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ISSUE 19, DECEMBER 2001
ITS CANADA IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
8th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems
By most measures the 8th World Congress, held from September 30 to October 4, 2001, was a great success, although the tragic events of September 11 had an impact on attendance: 3,800 people participated, compared with a reported attendance of 7,300 at the 7th World Congress held in October 2000 in Italy. Total paying delegates numbered about 2,033, compared to 3,300 in Italy. Participation by country included 32 delegates from Canada, 123 from the United States, 56 from the United Kingdom, 616 from Japan, 67 from Sweden, 75 from Germany, 55 from France, 64 from Malaysia, 45 from South Korea and 44 from China, as well as 486 Australian delegates. For a complete list of attendees by country, access the Library at www.its-australia.com.au, then ITS Australia Favourite Downloads.
From an ITS Canada point of view, it was important to attend the World Congress to demonstrate support for this event, as it is truly the only event that brings together the international ITS community to share ideas and new developments. Canada has developed a very good image and reputation internationally, which will serve us very well as our members go forth to sell their products and services worldwide. This has benefits for the entire country as it leads to economic opportunities for all.
One of the main objectives of ITS Canada at the Congress was to improve Canada's presence on the exhibition floor with a polished image and good location. This approach ensured that Canadian companies who were exhibiting were well presented, and was achieved by purchasing more floor space and developing a consistent Canadian theme supported by excellent graphics.
The exhibition covered three halls of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, with more than 170 exhibitors participating.
The ITS Canada booth projected an integrated Canadian image, with participation by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and private sector members, including Applanix, Delcan, EIS, Fortran, IBI, INO, IRD, Lockheed Martin, McCormick Rankin, and Novax. The booth attracted considerable interest from exhibition visitors.
During the World Congress, a successful Canadian reception was co-hosted by ITS Canada, Transport Canada and MTO. This social event is developing its own reputation as a must for the "who's who" at the ITS World Congress. It was another example of the fine reputation that Canada enjoys in the international ITS community. Many new contacts were made and old ones reinforced. A token of appreciation was presented by Chairman Joseph Lam to ITS Australia for the excellent job they did in hosting the 8th World Congress on ITS.
At the 8th World Congress
(L–R) John Mundy – Canadian High Commission, Colin Rayman – Vice Chair of ITS Canada, Charles Casuscelli – Australian Roads and Traffic Authority, Flett Steele – South Australian Department of Transport, Ken Ogden – RACV Australia, Colin Jensen – Queensland Department of Main Roads, Joseph Lam – Chair of ITS Canada, and Lauchlan McIntosh, Chair of ITS Australia.
Attendees' Comments
Joseph Lam of Delcan, ITS Canada's Chairman, felt that ITS Australia chose a good spot for the event. "The venue was great at Darling Harbour, and the weather was perfect," said Joe. "The Canadian booth was in a strategic location and was clearly visible. ITS Canada was well received, and there is no doubt that participation in the event will generate contracts for the participants." Joe also felt that the design of the exhibition booths is improving with every exhibition, providing opportunities to connect with national and international guests to strengthen Canada's links with ITS colleagues throughout the world.
Gene Smallwood of McCormick Rankin indicated that their organization shared booth space with a subsidiary in Brisbane, and attracted quite a few Australian and New Zealand government clients, resulting in three potential projects. "The people were very friendly, and the location was great, with a casual atmosphere," said Gene. "The Australians made every effort to do it right."
Peter Ragsdale of Fortran, who worked tirelessly to put the Canadian booth together, was particularly pleased with the outcome. "One of our goals was to promote Fortran's new Fastracs system on the world market, and for our product to be seen as an international player, not just as a Canadian system," said Peter. Fastracs is an advanced transportation management system used for traffic signal control.
Fortran has concentrated on trade shows as its primary marketing in 2001, instead of using magazine ads. "This approach is seen as being more personal," Peter indicated. "Getting out in front of people to demonstrate a product allows us to get feedback directly from potential customers and to provide direction to product development to increase its appeal to potential customers."
Although Peter felt that exhibit hall attendance was not as high as expected based on the numbers of participants at the World Congress, Fortran achieved their goal of attracting off-shore contacts. "There is power from having multiple companies in one location," added Peter, "but there would be more benefit if we could demonstrate integrated products from a Canadian point of view."
