33 minute read
A Tsunami of Help
A Seattle Snapshot from the Perspective of Passenger Travel
Air Force airmen flew upward of 25 sorties a day at the height of Operation “Tomodachi” to provide relief and supplies following the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeast Japan in March. They airlifted 7 pallets of radiation-shielding boron to help stabilize the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. And, they dispatched aircraft to assess damage and monitor atmospheric radiation levels.
From a passenger travel perspective, however, one of the greatest accomplishments was the safe and streamlined movement of people: support personnel into Japan and military members, government civilians, and dependents wanting to escape.
By April 1, Pacific Air Forces air assets had airlifted 1223 passengers to support relief operation, and 5269 dependents and personnel were voluntarily evacuated to the US under Operation Pacific Passage.
More than 2100 DOD family members transitioned through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA-TAC) to safe-haven locations in the US as part of Operation Pacific Passage. The voluntary military-assisted departure operation was put on hold after the last of the passengers arrived on March 26.
Leading the operation was US Army North, headquartered at Fort Sam Houston. The organization is ready to restart operations and expand if necessary, but regardless of whether or not that word
Staff Sgt. Stewart Guethlin (36th Airlift Wing loadmaster and C-130 crewman) briefs passengers on how to don an oxygen mask. Photo: Airman Sean Martin, USAF Families disembark from a military-chartered flight during O peration Pacific Passage. Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class O livia Giger, USN
comes, Operation Pacific Passage was a huge success according to Army officials. “All the military members and dedicated civilians did a tremendously great job,” said Col. Wayne Shanks, US Army North PAO. “Nothing is more important than taking care of our family members.”
“SEA-TAC has bent over backward for us, and the volunteers really helped us out,” said Maj. Kays Al-Ali, part of the US Army North’s surgeon’s office.
Military personnel led family members through every stage of the process, from greeting them when the plane from Japan arrived at SEA-TAC to helping carry bags as the families received their tickets before boarding commercial planes to their follow-on destination.
To make that process as easy as possible, a joint reception coordination center consisting of Air Force, Army, and Navy personnel at SEA-TAC to provide administrative, financial, and medical support to the passengers before they departed on commercial airplanes to their final destination. Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Dumas, a medic from Everett Naval Hospital working in the Madigan Healthcare System medical clinic on-site at the airport, said he felt he played a vital role in helping the passengers get home safely. “The joint force shows how strong we are and how we
can come together to conduct operations without any trouble,” Dumas said.
Most spouses brought their children with them, so operations officials made sure childcare was available to parents so they could focus on getting their tickets to their safe-haven location and paperwork filled out correctly. Pat Bossi, Joint Base LewisMcChord Child Youth and School Services, worked with SEA-TAC representatives to establish an on-site childcare facility.
Getting passengers out within 24 hours became the standard toward the end of the operation. For those who had to stay in Seattle overnight, the DOD authorized lodging at several Seattle-based hotels.
Each family member received a phone card to make free calls. Hot dogs and fresh donuts were always available throughout the operation, thanks to USO volunteers. At one point, a flight headed to Denver International Airport filled with transitioning family members stopped at SEA-TAC to refuel. With only 20 minutes of notice, USO volunteers made more than 300 sandwiches to rush out to the hungry passengers waiting in the plane. That kind of dedication and care shown to the military members and their families is what the USO is all about.
Departed personnel will be provided return travel to Japan when directed by the under secretary of defense. DTJ
A Flawed Approach A TRB committee report says DOD should pay some of the costs of transportation infrastructure near US military bases Lee Jackson, Logistics Management Institute (LMI)
AFebruary report from the National Research Council’s (NRC) Transportation Research Board (TRB) calls for the Pentagon to pay for some of our nation’s new transportation infrastructure, which will be required to support the relocation of tens of thousands of our servicemen and women under the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) process. Massachusetts Institute of Technology JR East Professor Joseph Sussman chaired a congressionally mandated committee that released a report that concluded that DOD should share in “bearing the costs” associated with building any new infrastructure required to support our troops impacted by the BRAC realignment, rather than making local and state governments shoulder the entire burden. The report goes on to state that some of the DOD funding should support the development or improvement of public transportation systems and networks and not focus primarily on roads and highways, as we have in the past.
The report developed case studies for six military bases located in metropolitan areas that are among the 18 bases that will receive a large influx of military personnel due to BRAC. BRAC requires that base closings and staff relocations be implemented by September 2011. The TRB report concludes that responding by the September deadline is unrealistic. The report recommends that a special appropriation for infrastructure-related projects be created this year. In this writer’s opinion, any appropriation that supports infrastructure-related projects has merit and is sorely needed, but in this austere budget environment (see my article in the DTJ April issue), such an occurrence is highly unlikely.
