[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 152 (Monday, August 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47888-47891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19534]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
IntelliDrive\SM\ \1\ Performance Measurement and Performance-
Based Management Demonstrations; Request for Information
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\1\ IntelliDrive is a service mark of the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
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AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) and comments
that will be used to help refine the plans for one or more
demonstrations focused on the use of IntelliDrive\SM\ data sources for
performance measurement and performance-based management. The FHWA is
issuing this RFI in collaboration with and on behalf of other agencies
within the DOT, specifically the Federal Transit Administration, the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the Research and
Innovative Technology Administration. Feedback and comments on any
aspect of the RFI are welcomed from all interested public, private, and
academic entities. While all feedback is welcomed, DOT is particularly
interested in feedback on the questions provided in the last section of
this RFI.
RFI Guidelines: Responses to this RFI should be submitted by 11:59
p.m. Eastern Time on September 8, 2010. Responses to this RFI should be
delivered electronically as an e-mail or as an attachment to an e-mail
sent to [email protected].
Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by
the Government to form a binding contract or issue a grant. Information
obtained as a result of this RFI may be used by the government for
program planning on a non-attribution basis. If you wish to submit any
information under a claim of confidentiality, you should submit via e-
mail to the address given below under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT,
your complete submission, including the information you claim to be
confidential commercial information. When you submit information
containing information identified as confidential commercial
information, you should include a cover letter setting forth the
reasons you believe the information qualifies as ``confidential
commercial information.'' (49 CFR 7.13(c)(4) and 7.17) If we receive a
request to examine or copy this information, we treat it as any other
request under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), but we
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will process the request in accordance with the procedures found in 49
CFR 7.17.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the program
discussed herein, contact Mr. Robert Rupert, Transportation Information
Management Team, FHWA Office of Operations, (202) 366-2194,
[email protected]. For legal questions, interpretations and
counsel, please contact Sheryl Williams, Office of the Chief Counsel,
(202) 366-0618, [email protected], 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590. Office hours for the FHWA are from 7:45 a.m. to
4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Additional information about the IntelliDrive\SM\ initiative is at
http://www.its.dot.gov/intellidrive/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOT IntelliDrive\SM\ program is a
multimodal initiative that aims to enable safe, interoperable networked
wireless communications among vehicles, the infrastructure, and
travelers' personal communications devices. IntelliDrive\SM\ research
is being sponsored by the DOT and others to leverage the potentially
transformative capabilities of wireless technology to make surface
transportation safer, smarter, and greener. One component of this
initiative is the Dynamic Mobility Applications program. This program
seeks to identify, develop, and deploy applications that leverage the
full potential of connected vehicles, travelers, and infrastructure in
order to enhance current operational practices and transform future
surface transportation systems management.
The Dynamic Mobility Applications program will include one or more
field demonstrations of applications that integrate IntelliDrive\SM\
data to support multi-modal performance measurement and performance-
based management. The applications are envisioned to include support
for both real-time and non real-time decisionmaking and operations. The
intent is to conduct one or more demonstrations that include mobility
and productivity performance measurement as a cornerstone element of
the demonstration plan. Demonstrations selected in this effort will
focus on the data collection and processing to produce performance
metrics in one, or preferably more, of the following areas:
Productivity.
Mobility, including impact on freight movements.
Livability/Accessibility (accessibility is defined as the
ability to reach goods, services and activities).
Environment/fuel use.
Pavement conditions (e.g., snow or ice cover, surface
roughness, pothole detection).
The DOT seeks comments and innovative ideas from the public sector,
private sector, and academic communities concerning the demonstration
program described in this RFI. While comments are welcomed on any area
of the RFI, the DOT is particularly interested in responses to the
questions listed at the end of this RFI.
Dynamic Mobility Applications Demonstration Program Description
This program envisions one or more demonstrations beginning in
2011. The intent of these near-term demonstrations is to begin work
with private companies, States, transit agencies, and commercial
vehicle operators or freight shippers to develop applications utilizing
data captured from multiple sources (e.g., vehicles, travelers,
infrastructure) across all elements of the surface transportation
system (i.e., transit, freeway, arterial, parking facilities and
tollways) to support performance measurement and performance-based
management. This demonstration effort aims to leverage existing
operational capabilities or to spur innovation among early adopters of
innovative performance measurement and mobility applications. The
limited number of resources and the short lead time for this effort
precludes the large-scale deployment of new in-vehicle or roadside
technologies. Therefore, unless a site already has a deployed Dedicated
Short Range Communications (DSRC) infrastructure, it is anticipated
that any required mobile communications will use existing commercial
wireless services.
The performance measurement demonstration(s) should address the
following research questions:
Can system productivity and traveler mobility be
characterized in innovative and meaningful new ways by integrating
emerging data sources (i.e., vehicles and mobile devices as data
sources)?
To what extent can IntelliDrive\SM\ be used to support
real-time performance-based management of roadways, transit systems,
and freight carriers?
What are the institutional, legal, and technical issues
that may help or hinder the use of IntelliDrive\SM\ to improve
performance-based management?
