This piece was originally published in the November/December 2019 issue of electroindustry.

Craig Updyke, Director, Trade and Commercial Affairs, NEMA

Members of the Transportation Management Systems and Associated Control Devices Section braved Washington, D.C., traffic to visit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Capitol Hill, and three counterpart organizations on Sept. 25 and 26. Central to each discussion  were deployment of connected vehicle systems and the communications backbone represented by a dedicated band of the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Diana Furchtgott-Roth, deputy assistant secretary of transportation for research and technology, emphasized the DOT technology-neutral approach to facilitating private-sector-driven solutions. On the Hill, the group strategized on spectrum management with Republican staff for the Committee on Energy and Commerce and on contracting for roadside technology  with Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

In separate meetings with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), the group identified common ground and potential joint work items. In addition, the Section’s meeting featured an interactive presentation by the American Traffic Safety Services Association, which also generated collaboration plans. ei