIONS
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6951

TRB is sponsoring the Water Resources and the Highway Environment: Impacts
and Solutions symposium in June or July 2007, in a location yet to be
determined. The symposium will explore highway impacts on water resource
systems. Issues expected to be examined include stream stability,
restoration, fish and aquatic passage, aging culvert infrastructure, stream
mitigation, highway runoff, and hydrology. For additional information
contact Stephen Maher.

RFP: SURVEY OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF COMMERCIAL GROUND TRANSPORTATION –
Proposals Due December 1, 2006
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6986

TRBÂ’s Technical Activities Division, as part of its work with the Airport
Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), has issued a request for proposals to
synthesize available guidance, including regulations, statutes, policies,
and administrative or court case decisions pertaining to commercial ground
transportation.

RFP: THEORY AND LAW OF AIRPORT REVENUE DIVERSION – Proposals Due December
1, 2006
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6987

TRBÂ’s Technical Activities Division, as part of its work with the Airport
Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), has issued a request for proposals to
synthesize the available legal theory, statutes, policy guidance, analysis,
and case decisions pertaining to airport revenue diversions.

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Recently Released TRB Publications
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GUIDEBOOK FOR EVALUATING, SELECTING, AND IMPLEMENTING SUBURBAN TRANSIT
SERVICES
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6525

TRBÂ’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 116: Guidebook for
Evaluating, Selecting, and Implementing Suburban Transit Services examines
the current status of suburban transit services and land-use environments
and the relationship between the two. Types of suburban transit services
include commuter, route deviation, demand response, circulators, shuttles,
and vanpools. Also, the guidebook describes the emerging trends that
significantly influence the availability and operation of suburban transit
services.

COMPLETING THE FORECAST: CHARACTERIZING AND COMMUNICATING UNCERTAINTY FOR
BETTER DECISIONS USING WEATHER AND CLIMATE FORECASTS
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6530

The Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, part of the National
AcademiesÂ’ Division on Earth and Life Studies (DELS), has released a report
that examines how to improve the generation, communication, and potential
use of uncertainty information for hydrometeorological forecasts. DELS,
like TRB, is a division of the National Academies, which include the
National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of
Medicine, and National Research Council.

STATISTICAL METHODS AND CRASH PREDICTION MODELING
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6860

TRBÂ’s Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation
Research Board, No. 1950 contains 10 papers that cover topic such as using
decomposition in exposure, accident risk, and fatality risk; negative
binomial regression techniques; estimating crash modification factors of
signal installation; models of injury count by severity; effects of sample
size on goodness-of-fit statistic and confidence intervals of crash
prediction models; accident prediction models; using macrolevel collision
prediction models in road safety planning; and calibration of safety
prediction models for planning transportation networks. The TRR: Journal
also includes the draft prototype chapter for rural two-lane highways of
the "Highway Safety Manual."

VALIDATION OF PERFORMANCE-RELATED TEST OF AGGREGATES FOR USE IN HOT-MIX
ASPHALT PAVEMENTS: APPENDIXES A THROUGH F
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6913

TRBÂ’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Web-Only
Document 82: Validation of Performance-Related Test of Aggregates for Use
in Hot-Mix Asphalt Pavements contains the appendixces to NCHRP Report 557:
Aggregate Tests for Hot-Mix Asphalt Mixtures Used in Pavements. NCHRP 557
examines performance-based procedures to test aggregates for use in
pavements utilizing hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures and provides guidance on
using these procedures for evaluating and selecting aggregates for use in
specific mixture applications.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Research News
--------------------------------------------------------------

VEHICLE BACKOVER AVOIDANCE TECHNOLOGY STUDY
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=7001

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released a
report that examines motor vehicle backover crashes involving pedestrians.
The report also evaluates available technologies that might help to reduce
these types of crashes. The report was requested by the U.S. Congress.

FAA'S PROPOSED PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING A RELIABILITY-CENTERED MAINTENANCE
PROCESS FOR AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL EQUIPMENT
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6990

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released a letter report
addressed to the ranking members of the U.S. House and Senate
Transportation Appropriations Subcommittees that examines what reliability-
centered maintenance (RCM) is and where it is being used. The report also
explores the status of the Federal Aviation AdministrationÂ’s Air Traffic
Organization plan for developing and implementing an RCM process for
maintaining air traffic control equipment.