Robert Bruce was at the conference as EIS's representative. "EIS attended in order to further develop relationships with Australia as well as other customers around the world," said Robert. "Although the show lacked the attendance that we have seen at other Congresses, some quality contacts were made that generated important leads. The show met EIS's expectations in producing these contacts. Looking forward, we believe that the show in Chicago will also be an important event for promoting our company."
Robert McCuaig of Applanix also attended the 8th World Congress on ITS as part of the Canadian contingent, with a goal of introducing its system to the world. Applanix develops, manufactures, sells and supports integrated inertial/GPS products. Applanix was able to network with contacts at the event. "We were pleased to be able to introduce our technology to three international companies that gather data for in-car navigation systems," Robert added. "We also met a number of manufacturers of mobile mapping systems. The networking within the ITS Canada booth provided the ideal opportunity to work with the growing ITS professional community in Canada. See you in Chicago!"
Terry Bergan of International Road Dynamics felt that attending the Word Congress was a very positive experience. "IRD is an exporter. Our strongest market is in the U.S., but our greatest growth potential is offshore. As a Canadian company, we have demonstrated that we can be competitive world wide," said Terry, who felt that the World Congress was a tremendous opportunity to connect with international customers. "We were able to share booth costs to have a larger presentation than IRD could have done alone. We were very pleased with the prominence, design and organization of the booth, as well as working with colleagues at ITS Canada who shared ideas and contacts. In many cases, we were able to find opportunities for one another. All in all, a great success!"
 
ITS Canada's Booth at the 8th World Congress in Sydney, Australia
THE SYDNEY WORLD CONGRESS
A Personal Note from William Johnson of ITS Canada
Here's a brief report on the 8th World Congress on ITS in Sydney. This is a very personal account so you will have to take it with a grain of salt!
It was a great Congress, reminiscent of the 6th World Congress in Toronto. It scored high on many of the same factors that made Toronto such a success – the same excellent convention facilities, very good organization, (most) hotels reasonably close, an exciting exhibition and multi-culturalism galore! On one factor, the event did outshine Toronto – the Darling Harbour site is gorgeous and it even rivals False Creek in Vancouver! The turnout was less than Toronto, not unexpected given the threats to international travel caused by recent events.
The conference program was excellent. The Australians did a good job of kicking off the Congress with an opening show with lots of local colour – bushies, billabongs and didgeridoos! The opening plenary was suitably solemn with greetings from the Prime Minister via the Minister of Science and Technology.
I moderated the Executive Session on social, legal and institutional issues. All my speakers or their alternates showed up and made useful contributions. Thanks to Transport Canada for the help with the polling questions. I got a big splash in the souvenir video shown at the closing session.
The ITS Canada booth was outstanding and a step up from previous congresses. The organizers of the booth have to be congratulated. It is wonderful what lots of time and talent can produce! There were 13 participants in the booth and very good synergy. As one of the participants, I was listed in the Exhibitor Guide Book – my claim to world wide fame!
There was so much going on at the same time – the Executive Sessions, the Panel Sessions, the Technical Sessions, the technical tours, the exhibition and just plain networking. It was difficult to keep up with everything.
There were also some really great social occasions – dinner Saturday night with European and U.S. colleagues (Chinese restaurant), VIP dinner Monday evening (at the zoo, after dark, just past the kangaroo pen!), the Canada reception Tuesday evening (great turnout, very successful), the Congress dinner Wednesday evening at the harbour's edge (sumptuous multi-ethnic menu) and a freebee reception Thursday evening before dinner with all the Canadians. Quite a week – a great congress!
Sincerely,
William Johnson
ITS CANADA IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Building ITS Awareness through World Congresses
Jemay Zheng and Chris Harris of Translink in Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as Bruce Zvaniga of the City of Toronto, were each awarded a scholarship from ITS Canada designed to encourage participation and build awareness of global ITS developments among public-sector members. Jemay and Chris provided their views:
Post-Congress Summary Report
By Jemay Zheng
"I am so grateful for the opportunity granted through the ITS Canada scholarship to attend the 8th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in Sydney, Australia. The conference was very informative and provocative.
