TRANSIT INTELLIGENT VEHICLE INITIATIVE--LEADING THE WAY TO SAFER VEHICLES

Innovations in transit technologies can play a critical role in providing safe and efficient transit while meeting the demands for new and enhanced services at the lowest possible cost. However, developing advanced technologies is not the only method to improve transit service. A key to growth and successful deployment of the advanced technologies is integration within the operating environment. The transit vehicle has been a model platform for integration solutions in a number of areas, including intelligent transportation systems (ITS) standards, advanced propulsion systems, composite materials, and vehicle management systems. Now, under the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Intelligent Vehicle Initiative (IVI), a multiagency technology program aimed at accelerating the development, availability, and use of driving assistance and control intervention systems, the transit platform is ideally situated for early development of IVI technologies. The Transit IVI program is leading USDOT's effort to establish partnerships to develop advanced systems, integrate them into vehicles and appropriate infrastructure, and evaluate performance in real-world conditions. The vision for the program is to accelerate the development, availability, and use of integrated systems that help drivers process information, make decisions, and operate buses, paratransit, and demand response vehicles more safely and efficiently. This paper highlights the Transit IVI program's first year of activity. Specifically, the following are described: current program plan, unique aspects of the partnering arrangement, safety services being developed, anticipated benefits, program status, and overview of the future program plan.