Symposium On

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Symposium On WEATHER INFORMATION FOR SURFACE
TRANSPORTATION Preparing for the Future
Improved Weather Information for
Decision-Makers December 4 - 6, 2000

• Technical Risks

• Decision Support System

• Requirements

• Capabilities

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Weather Information For Surface Transportation
Preparing for the Future Improved Weather
Information for Decision-Makers
INTRODUCTION

• Samuel P. Williamson
• Federal Coordinator
• Office of the Federal Coordinator for
  Meteorological Services and Supporting Research

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WELCOME!
WEATHER INFORMATION FOR SURFACE
TRANSPORTATION December 4 - 6, 2000 DoubleTree
Hotel Rockville, Maryland
Co-sponsored by The Office of the Federal
Coordinator for Meteorological Services and
Supporting Research (OFCM) and the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA)
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WELCOME!
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This forum is being audio recorded to aid in the
development of the summaries to appear in the
proceedings. Audio tapes will NOT be made
available or distributed!
!
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OVERVIEW
Symposium on Weather Information For Surface
Transportation (WIST)

• BACKGROUND
• WHY WE ARE HERE
• OFCM PRIMER
• OBJECTIVES
• AGENDA
• PRESENTATION AVAILABILITY
• SUMMARY

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BACKGROUND
Where Have We Been?

• September 1998 Symposium on Advanced Multimodal
  Transportation Weather Services, Volpe Center
• Identify weather information needs and weather
  products
• Plan implementation of advanced multimodal
  weather services through cooperative partnerships
• December 1998 Meeting of Interdepartmental
  Committee for Meteorological Services and
  Supporting Research (ICMSSR)
• Directed formation of WIST Joint Action Group
  (JAG)

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BACKGROUND
Where Have We Been?

• July - November 1999
• Distributed and received completed questionnaires
• Conducted interviews with Federal agencies
• December 1999
• First WIST Symposium
• Co-sponsored by OFCM and U.S. DOT-FHWA
• January - May 2000
• Conducted additional interviews -- Federal and
  others
• Built initial questionnaire database
• Designed follow-on requirements survey

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BACKGROUND
Where Have We Been?

• June - October 2000
• Conducted follow-on survey
• Designed and entered information in database
• November 2000
• Analyzed database
• Used database information with specifically
  targeted responses to build template
  requirements
• Airport ground operations
• Washington Reagan National Airport--Operations
  Division
• Two commercial airline companies
• Roadway and rail transit
• FHWA / State DOTs
• Connecticut and Washington DC roadway and rail
  transit
• National Troopers Coalition
• Railways American Association of Railways
• Waterways US Coast Guard -- Great Lakes (9th
  District)

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BACKGROUND
Review of 1999 WIST Symposium Major Action Items

• Participants from 1999 Symposium Complete
  Questionnaire
• Publish Proceedings by February 2000
• Continue Exploration of Requirements Using the
  WIST JAG
• Distribute Draft Requirements Document in
  May/June 2000
• Publish Requirements document by Summer 2000
• WIST Symposium in Fall 2000

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WHY WE ARE HERE
The transportation system is comprised of 3.9
million miles of public roads, and 2 million
miles of oil and natural gas pipelines. There
are networks consisting of 120 thousand miles of
major railroads, and over 25 thousand miles of
commercially navigable waterways.
US DOT Strategic Plan, 2000-2005
Roadway accidents are influenced by a wide
variety of factors such as geometrics, WEATHER,
and driver behavior.
Federal Highway Administration
Boating-related fatalities rank second only to
car crashes as the cause of transportation-related
deaths in the United States 6 of 1998 boating
accidents listed WEATHER as a contributing
factor. U.S.
Coast Guard
In 1996, households spent, on average, about 17
of their total expenditures on transportation.
Bureau of Transportation
Statistics Annual Report to Congress, 1999
Goal Develop a National Intelligent
Transportation Infrastructure Architecture that
includes ALL information needs of transportation
including WEATHER information.
US DOT Strategic Plan, 2000-2005
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WHY WE ARE HERE
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WHY WE ARE HERE
1997-1999 U.S. Motor Vehicle Fatal Crashes
Source US DOT National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
Fatal Crashes With Adverse Weather Occurring