My first impression about the conference was the significant number of transportation professionals that are committed to work on ITS. As the leading global industry of the next generation, ITS is attracting great attention of many countries around the world. Other than North American and European countries, some Asian countries like Japan and China are also involved in a wide range of undertakings, participating in many projects and making greater efforts to make an ITS-based society a reality in the near future. In line with this, Japan seems to play an important role as a developer and supplier of high technologies, while China seems to be a great market for implementing ITS, particularly with the upcoming Olympic Games in 2008. No doubt ITS not only ensures safe and comfortable road traffic, but will also enrich the culture of the 21st century by enabling the dissemination and sharing of information and technology.
My second impression about the conference was the various ITS-related topics covered by this conference. There were over 550 technical and scientific papers presented by authors from around the world, which covered eight areas, including advanced traveller information systems, advanced traffic management systems, advanced in-vehicle technologies, freight and fleet management systems, advanced public transport systems, emergency management systems, electronic payment systems, and advanced safety systems. I could see that throughout the conference, ITS in its various forms has the potential to deliver significant benefits to the community and the economies of the world in terms of improved operational efficiency and reliability, reduced infrastructure costs, reduced environmental impacts and improved user safety.
My third impression about the conference was the well-displayed Industry Exhibition. The exhibit was an excellent showcase for the design, development and manufacture of communication and transport technologies, which focused on new developments in the areas of safety, efficiency and the environment in intelligent transport. I noticed that the conference daily program had been structured to maximize the opportunity for us to visit the exhibition. In fact, I spent an entire day talking with a number of suppliers of ITS products and components, public transport operators, traffic management providers, developers of intelligent transport systems and communication and wireless technology specialists. I feel I learned a lot by talking with these people.
Also, I enjoyed the opportunity of working at the ITS Canada booth. This allowed me not only to show my sincere appreciation for the scholarship, but also to gain a significant amount of knowledge about ITS Canada. As a partnership of private firms, public agencies and academic institutions, ITS Canada is dedicated to advancing the collective interests of its members from across various disciplines relating to ITS technologies in Canada, and to promote international exchanges with other leading economies around the world. By answering the technical questions inquired by visitors, I grew in my understanding of ITS Canada's role, mission and objectives.
Again, thank you for the ITS Canada scholarship enabling me to attend the 8th World Congress on ITS. I feel this opportunity has not only benefited my career development, but also my colleagues as well through the distribution of the conference summary papers and related information."
Post-ITS Congress Summary Report
By Chris Harris
"I wish to take this opportunity to thank ITS Canada for providing a scholarship to allow me to attend the 8th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems in Sydney, Australia, earlier this fall. This conference presented me with a unique opportunity to learn more about intelligent transportation systems and technologies generally, as well as view a number of these technologies from the perspective of a data privacy specialist. My two areas of primary focus at the Congress related to smart cards and electronic tolling. I examined these technologies with a view to assessing options for their implementation in a privacy-sensitive manner. In all, I attended both plenaries, went on two technical tours (Integrated Public Transport Ticketing and Electronic Tolling in Action), and attended seven sessions. These sessions consisted of four Special Sessions, two Technical/Scientific Sessions and one Executive Session. At least two of those sessions dealt with "privacy" issues in a manner that I found very helpful.
Although I was on a "steep learning curve" during this period, I derived much value from the Congress relevant to my role as TransLink's Manager of Information and Privacy. Based on discussions, both within the sessions and with other delegates later, I determined that there are, indeed, privacy-sensitive ways to approach smart card development and the use of e-tolling technologies as mechanisms for more efficient transport of people and goods. One of the comments made by at least two other delegates who had "trod this way before" was that privacy safeguards must be considered at a very early stage of project development – and worked into the process – rather than dealt with as an afterthought.
My technical tours were also very valuable. The Integrated Public Transport Ticketing tour provided much insight into how Sydney, Australia, is progressing with development of an interoperable smart card system. The individual leading that tour was very responsive to questions regarding Sydney's approach to various issues surrounding privacy protection as they relate to this new smart card system.
The Electronic Tolling tour was even more interesting inasmuch as those of us on the tour were taken to the control centres of both a major local e-toll roadway and the Harbour Bridge. At the Harbour Bridge, we were taken outside and given a firsthand view of the cameras and sensors in action.