What wireless and other communications media can be
combined to make large-scale data capture and mobility applications
cost effective?
How can diverse data sources be efficiently integrated and
utilized?
Can customer satisfaction with demonstrated applications
be identified?
Proposed Performance Measurement Demonstration Program Requirements
All candidate sites and prospective partners will be required to
address the following fundamental aspects of the Performance
Measurement Demonstration vision, including:
Performance measurement. Well-defined, quantitative
performance measures and a clear strategy for evaluating these impacts
must be a part of any candidate demonstration. Preliminary thinking on
possible measures of interest is provided later in this RFI. More
specific guidance will be included in the solicitation. System
productivity measures will quantify the efficient movement of travelers
and goods under periods of peak demand. Traveler mobility measures will
quantify travel delay and improved travel reliability. This
specifically includes mobility or accessibility assessments for
travelers who utilize transit as a component of end-to-end trip-making.
Other measures will characterize the reliability of freight/goods
movement within the system. Additional performance areas such as
accessibility, environment/fuel use, and pavement conditions should
also be considered.
Multi-source data capture. Demonstrations should feature
frequent capture and systematic integration of data from a broad range
of sources. Desired sources should include multiple types of
infrastructure-based sensors, transit vehicle systems (bus and rail), a
full range of vehicle types acting as mobile probes (including freight
carriers and transit vehicles), and travelers moving between modes as
they complete trips.
Innovative decision support applications. These
applications should exploit the value of integrated multisource
performance data. Applications selected for demonstration should fully
and cost effectively leverage captured data to provide innovative
services to multiple users. The primary focus is on providing decision
support tools (both real-time and non real-time) to traffic managers
and transit operators. As a secondary objective, demonstrations may
also provide mobility applications targeted at system users, including
freight carriers and multimodal travelers. To the greatest extent
possible, it is the
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intent of the Dynamic Mobility Applications Program to make algorithms
and source code associated with new applications or application
enhancements funded as a part of these demonstrations to be made freely
available under open source agreements.
Critical mass demonstration. Demonstrations should be
scoped to be conducted in operational multifacility, multimodal
transportation networks spanning urban areas or in interurban
corridors. Demonstrations set in laboratory or closed facility test
environments are precluded from consideration. Preference will be shown
to demonstration proposals combining data drawn from large
contemporaneous populations of vehicles or travelers with mobile
devices participating as mobile probes concurrently with fixed
infrastructure-based sensor systems.
Complex Environment. System performance in each
demonstration will be characterized in complex networks containing
multiple facility types (e.g., freeway, arterial, parking, transit bus,
and rail), considering both the quantity and quality of travelers and
goods movement supported by the system in end-to-end trip-making across
multiple facilities and modes.
No driver distraction effects. Demonstrated applications
will involve collection of information from moving vehicles. The
information collection must be conducted in a manner that will not
distract drivers or compromise safety. This demonstration will not
include applications that require driver interaction while a vehicle is
in motion. See http://www.distraction.gov for additional information on
distracted driving.
Data sharing. A required element of the demonstration(s)
is the systematic collection of data (from both mobile and fixed
sources). It is the intent to provide open access to these data through
the IntelliDrive\SM\ Data Capture and Management program. These data
may be made available as the demonstration is conducted, or made
available shortly after the conclusion of the demonstration. These data
are intended to support research activity and mobility application
development in later phases of the Dynamic Mobility Applications
program. If necessary, data may be transformed or aggregated to protect
privacy, and the Government will consider allowing transformation or
aggregation to protect intellectual property rights.
Independent Evaluation. Demonstrations must contain an
impacts evaluation and target user satisfaction assessment for each
tested application. An independent evaluation contractor will assist in
planning and executing an evaluation plan and will author a national
evaluation report.
Use of Standards. Demonstration projects shall make
appropriate use of ITS standards for information exchange.
The demonstration(s) should collect the data and implement
applications that can calculate the following types of performance
metrics and, where appropriate, include applications for acting on the
real-time measurement information.
Mode-Independent Overall System Measures. A key element of the
demonstration will be the characterization and quantitative measurement
of the performance of the overall surface transportation system. This
includes the assessment of system performance based on the collective
experience of travelers within the system and the ability of the system
to efficiently transport people and goods. Measures of interest at the
system level include:
System Delay is travel time in excess of some subjective
minimum travel time, or the trip-weighted average delay for corridor,
region, or system.
System Travel Time Reliability represented by the Planning
Time Index which is the ratio of the 95th percentile travel time to the
travel time under zero-delay conditions, by origin/destination pair, by
time period, weighted by trip volume.
System Throughput is intended to quantify the total number
of people and goods transported reliably through the system over a
period of peak transportation demand. While there are well established
point measures, there is no consensus on a system-wide measure;
therefore, innovative ideas for system-wide measures are sought.
Trip-based travel time will likely be a key data element required
for all of these measures of interest.
Traffic Measures. Traffic measures of interest characterize
performance in a range of conditions, from key bottlenecks, to specific
facilities, in freeway/arterial corridors, and in subnetworks (e.g., an
arterial grid or freeway network). Both real-time and non real-time
measures are sought, including:
Congested Hours.