• Weather has been and continues to be a factor of
  fatal motor vehicle crashes

Percentage
Rain Snow Fog Rain Other
Fog

• Over 12 of the fatal crashes occurred during
  inclement weather

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WHY WE ARE HERE

• The weather community has made significant
  progress in many areas
• Increased weather information for surface
  transportation focus among agencies
• Defining requirements
• Computing power and improved models
• Visualization techniques
• Communications
• Gaps still exist in the weather information for
  surface transportation program

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WHY WE ARE HERE

• We have many opportunities for surface
  transportation weather service improvements
• Integration of existing observation networks
• Product development and dissemination
• Weather information displays
• Decision support systems and capabilities
• User education and training
• We have opportunities to implement improvements
  now
• We have opportunities to positively identify
  areas needing attention and priority

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OFCM PRIMER
Who is OFCM?
Mission
To ensure the effective use of federal
meteorological resources by leading the
systematic coordination of operational weather
requirements and services, and supporting
research, among the federal agencies.
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OFCM PRIMER
Coordinating Infrastructure
Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and
Supporting Research (FCMSSR)
Federal Coordinator for Meteorology
Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological
Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR)
Program Councils
Standing Committees
National Space Weather Program
Environmental Services, Operations, and Research
Needs
Operational Processing Centers
National Aviation Weather Program
Environmental Information Systems and
Communications
Climate Monitoring and Services
Cooperative Research
Integrated Observing Systems
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OFCM PRIMER
Membership of Joint Action Group

• Weather Information for Surface Transportation
  Joint Action Group Members
• Listed on inside back cover of program

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SYMPOSIUM OBJECTIVES
Overarching objectives are to

• Provide status of needs and requirements analysis
• Solicit feedback for validation
• Provide update / summarize progress and
  activities over the last 12 months
• Identify initiatives / programs that are
  currently underway or being planned
• Illuminate gaps where additional focus is
  required
• Identify next steps / actions toward improving
  weather information for decision-makers

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AGENDA
Today
Intermodal Transportation Systems
Mr. Jeff Paniati, Deputy Director Joint Program
Office
FORETELL - Demonstration
Mr. Steven Sheffield, Castle Rock Consultants
Requirements Review / Analysis Process
Mr. Christopher A. Moren, OFCM (STC)
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AGENDA
Today
Panel 1 Weather Information Needs Requirements
Results
Moderator Mr. Douglas Jonas, Matrix Management
Group
Panel 2A Government Capabilities, Services, and
Initiatives
Moderator Ms. Faye Arvonio, USPS
Reception / Mixer Executive Dining Room
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AGENDA
Tomorrow
Recap of Panels 1 and 2A
Panel 2B Commercial Capabilities, Services, and
Initiatives
Moderator Ms. Sandy Thompson NWA TV Committee
Panel 3 Technical Risks and Challenges
Moderator Mr. Kenneth Kobetsky, AASHTO
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AGENDA
Tomorrow
Luncheon Speaker 511 Implementation in
Washington DC Metro area Mr. Doug Frye, George
Mason University School of
Public Policy
Panel 4A Government Decision Support
Capabilities and Services
Moderator Ms. Shelley J. Row, DOT- FHWA
Panel 4B Commercial Decision Support
Capabilities and Services
Moderator Mr. Todd Glickman, MIT
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AGENDA
Wednesday
Recap of Panels 2B, 3 and 4
Next Steps / Action Plan
Mr. Samuel P. Williamson, Federal Coordinator
for Meteorology
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PRESENTATION AVAILABILITY
Presentations and other material will be
available on the OFCM web site shortly after the
forum. Click on Special Projects and navigate
to the Weather Information for Surface
Transportation Symposium section.
http//www.ofcm.gov/
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SUMMARY
The Way Ahead
Improved Safety, Efficiency, and Customer
Satisfaction
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(No Transcript)