Finally, as a result of attending the conference, I met a number of individuals from Queensland Motorways who operate the e-tolling systems at the Gateway Bridge and Logan Motorway in Brisbane, Australia. As a result of our discussions at the conference, I subsequently visited their operation at the Gateway Bridge and had an opportunity to see their system in operation and ask a variety of questions. I was particularly intrigued with how Queensland Motorways had incorporated a pro-active privacy approach into that system at the outset.
Any good conference is not all work, however, with this one being no exception. The reception, hosted jointly by Transport Canada and ITS Canada at Customs House, was a delightful affair that allowed valuable opportunities to meet other Canadians in the ITS field. Also, the Conference dinner held the following night was an outstanding event with food of unsurpassed quality. Finally, our ITS Canada dinner at the Chinese Restaurant was a delightful wrap-up to an outstanding conference. As you are undoubtedly aware, TransLink is currently assessing a number of ITS applications, such as electronic tolling and smart cards, for future use. I believe that my experience at this Congress, as well as the contacts I have made, will ultimately assist TransLink as we move forward to analyze future ITS options.
Finally, please allow me to say again how valuable I found attending this Congress – both professionally and personally. I very much appreciate ITS Canada's subsidization in relation to my attendance, which would not have occurred otherwise."
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO TESTBED GRAND OPENING
 The grand opening of the ITS Centre and Testbed marks the beginning of an innovative new research initiative in Intelligent Transportation Systems at the University of Toronto Civil Engineering Department. The investment that is being made in this facility will not only allow researchers to develop improved methods of traffic systems analysis to relieve congestion and control traffic flow, it will also prove to be an invaluable training ground for talented new transportation engineering students.
The grand opening event demonstrated the joint contributions made by the provincial and federal governments, the University of Toronto, and a number of private sector organizations, each of whom were represented at the event. Participants included:
- The Honourable Jim Wilson, Minister of Energy, Science and Technology
- The Honourable Marie-Paule Poulin, Federal Senator
- Professor Robert Birgeneau, President, University of Toronto
- Professor Heather Munroe-Blum, VP – Research & International, U of T
- Mr. Joseph Lam, Chairman of the Board, ITS Canada
- Dean Tas Venetsanopoulos, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering
- Professor Baher Abdulhai, Director ITS Centre.
For further information and to view photographs of the event as well as the article published in the Toronto Star, please visit the U of T website at www.civ.utoronto.ca/its and, in the left-hand column under ITS Research, click on The Grand Opening.
CAATS 7TH ANNUAL MEETING
In light of recent attacks on America, the California Alliance for Advanced Transportation Systems (CAATS) added "transportation security" topics to the agenda for its 7th Annual Meeting, which was held in San Francisco on November 26 to 28, 2001. The meeting, "California: 2001 A State Odyssey", brought together transportation professionals and technology specialists from around the world at the Cathedral Hill Hotel. Cutting-edge issues of ITS were discussed through presentations and breakout discussion groups. A part of the focus of this meeting was on the economics and marketing of ITS products and services in the U.S. and abroad. Topics included:
- Transportation Security Applications in a New Era
- Traveller Services
- Success Stories
- Communications Network Design and Integration
- Mobility Options
- Wireless Applications and Their Value to ITS
- Advances in Transportation Safety
- Exploring Foreign Markets
- Camera Technology and Applications
- The State of ITS in California
- Commercializing ITS
- Transportation Asset Management.
For more information, see www.caats.org.
Robert Bruce of EIS attended the CAATS 7th Annual Meeting
ITS: TOWARD A WINNING STRATEGY FOR QUEBEC
A Successful ITS Colloquium in Montreal – November 19, 2001
By William Johnson, Secretary, ITS Canada
 ITS Canada is pleased to have sponsored the ITS Colloquium organized and hosted by the Association québécoise du transport et des routes (AQTR) which took place in Montreal on November 19, 2001. On behalf of the chairman of ITS Canada, William Johnson, Director and Secretary ITS Canada, spoke in the opening session along with Michael De Santis, President of AQTR, and Jean Couture, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transport of Quebec.
