ITS America Establishes Homeland Security Task Force

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America has formed a Homeland Security Task Force to assess how advanced technologies may protect the country's roads and highways, the organization announced Oct. 19."Our goal is to explore how [intelligent transportation] technologies will contribute to the nation's security needs," said ITS America chairman Larry Yermack. The task force's findings will be shared with transportation agencies, policy-makers and public-safety organizations.Intelligent transportation systems use information processing and communications to relieve traffic congestion, respond to accidents and streamline freight movement. In light of the recent terrorist attacks, ITS America sees expanding the role of these technologies to monitor vehicle and freight movement on the nation's roads.ITS America, a nonprofit organization, was mandated by Congress in 1991 to coordinate the development and deployment of intelligent transportation systems in the United States. Organization membership includes federal and state government agencies, intelligent transportation systems-focused companies, universities and public interest groups. Membership is approximately 50 percent private sector and 50 percent government related.ITS America works with the Department of Transportation on projects such as enhanced 911 to provide automatic location information, and interoperable communications links between transportation and public-safety agencies.