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES INDEX: SEPTEMBER 2006
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6988

The U.S. Research and Innovative Technology AdministrationÂ’s Bureau of
Transportation Statistics Transportation Services Index (TSI) rose 1.5
percent in September, the latest month available, to 110.3. The TSI is a
single seasonally adjusted index of the month-to-month changes in the
output of services provided by the for-hire transportation industries,
including railroad, air, truck, inland waterways, pipeline, and local
transit.

HIGHWAYS FOR LIFE BROCHURE
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6989

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has released a brochure that
describes its Highways for LIFE (HfL) pilot program. The HfL pilot program
is designed to help accelerate the rate of adoption of innovations and
technologies, with the goal of improving safety and highway quality, while
reducing congestion caused by construction.

--------------------------------------------------------------
University Research News
--------------------------------------------------------------

EVALUATION OF COMPOSITE PAVEMENT UNBONDED OVERLAYS: PHASE III
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6997

The Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State
University has released a report that explores the performance of thin
whitetopping with a focus on the interaction between variables such as
surface preparation, overlay thickness, synthetic fiber reinforcement
usage, joint spacing, and joint sealing.

--------------------------------------------------------------
International Research News
--------------------------------------------------------------

RESEARCH INTO OBSTACLE DETECTION AT LEVEL CROSSINGS
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6999

The U.K. Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has released a report that
examines technical, logistical, cost, and safety issues associated with
installing obstacle detectors at level crossings in Great Britain.

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL): A REVIEW OF THE REPORTS FROM THE EUROPEAN
COMMISSION
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6993

The U.K. Department for Transport has released a report by the Transport
Research Laboratory that examines previously published results of research
into the effectiveness, costs, and benefits of introducing daytime running
lights across Europe.

REPORT ON WORKSHOP--TRAVEL TIME USE: DEVELOPING A RESEARCH AGENDA
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6994

The U.K. Department for Transport has released a report that summarizes the
findings of a September 22, 2005, workshop that explored areas of limited
understanding, misunderstanding and differences of opinion concerning
travel time use, the valuation of travel time (savings), and the
forecasting of future travel levels and patterns.

--------------------------------------------------------------
In The Know
--------------------------------------------------------------

IMPACTS ON U.S. ENERGY EXPENDITURES OF INCREASING RENEWABLE ENERGY USE
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6998

The RAND Corporation has released a report that examines whether it would
be feasible for the United States to produce 25 percent of its electricity
and motor vehicle fuels needs from renewable resources by 2025--also known
as the 25x'25 goal. The report explores technological and economic factors
that would affect the costs of renewable energy as well as non-renewable
fossil fuels.

EVALUATING DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMS: COMPREHENSIVE GUIDELINES
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6991

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has released a report that provides
background for planning and conducting evaluation of beginner driver
education, and for integrating evaluations into program development and
policy. The report explores a range of evaluations and is written primarily
for program evaluators, researchers, and other technical audiences. Actual
tools, such as surveys, focus group guides, and log books that can be used
or adapted for evaluating beginner driver education programs, are included
in the publication.

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS COALITION NEWSLETTER: NOVEMBER 8, 2006
-> http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=6985

The National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC) has released the
latest issue of its semi-monthly newsletter that highlights available
information and resources designed to help improve management and operation
of the nation's existing transportation system. NTOC is an informal
alliance of organizations that are stakeholders in operations, planning,
and public safety. Organizations involved in NTOC include the U.S. Federal
Highway Administration, the U.S. Federal Transit Administration, the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the
American Public Transportation Association, and TRB.

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RECENTLY ADDED PROJECTS TO THE RESEARCH IN PROGRESS DATABASE

The Research In Progress (RiP) Database contains over 8,500 records of
current or recently completed transportation research projects.
-> http://rip.trb.org/browse/additions.asp?days=7
=============================================================

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Newsletter may be sent to Russell Houston, Senior Program Officer,
Communications, Transportation Research Board at rhouston@nas.edu.

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is a division of the National
Academies, which include the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy
of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. The
mission of TRB is to promote innovation and progress in transportation
through research. In an objective and interdisciplinary setting, the Board
facilitates the sharing of information on transportation practice and
policy by researchers and practitioners; stimulates research and offers
research management services that promote technical excellence; provides
expert advice on transportation policy and programs; and disseminates
research results broadly and encourages their implementation.

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The nation turns to the National Academies - National Academy of Sciences,
National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National
Research Council - for independent, objective advice on issues that affect
people's lives worldwide.
-> http://www.national-academies.org

The TRB Transportation Research E-Newsletter regularly covers
transportation research developments in the United States and abroad. All
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Council or of the National Academies. The opinions expressed in reports
highlighted in TRB's Transportation Research E-Newsletter are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Transportation
Research Board.

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