The aim of the Colloquium was to highlight domestic and international ITS developments that could help to influence the future shape of ITS policies and programs in Quebec and Canada. This was accomplished in part by grouping the presentations under a number of themes including public transit, freight transport, traveller information and communication standards, driver assistance systems, and systems integration and partnerships. The speakers and the topics of their presentations were selected for their relevance to current and emerging ITS issues. For example, in the public transit themes, one emerging issue is what ITS standards to adopt. The Colloquium presented two perspectives on this issue: one from the U.S. by Paula Okunieff who spoke about the TCIP standard and one from Europe by Kasia Bourée who spoke about Transmodel, a European development. To balance the picture and add immediacy and relevance, Julie Cormier of the STRSM (Montreal South Shore Transit Agency) described the current ITS implementations in their transit agency.
The speakers on freight transport focussed on the interface between public regulatory requirements and private commercial vehicle operations. Joe Crabtree of the University of Kentucky described the current status of the North American Preclearance and Safety System (NORPASS) and Milt Schmidt of the U.S. FHWA described the Commercial Vehicle Information System Network (CVISN). In the theme focussed on partnerships, the multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional issues inherent in ITS implementations were examined. Gus Preschle from the Port Authority of New York spoke about their ambitious program to develop a multi-use smart card for transit users to use throughout the New York region. With a local perspective, Jean Meyssonnier of the Agence métropolitaine de transport based in Montreal described their activities to develop smart cards for transit users.
The delegates were fortunate to hear from the Honourable Guy Chevrette, Minister of Transport of Quebec, who gave the luncheon address. He confirmed in his remarks that the Quebec Government is committed to support the introduction of advanced technologies where they offer clear benefits in terms of system safety, efficiency and international competitiveness.
There were 150 delegates registered at the Colloquium, with sixteen speakers during a very full day from 8:15 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. At the end of this long but very complete day, a reception was held in the exhibit area where delegates could network and get caught up on the latest ITS technologies on offer.
For further information on the AQTR Colloquium, the speakers and their presentations, visit the AQTR website at www.aqtr.qc.ca where the presentations are posted.
WHO'S WHO AT TRANSPORT CANADA'S ITS OFFICE
 The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Office of the Surface Transportation Policy branch at Transport Canada leads the planning, development, and implementation of a comprehensive policy framework in support of the ITS Plan for Canada.
Mr. Brian Plant has been Acting Director at the ITS Office since Ms. Helena Borges' departure as Director of the ITS Office. Ms. Borges has moved into the position of Rail Director, Surface Transportation Policy, at Transport Canada. We at ITS Canada wish her well in her new role. Brian can be reached at (613) 991-6453 or plantb@tc.gc.ca.
Other members of the ITS office team include:
- Ms. Melody Miller, Management Services Officer – the newest recruit in the ITS Office – (613) 998-9834 or millmel@tc.gc.ca
- Ms. Theresa Spadaccini, Project Funding Officer – (613) 991-6441 or spadact@tc.gc.ca
- Ms. Nicole Galvin, Economic Officer – (613) 990-4321 or galvinn@tc.gc.ca
- Ms. Carrie Kritsch, Administrative Assistant – (613) 993-8073 or kritscc@tc.gc.ca
- Ms. Linda Savoie, Urban Transportation Showcase program – (613) 990-1377 or savoiel@tc.gc.ca
The Deployment and Integration Plan is administered by Theresa with Melody's assistance.
URBAN TRANSPORTATION SHOWCASE PROGRAM
By Mary Taylor, Senior Advisor, Port Corporations, Port Corporations and Port Property – AHPA, Transport Canada
Transport Canada launched the Urban Transportation Showcase Program in June 2001 at the Annual Smog Summit in Toronto. The Urban Transportation Showcase Program (UTSP) is a key component of the Government of Canada Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change and was developed in consultation with provincial, territorial, municipal and other partners. The 1999 Transportation Climate Change Table Report identified a need for Canada to develop better planning and practices for transportation and land use, and thus the program has been designed to respond to this need.
Thirty five million dollars of the $40 million program is being directed to fund community showcases that demonstrate, evaluate and measure ways of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation. Another $1.5 million has been set aside to establish a comprehensive and pro-active national network for the dissemination of information on successful GHG reduction strategies for sustainable urban transportation.
Showcases can include and combine measures such as improving transportation services; small-scale infrastructure investments; transportation demand management initiatives; land use strategies; pricing strategies; and advanced technologies that address a range of urban transportation challenges including greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, congestion, safety, and increases in operational costs.