Delay.
Travel Time Reliability, including the Travel Time Index
and the Planning Time Index
Throughput.
Speed.
While measures based on road segment are of interest, trip-based
measures are of particular interest since such information cannot be
easily collected today.
Transit Measures. Real-time and non real-time measures are sought
for transit, including measures that apply to fixed-route bus,
paratransit, and rail systems:
Ridership.
Mode share.
Passenger throughput.
Travel time/speed.
Travel time variability.
Schedule/headway adherence.
Delay.
Station/stop dwell time.
Miles between transit vehicle failures.
Revenue miles per vehicle.
Revenue hours per vehicle.
Passengers per revenue vehicle-mile.
Passenger wait time for pickup.
Passenger and driver no shows.
Cost per passenger trip.
Cost per passenger mile.
Freight Measures. Freight and goods movement measures include:
Planning time index and travel time variance, as described
under Traffic Measures, but measured specifically for freight trips.
Point to point travel times on selected freight-
significant routes.
Hours of delay per 1,000 vehicle miles on selected
freight-significant routes.
Number of bobtail truck trips (i.e., empty truck without a
load).
Truck travel time between origin and destination.
Truck emissions.
Idle time at terminals.
Other Measures. Other measures of interest include:
Accessibility or livability measures on a region-wide
basis that may include metrics such as the percentage of population
with total commute times less than a set parameter, both by travel mode
and overall. Comments and input are sought for appropriate measures.
Environmental measures, such as fuel use per passenger
mile or ton-mile of freight and greenhouse gas emissions per passenger
mile or ton-mile of freight.
Pavement conditions such as snow or ice cover, slippery
conditions, surface roughness, or pothole detection.
Weather-related transportation management such as time to
restore to bare pavement, or time to return to pre-event travel speeds
after a weather event.
Summary of Questions
A summary of the specific questions posed in this notice follows.
Responders are reminded that feedback or
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comments on any aspect of this notice is welcomed from all interested
public, private, and academic entities. While all feedback is welcomed,
the DOT is particularly interested in feedback on the following
questions. Respondents may respond, to some, all, or none of these
specific questions.
1. Based on the nature of the performance measurement
demonstration(s), DOT believes that a multimodal cooperative effort
involving both private sector and public sector organizations will be
required. The DOT currently envisions awarding one or more contracts to
private sector organization(s) as the lead organization(s) in
partnership with public transportation agencies and other entities
appropriate to develop and conduct the demonstration(s). An alternative
would be to conduct a competitive grant program and award one or more
grants to public sector organization(s) as the lead(s) organization,
engaging and involving other entities as appropriate. Academic
institutions are welcomed as team members; however, DOT does not
envision an academic institution serving as the lead. Feedback is
requested on these procurement options and issues including the
challenges in forming the teams as either a lead organization or as a
partner or other participant. What forms or demonstrations of
commitment by the participants are reasonable and appropriate
requirements of respondents to a solicitation for the performance
measurement demonstration program?
2. The DOT envisions the demonstration(s) awarded and commencing in
early 2011, with the demonstration's(s') applications beginning
operations approximately 6 months of preparation and development. The
operational period, results analysis, and publication of final results
are anticipated to occur over a period that does not exceed 18 months.
Is this schedule too cautious, too ambitious, or about right?
3. Are the identified performance metrics the right ones to focus
on? Are there metrics or applications that you would add or delete?
4. The goals of this near-term dynamic mobility demonstration
program are to demonstrate the use of IntelliDrive\SM\ to improve the
collection of performance measurement information, and to demonstrate
the use of this information to support performance-based management,
e.g., through the use of decision support tools. To what extent can the
real-time or near real-time collection of performance measures be
demonstrated, and to what extent can real-time or near real-time
performance-based management applications or tools be demonstrated?
5. There are important advantages to conducting a single
demonstration, including concentration of resources and funding, ease
of management, and demonstration of integrated applications running in
a common environment. At the same time, the breadth of envisioned
applications and the desire for a diverse operating environment argue
for conducting a small number of smaller demonstrations. Is it feasible
to address a majority (if not all) of the goals and environments in a
single demonstration project? Can multiple meaningful, smaller
demonstrations be conducted if the funding per demonstration is
$1,000,000 or less?
6. It is the intent to provide open access to the data collected as
part of this demonstration through the IntelliDrive\SM\ Data Capture
and Management program.
a. Do you see value in broadly sharing these data with other
researchers?
b. Will such data sharing inhibit participation in the
demonstration? If so, what mitigation actions do you recommend to
encourage participation?
7. To the greatest extent possible, it is the intent of the Dynamic
Mobility Applications Program to make algorithms and source code
associated with new applications or applications enhancements funded as
a part of these demonstrations to be made freely available under open
source agreements.
a. Do you see value in making algorithms and application source
code funded by this demonstration program broadly available?
b. Will an open source focus inhibit participation in the
demonstration? If so, what mitigation actions do you recommend to
encourage participation?
Issued on: August 2, 2010.
Victor M. Mendez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-19534 Filed 8-6-10; 8:45 am]
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