Dr. Sussman states, “Normal funding will not be adequate if the DOD wants to move huge numbers of troops into Fort Belvoir. They don’t have to ask anybody for permission. But the committee recommends the DOD pay an impact fee that would be negotiated and determined using a model like that used in the private sector.” An impact fee is typically imposed on a developer by a local government to cover the cost or partial cost of the infrastructure required for a proposed development. The DOD has not been required to pay an impact fee in the past and has argued that off-base transportation infrastructure is not its responsibility except in cases where development would cause traffic to double in the environs of a military base. Dr. Sussman states that that is impossible in an already heavily congested area like Fairfax County, VA, where Fort Belvoir is located. The committee did constrain the impact fees that could be imposed on the DOD by making the fee nondiscriminatory. If a city or town hasn’t ever asked for an impact fee from past developers, they can’t now ask the DOD to pay one,” said Sussman, who added that “local governments would need to pay their fair share. This could be viewed as reshaping the dialogue between local planners and the DOD to put things much more on a level playing field.”
It is not the intent of this writer to question Dr. Sussman or the recommendations of the TRB Committee Report. Dr. Sussman’s credibility and reputation stand on their own, as chair of the US DOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Advisory Committee, as well as other NRC/TRB committees. Dr. Sussman and the NRC have a reputation for publishing objective, unbiased studies, and their reputation stands on its own. In addition, the TRB report was reviewed by six independent reviewers. With that said, this writer would like to acknowledge the fine work of the committee and fully recognize their recommendations. However, with that said, I don’t think the committee’s recommendations or the report went far enough. The committee’s recommendation to improve base community communication and planning efforts is designed to address issues related to the relocation of military personnel in the future, but we don’t have time to ponder and delay addressing this issue at a later time!
WE NEED ACTION NOW! I support the discussion in the report that calls for near-, medium-, and long-term solutions. The near term solution for Congress to create a special appropriation or allocation of uncommitted stimulus funds certainly has merit, but creating such a fund in the current politically charged budget environment is not likely. Such an idea aligns with the Administration’s 2012 budget proposal that contains $556 billion for transport to be spent over six years. Supporters of a National Infrastructure Bank, including the Obama Administration, believe such an approach is the right one. 1 Unfortunately, such an approach has gained little steam or support in Congress, as neither the Administration nor the DOT senior leaders have been able to clearly define or elaborate on the details of this approach.
The DOD is not in a position to fund our state and local transportation infrastructure needs. Although DOD has limited resources in the Defense Access Roads Program, the monies available to support the degree of infrastructure improvements needed are not available. Raising the fueltax, which stands at 18.4 cents a gallon is no solution because the income received annually from the fuel tax is miniscule when it is estimated that the nation’s infrastructure costs over the next century will exceed $255 billion per year. Current infrastructure spending falls 60 percent short of that amount. 2
THINKING OUT OF THE BOX With such a tremendous shortfall, our nation needs to work together to arrive at a solution. Clearly the time has come for our leadership in Congress, the public sector, and the private sector to work together and “start thinking out of the box!” A politically palatable solution that incorporates the application of new technology, innovative funding approaches, and system thinking needs to be developed. It is critical to recognize that in order for the US to be globally competitive with our international trading partners, we must act now. To do otherwise would put the United States on a ship without a captain. DTJ
Measuring the True Impacts of ITS Beyond the Transportation Community W e in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) community are total, abject failures. The signs of our success are everywhere, but until we develop measures of success that are meaningful to the public and go beyond our own transportation community, our impact will not register in the eyes of the travelling public or our political leadership.
Over the years, the transportation industry has developed a series of performance measures that are very good at helping the transportation management community evaluate the efficacy of various deployed ITS tactics and devices. But something vital is missing: a comprehensive series of performance measures that can help other government units evaluate and understand the impact of ITS initiatives beyond transportation and that can communicate successes to the public.
Like all municipal services, the DOT works within a silo; metrics that matter internally don’t translate well to external stakeholders—especially the public. This is especially problematic because the DOT and its various agencies are in budgetary competition at every level of government consideration and with all other municipal services. Understandably, there is need to measure and document the significant value provided beyond the confines of the “transportation silo.”
The advent of ITS enhances the DOT, but it also makes every other municipal service more effective, more responsive, and more efficient because all are dependent on the surface transportation infrastructure to accomplish their respective missions. Everything—from public safety and schools to the local CVB—hinges upon the orderly flow of traffic. This is especially relevant within urban areas.
Transportation infrastructure capability impacts local economies as well. For significant economic development to occur, businesses need to know that the transportation network will support timely movement of goods and services. Think “just-in-time” inventory.
In the past, prior to ITS, we managed “things” like pavement and bridges, which meant we watched transportation assets then reacted to requests for refurbishment and repair. Every few years, we might have seen a pothole repair campaign or bridge resurfacing, but we lacked the capability to substantially or rapidly influence the flow of traffic.
With today’s ITS, we operate the system . . . it doesn’t drive us. We can manipulate traffic flow, and can adjust it to support the operations of other municipal services. We can respond to changing weather conditions (tornado, hurricane, flooding) and emergencies (fire, riots, demonstrations). We can plan around events (football games, parade, opening night premiers). ITS helps avoid massive backups that used to tie us up for hours in traffic jams.