Public outreach as well as impact analysis and measurement of the results are important components of the program, and showcase municipalities will provide regular reports on the implementation and results of the showcases.
Program contributions will cover one-third of eligible showcase costs to a maximum of $10 million per showcase. Applicants and their partners are responsible for the remaining two-thirds.
A two-stage national competition is in progress to select the showcases to be funded under the program. The closing date for Expressions of Interest was October 31, 2001, and Transport Canada is pleased to have received 48 proposals from across the country. An independent Selection Committee will review those Expressions of Interest, and the Minister is expected to announce a short-list of 10 to 15 applicants in early 2002.
These finalists will be invited to develop detailed showcase proposals. Each of these 10 to 15 applicants will receive up to $30,000 toward the development of their proposal. Technical advice may also be arranged by Transport Canada to help municipalities as they prepare their proposals.
The Selection Committee will again assist the Minister in selecting a minimum of four showcases to receive federal funding to implement their showcases. Transport Canada expects to announce the winning showcases in the fall of 2002.
Any municipality will be able to participate and share in the Information Network to learn about the showcases and the success of various strategies and approaches to reduce GHG emissions from urban transportation. It is expected that the Information Network, along with the public education and outreach included in the program, will lay the foundation for communities to adopt best technologies and strategies by 2010.
PROJECT NEWS
Atlantic Provinces Develop Strategic Plan for the Deployment of ITS in the Region
The four Atlantic Provinces, in cooperation with Transport Canada, have embarked upon the development of a strategic plan for the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the Atlantic Region. The plan will serve as a "roadmap" setting the direction and pace of ITS investments in the region over the coming ten years in a coordinated and focused manner. It will ensure that ITS will:
- Support and enable a safe, seamless multi-modal transportation network in the region
- Improve the competitive position of the region in national and international markets, while addressing social and environmental objectives.
A key aspect of the plan development is the engagement and coalition building among public and private sector stakeholders. This dialogue with stakeholders contributes to a user needs-driven approach to scoping and prioritizing ITS applications, and identifying potential roles and collaborative efforts for program delivery.
Their web site, www.itsatlantic.com, is intended to serve as a portal for the ITS community in the region, and incorporates an online stakeholder survey (click on "ITS Web Survey" from the home page) to give an opportunity to provide input to the plan development. The survey represents the start of an ongoing dialogue among stakeholders, which will include the opportunity to review study findings, and participate in focus groups and workshops.
ITS "GOLD COAST" STANDARDS
By William Johnson, tel (613) 797-1489, johnswf@attglobal.net
Chair, Canadian Advisory Committee for ISO Technical Committee 204 – Standards Council of Canada
The ISO technical committee for ITS standards development, TC 204, convened its autumn plenary meeting in the warm springtime weather "down under" on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, in early October. Hosted by Standards Australia and sponsored by ITS Australia, over 40 delegates from 13 countries met at the Hyatt Regency at Sanctuary Cove on Hope Island near Surfer's Paradise Beach. It was the perfect spot to retreat from the outside world, reflect on future standards, and surf the world wide web for inspiration!
Seven working groups convened meetings in Australia during the week of October 8th. The two Canadian delegates were able to participate fully in three of them (fleet management, DSRC, communications) and to briefly look in on three others (architecture, transit, traffic management). Due to the disruption to international travel as a result of the tragic events on September 11th in the U.S.A., three working groups of interest to Canada (intermodal, tolling, in-vehicle systems) did not meet in Australia.
The main events of the week, of course, were the Heads of Delegation/Conveners meeting on Thursday, the Plenary meeting on Friday and the "midnight barbie" on Thursday evening. Since nightfall comes swiftly and early (around 6 p.m.) in these latitudes and at this time of year, the "midnight barbie(que)" was convened at 7 p.m., much to the relief of the hungry guests!
Canada is responsible for convening and leading Working Group 7, General Fleet Management and Commercial Freight Operations. Dr. Lewis Sabounghi is the convener of Working Group 7.
