The World in Motion
Volume 2, No.3Fall 1996
An official publication of the International Institute for
Surface Transportation Policy Studies

Table of Contents

Profile of Robert J. Casey
IISTPS Board of Trustees

Robert J. Casey, elected to the IISTPS Board of Trustees in May 1995, is the leading advocate of high speed rail in the United States. Moved by his vision of a competitive America in which newer, faster forms of surface transportation make commerce efficient, Casey helped found the High Speed Rail/Maglev Association (HSRA) in 1983. The positions Casey has occupied in the Association include Chairman, Vice Chairman, President, Executive Director, Treasurer, Secretary, and Yearbook Editor, and Convention Program Planner.

Bob Casey is currently the Chairman and Executive Director of HSRA. The Association is the Òstandard bearer, facilitator, and catalyst of the high speed rail industry in North America.Ó The Association is rapidly growing with a 50% increase in membership in the last year. Soviet Railways became the 900th member of HSRA when it joined in the Eighth International Convention in Anaheim in May. Through the Association, Casey has built a groundswell of support for a new high speed rail transportation mode.

Casey worked as a newspaper reporter and earned a law degree at night. As a public affairs executive for Westinghouse Air Brake Co. and then Amtrak, Casey joined management (both with a railroad supplier and an operating railroad). In Washington, as an Executive Director for the National Association of Railroad Passengers, Casey was a rail consumer advocate. He ran for Congress and entered public service in 1980 by serving as Executive Director of the Ohio and Pennsylvania high speed rail commissions.

IISTPS Board Members Receive Honors

The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) presented its most prestigious awards to two of IISTPS' Board members, Sharon Banks and Michael Townes, on July 19 at the Annual COMTO conference.

Ms. Banks, the Chair of the IISTPS' Board of Trustees, was presented with COMTO's highest award, the Thomas G. Neusom Award. The Neusom Award is presented to a member or group for outstanding contributions made to the growth and development of minorities in the transportation industry. Banks is a national leader in the transportation industry and a vigorous supporter issues vital to the transportation industry. She is the General Manager of AC Transit and presently serves as the Chair of the California Transit Association.

Mr. Townes, the Executive Director of the Peninsula Transportation District Commission, was honored as COMTO's Executive of the Year. The award is given each year to honor excellence in leadership and support of COMTO's goals and objectives. In addition to his leadership, Townes was honored for his promotion and development of women and minorities in transportation and his aggressive role in supporting transportation related issues at the local, state and federal levels.

IISTPS Annual Dinner Huge Success

The 1996 Annual Board of Trustees Dinner held on June 22 hosted over 130 guests. The Dinner featured speeches from several of the foremost leaders in United States surface transportation.

The Dinner featured speeches from IISTPS Chair and AC Transit General Manager Sharon D. Banks was joined by IISTPS Honorary Co-Chairs Hon. James Oberstar, Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, and Hon. Norman Y. Mineta, Honorary IISTPS Co-Chair and Senior Vice President, Transportation Systems and Services, Lockheed Martin I.M.S. Also speaking at the Dinner were Dr. D.K. Sharma, Administrator, Research and Special Projects Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, and James L. van Loben Sels, Director of the California Department of Transportation.

The Dinner, held at San Jose State University for the second time in as many years, is held each year in conjunction with the Annual Board of Trustees meeting. Intended to recognize the Board for their participation in the development and success of IISTPS, the dinner has attracted over 130 guests each of the past two years.

Proceeds from the Dinner augment the IISTPS operating account. The funds are used for such things as association memberships, scholarships, brochures and other printing needs, and various other expenses not covered by the ISTEA and Caltrans grants.

Education

In October, San Jose State University will begin offering its Transportation Management classes via teleconferencing technology. Scheduled to be offered at several sites throughout California, this format is designed to reach the widest possible audience without compromising the quality of the program.

The initial class to be offered through the teleconferencing format will be Fundamentals of Transportation Management. The instructor will be based in Oakland at the Caltrans District 4 office while the class is broadcast to three other Caltrans offices: San Diego; Santa Ana; and Sacramento. In addition, the course will be offered at San Jose State and other State University where interest is sufficient.

The Master of Science in Transportation Management degree is moving closer approval by the California State University Chancellor's office. The next step is the completion of parameters for several other MSTM courses. Additionally, scholarship opportunities are being explored for those students who qualify.

If you have any questions about the MSTM program, please call Rob Vitale or Matthew Laherty at (408) 924-7560.

Sharma Presents Additional Grants to IISTPS

On Friday, August 16, U.S. DOT Research and Special Programs Administrator D.K. Sharma and others, including Board of Trustees Chair Sharon Banks and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-18th Dist.) visited San Jose State University. Dr. Sharma, on behalf of RSPA, presented the Institute with a $250,000 grant to continue the Congressionally- assigned responsibility of research and education. In addition, Sharma announced supplemental funding of $25,000 to examine best practices in combating surface transportation terrorism.

"RSPA's continuing confidence, as expressed through the additional $250,000 operating grant and $25,000 supplemental grant for our terrorism case study project, is appreciated and suggests that IISTPS will be relied upon even more heavily in the future by the DOT for objective research information," commented IISTPS Executive Director Rod Diridon after being presented with the two grants.

Research Publications Published

In June, IISTPS released five research publications at the Annual Dinner.

The five publications, co-sponsored by the U.S. DOT Research and Special Programs Administarion (RSPA) and the California DOT (Caltrans), included the results of two research projects as well as the proceedings of two IISTPS symposia("Land Use" and "Terrorism"). In addition, the results from research relating to the need for surface transportation management training were published.

The research publications were related to:

Copies of each publication are available through the IISTPS office. For more information, please call (408) 924-7560.

IISTPS would like to welcome Tara O'Callaghan as the new Administrative Director. Tara most recently worked with the Cooperative Research Programs at TRB in Washington, D.C.

Welcome, Tara!

In Memoriam

IISTPS Board and staff were saddened to learn of the recent passing of Roger Tate, long-time staffer at the Federal Transit Administration and a liaison to the Transit Cooperative Research Program. Roger died unexpectedly on Sept. 10th. In addition to his other responsibilities, Roger was a key contributor to the FTA-HHS Coordinating Council and a long-time supporter of rural public transportation. His professional and personal contributions to the field will be greatly missed.