TechPlan Cycle One Projects

The Implications of Current and Emerging Privacy Law for ITS
Principal Investigator: Frank Douma
Co-Investigator: N/A
Research Support: Jordan Deckenbach
Peer Reviewer:  Steve Simon, University of Minnesota
Research Objectives:

• Explore federal and state privacy laws as they apply to modern technology and transportation systems
• Investigate the legal status with regard to privacy laws of various ITS technologies, particularly traffic management and in-vehicle applications
• Address privacy with respect to both government entities such as law enforcement and private entities such as insurance companies
• Aid ITS developers and providers to construct and deploy ITS technologies that avoid or survive legal challenges and that comply with public expectations of privacy

ITS and Transportation Safety: ITS and EMS System Data Integration to Improve Traffic Crash Emergency Response and Treatment
Principal Investigator: Tom Horan  
Co-Investigator: Ben Schooley
Research Support: N/A
Peer Reviewer:  Arn Howitt, Harvard University
Research Objectives:

• Investigate how information technologies can be utilized across the emergency response continuum of care
• Provide a prototype of a promising integrated system (called “CrashHelp”) that could be used to improve the treatment of traffic accident victims.
• Obtain Best Practice insights from comparative case analysis of related systems underway and/or being considered
• Receive feedback on “CrashHelp” from experts in the emergency response field and explore policy decision maker perspectives on implementation opportunities

Decision tools for assessing transportation impacts of school policy and school choice
Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Wilson
Co-Investigator: Julian Marshall
Research Support: Ryan Wilson
Peer Reviewer:  Noreen McDonald, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Research Objectives:

• Identify opportunities for investment in transportation technologies for school travel
• Develop a prototype decision and analysis tool for school districts that would evaluate the impacts of school transportation policies
• Examine the inter-relationship between school transportation policies and school selection policy

The Role of Social Networks and ICT on Destination Choice
Principal Investigator: David Levinson
Co-Investigator: N/A
Research Support: Nebiyou Tilahun
Peer Reviewer:  Susan Handy, University of California, Davis
Research Objectives:

• Investigate the impact of traditional social networks and information and communications technology (ICT) on travelers' destination choices
• Understand the role that social networks and communication technologies play in establishing individuals in long-term arrangements such as finding their work
• Understand the role that social networks play in day-to-day activities that individuals choose to engage in outside of their work
• Develop models that incorporate important elements of social networks and ICT for different trip purposes

Technology in Planning and Participatory Processes: Identifying New Synergies through Real World Application
Principal Investigator: Carissa Schively Slotterback
Co-Investigator: John Hourdos
Research Support: Apeckchya Karki
Peer Reviewer:  Lew Hopkins, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Research Objectives:

• Examine the use of planning support systems in transportation planning processes
• Identify opportunities for the use of technology in various types of participatory processes, such as open houses, public hearings, and technical/advisory committee meetings
• Produce important feedback about the viability of technology in planning and participatory processes and further insights related to the importance of tailoring technology to various settings

The Urban Partnership Agreement: A Comparative Study of Technology and Collaboration in Transportation Policy Implementation
Principal Investigator: John Bryson
Co-Investigator: Barbara Crosby and Melissa Stone
Research Support: Clare Mortensen
Peer Reviewer:  Carissa Schively-Slotterback, University of Minnesota and Stephen B. Page, University of Washington
Research Objectives:

• Address the inter-organizational relationships within UPA, especially regarding how collaboration is affected by technology, the political process, and institutional norms
• Document and explain the development and implementation of UPA nationally
• Provide professionals in the transportation field with new information on how best to utilize Ctechnology and collaboration for public policy

TechPlan Program Administrators
Principal Investigator:  Frank Douma
Research Assistant:  Fay Cleaveland
CTS Research Manager:  Linda Preisen
CTS Program Coordinator:  Jan Lucke

TechPlan Peer Reviewers
Dr. Joseph Sussman, Massachusets Institute of Technology
Abby McKenzie, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Tom Sorel, Federal Highway Administration