In his report to the plenary, Dr. Sabounghi described the progress the working group has made to prepare a committee draft (CD) for a standard entitled "Data Dictionary and Message Sets for Electronic Identification and Monitoring of Hazardous Material/Dangerous Goods Transportation" (or, how about "HazMat/Dangerous Goods ID" for short?). The CD will be ready to circulate for comment by all TC 204 member countries in 2002.
This initiative has the support of many countries including Canada, U.S.A., Mexico, Japan, Korea, Australia, United Kingdom, Norway and Austria, and has attracted observers from Brazil and China. In particular, the HazMat/Dangerous Goods ID project enjoys strong support from Transport Canada, U.S. DOT and SCT Mexico through the North American shadow committee for Working Group 7.
To obtain further information on these standards meetings or to find out how to participate as an expert in the Canadian Advisory Committee for ISO TC 204, contact William Johnson at the coordinates indicated.
ITS ARCHITECTURE TRAINING COMPLETED
In partnership with Transport Canada, ITS Canada has now successfully completed an ITS architecture training program across the country. ITS Canada is grateful to all those who contributed to these training sessions, including the local regional partners who organized each event, the venue providers, and the entire Architecture Training Oversight Committee:
| Location |
Thanks To |
| Vancouver |
Shaflik Engineering, TransLink, University of British Columbia –
Dept of Civil Engineering |
| Edmonton |
C-TEP, Alberta Transportation |
| Toronto |
University of Toronto – ITS Centre |
| Fredericton |
University of New Brunswick, Computers for Schools Program
(Sponsored by Industry Canada and the New Brunswick Dept of Education) |
| Montreal |
AQTR, University of Montreal – Centre de recherche sur les transports |
Most importantly, we would like to thank Transport Canada for their financial contribution.
While there are no current plans, ITS Canada will consider running additional sessions should the need arise. If you have any suggestions in this regard, or any feedback on the completed sessions, please contact Colin Rayman at rayman@interlog.com.
ITS Architecture Training – Fredericton, October 2001
TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
As the partnership with TAC unfolds, Joseph Lam was named Vice President of TAC and an executive member of the Board of Directors:
President
- Anne-Marie Leclerc, Assistant Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Technology, Quebec Ministry of Transport, Quebec City
Vice Presidents
- David J. Johnstone, Deputy Minister, New Brunswick Department of Transportation, Fredericton
- Joseph K. Lam, Chairman, Intelligent Transportation Systems Society of Canada (ITS Canada), Toronto
- James A. Thomson, Director of Public Works, City of Winnipeg
Treasurer
- Carl Vervoort, Vice President, Eastern Region, Totten Sims Hubicki Associates, Ottawa
Secretary
- Michel Gravel, Executive Director, TAC, Ottawa
Past President
For a full list of the other members of the board, please access TAC's website at www.tac-atc.ca or TAC's Winter 2001 newsletter.
To further strengthen the partnership between TAC and ITS Canada, TAC is looking for representation from ITS Canada on both the Chief Engineers Council and the Education Council, as well as the Traffic Operations and Management Standing Committee (TOMSC), previously called the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control. The renaming of this committee has significance in that traffic management, and therefore ITS, will become essential agenda items for this committee. Members who are interested in representing ITS Canada on any of the above are asked to contact Joseph K. Lam at (416) 391-7521 or j.lam@delcan.com.
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
IRD Chairman Honoured
IRD (International Road Dynamics Inc.) Chairman of the Board, Dr. Art Bergan, founder of IRD, was recently inducted into the Saskatchewan Transportation Hall of Fame. Thursday, October 17, 2001, Dr. Bergan was presented with this honour by Mr. John Kimpinski, who is the Chairman of the Transportation Hall of Fame Committee.
The purpose of the Saskatchewan Transportation Hall of Fame is to formally and publicly recognize persons who, in the course of their residence in Saskatchewan or through their extensive involvement in the transportation industry in the province, have made outstanding contributions which brought about positive developments of significant and lasting benefit to transportation and distribution in Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan Transportation Hall of Fame is located in the Western Development Museum (History of Transportation) in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where there will be a plaque displayed in Dr. Bergan's honour.
Dr. Bergan is recognized as an international authority on transportation engineering and was instrumental in establishing a network of Transportation Centres across Canada, including the University of Saskatchewan, under the mandate of Transport Canada. The network has evolved into Canada's lead centre of excellence in transportation safety. Dr. Bergan's career includes authoring numerous papers and proceedings, and serving on countless professional committees. He was appointed President of the Canadian Technical Asphalt Association, served as Assistant Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Saskatchewan and many other engineering and transportation associations. Dr. Bergan's many years of experience in the field of Transportation also include his work with the Saskatchewan Department of Highways and Transportation, and Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan.
EIS Scores Export Wins
EIS Electronic Integrated Systems Inc. announced that its RTMS, a radar-based vehicle detection sensor, has been chosen by the Florida State Department of Transportation (FLDot) to integrate 85 RTMS vehicle detection units into Phase B of the SunGuide Project, along Interstate 95 in Miami – Dade County. The RTMS sensors will be connected to 170 controllers, utilizing the RTMS Interface Card (RIC).
"The RTMS sensors, which will be deployed on both sides of the Interstate, were primarily chosen because of their ability to provide consistent and reliable data in all weather and traffic conditions," says Mike Ouellette, EIS Regional Sales Manager for Eastern North America.
EIS has also been awarded a contract to supply 170 RTMS multi-zone, radar-based vehicle detectors for the City of Beijing, China. The units are to be installed on the 2nd and 3rd Ring roads of Beijing and will communicate to the Traffic Management Center using digital cellular technology.
The City of Beijing will accept delivery of the RTMS units before the end of 2001. They are to supplement the coverage provided by 44 existing units.
NOVAX Industries Corporation Announces New General Manager
In November 2001, John Harris was named General Manager at Novax. John's primary mandate will be to apply a rigorous program of continuous and progressive quality assurance to operations as a part of an on-going commitment to improving product delivery.
Possessing valuable know-how in product and project management, with a background in electronics manufacturing, John is well prepared to apply proven best-business practices at Novax.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- ITS Canada's Annual Conference and General Meeting will be held March 25 and 26, 2002, at the Wyndham Bristol Place Hotel (near Lester B. Pearson International Airport) in Toronto, Ontario. In addition to two full days of exciting technical sessions with keynote luncheon speakers such as Neil Schuster, President & CEO of ITS America, there will also be ITS site tours offered on March 24. A limited number of spaces will be available for exhibitors. More detailed information will be available on the ITS website or send a message to askus@itscanada.ca.
- ITS America 12th Annual Meeting and Exposition will be held April 29 to May 2, 2002 in Long Beach, California, with more than eighty sessions, outstanding site tours, and an exposition hall featuring tomorrow's cutting-edge ITS technology.
- The Tenth ITS United Kingdom Summer Conference, titled "Information Revolution for Travellers and Freight" will be hosted by the City of Birmingham on July 3 and 4, 2002. Contact Corinne Paine (corrinne.paine@btinternet.com) for more details.
- Beijing International Exhibition and Seminar – Intelligent Transport Systems – The Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, along with The Ministry of Communications of the People's Republic of China, will host this seminar from September 10 to 13, 2002, in Beijing, China. The Technical Session, Executive Session and technical tours will run concurrently.
The 2008 Olympics will be held in Beijing. For this event, the government of China will invest 180 billion RMB ($35 billion Cdn.) into China's infrastructure construction, including communication construction, environment protection, energy, etc.
China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) will lead to further opening of its domestic market that will create still greater room for development for foreign businesses in China. China is preparing laws and organizing its market for its upcoming entry into the World Trade Organization. This seminar will provide opportunities for organizations to enter into the Chinese market and extend business in China.
For more information, please visit the web site at www.ITSevent.com.
- TAC Annual Conference and Exhibition will be held September 15 to 18, 2002, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The theme this year is "Transportation: From Vision to Reality". There will be a special ITS panel discussion entitled "ITS – Smart Concepts and a New Reality". If you are interested in contributing to this panel discussion, please contact Joseph K. Lam at j.lam@delcan.com. Access their website at www.tac-atc.ca for more information.
- 9th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems will be held in Chicago, Illinois, from October 14 to 18, 2002. Access their website at www.itsa.org for further details. ITS Canada is considering organizing a trade mission – for further information, please contact Dave Atnikov, ITS Canada's Export Committee Chair, at dave_a@novax.com.
Newsletter published by ITS Canada.
Submissions or comments can be emailed to askus@itscanada.ca.
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