There is still room for improvement in spite of the advantages. We don’t use ITS to its full capacity because we in the transportation community tend to look inward when evaluating whether it’s doing well. We need
to begin measuring the impact on other municipal services and the consequences that will, in turn, enable us to operate smarter. Imagine a fleet of school buses that requires each bus to run five routes every day. If a bus is more than 5 minutes late on any given route, the school is required to dispatch another to pick up the slack. Costs associated with funding another driver, capital outlay for the additional bus, extra operation and maintenance costs, and more are all added to the school’s system budget. If we can make improvements by programming traffic signals in sync with conditions, or coordinating snowplows to prioritize primary routes, we could ensure that the school buses would move on schedule to save time and money.
We must find ways to demonstrate the impact of ITS on others’ performance. We need to “walk in the other guy’s shoes” to figure out how the performance measures are used and then figure out how we can have an impact. In the end, our traveling public—riders, drivers, and shippers—all benefit if we do a better job of supporting other municipal services, and we won’t know that we are meeting this challenge without a performance measurement system that is different than the one currently in use. DTJ
Tip Franklin is the Director of Business Development for Telvent. Hi remarks were delivered at the ITS Conference in West Des Moines, IA, to facilitate information sharing for ITS projects. Attendees represented the ITS community from the heartland states of Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.
INDUSTRY NEWS
>> You’ll find Industry News each month in the NDTA Gram and online in “Biz Briefs” at www.ndtahq.com
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (AAWW), a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services, has announced that its Atlas Air, Inc. unit launched its first military passenger charter flight for the DOD’s Air Mobility Command from Fort Bragg’s Pope Army Air Field in Fayetteville, NC, to Southwest Asia.
“The first Atlas Air, Inc. DOD passenger mission departed from Fort Bragg on May 17. The 747-400 passenger aircraft represents the newest addition to Atlas’s fleet of modern fuel-efficient aircraft. The mission culminates a year-long DOD Commercial Air Transportation Quality and Safety Review Program and is a significant milestone for our company,” said William J. Flynn, President and Chief Executive Officer of AAWW. He continued, “The AMC passenger service for the US military leverages the company’s long-standing service in AMC cargo operations, our knowledge of the areas of activity, and our success in providing premium, private-charter, passenger CMI operations for the US-Africa Energy Association (USAEA) through its agreement with SonAir.”
Mr. Flynn added, “Atlas Air and all of our employees are very proud to carry members of the US military on our aircraft.” DTJ
Visiting Chapter Cities Jeff Campbell Chapter Liaison
Wherever business, military, or personal travel takes you this summer, if NDTA has a local chapter nearby, there’s a good chance the area has a detour-worthy attraction to highlight your time away from home. While making travel arrangements, be sure to check www. ndtahq.com/chapters_about2.htm to see if there’s an active chapter at your destination. Use your NDTA Network on site for local touring tips. Here are some logistics and transportation related sites members can enjoy while visiting chapter cities.
walkers through the densest area of Dallas. With its rich rail history, the Katy Trail is the perfect location for the 2013 NDTA A-35 Veterans Benefit 5K.
Anc hora ge, Alas ka 2012 NDTA Forum & Expo Host City NDTA Members are already crafting creative ways to travel to next year’s Forum city and stay to enjoy the area after the program! After taking a flight or cruise ship to the city, use it as an embarkation point for areas of the state only accessible by train or small plane. Not feeling so adventurous? Visit the Alaska Veterans Museum, which honors Alaska Veterans. Its volunteer staff includes NDTA North Pole Chapter Members.
Dallas , Texas 2013 NDTA Expo during SDDC Training Symposium Host City Katy Trail – Where the Missouri-KansasTexas (MKT or “Katy”) Railroad once traveled through Dallas, community members and city leaders have preserved an urban park affectionately called the Katy Trail. The trail is a “Central Expressway” for bikers and walkers, right through downtown Dallas. The 30-acre linear park connects nature lovers, sports fans, and downtown
Photo Credit: US Air Force Academy
Denver , Col orad o 2012 NDTA Expo during SDDC Training Symposium Host City US Air Force Academy – Just south of Denver, the Air Force Academy Chapel is a landmark that stands proudly near Interstate 25, open daily to visitors. Air Force Officers begin their career here at the Academy and take off on the right path with the 10th Logistics Readiness Squadron Cadet Logistics, which provides support to 4000+ cadets a year.
Fort Eustis , Vir ginia Home of Regimental Chapter US Army Transportation Museum – Get a feel for how soldiers have moved from colonial days to the present at the US Army Transportation Museum, on the grounds of Fort Eustis, the Army Post that also hosts the US Army Transportation School. Artifacts on display range from planes, helicopters, and tugboats to trucks, jeeps, trains, and hovercraft. The museum is free to visit, and you can research special collections at the research library by appointment. Photo Credit: William J. Grimes
Norf ol k, Vir ginia Home of Norfolk-Tidewater Chapter Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel – A favorite day tour for our Norfolk-Tidewater Chapter Members, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel covers 20 miles over the lower Chesapeake Bay. The Bridge-Tunnel project provides the only direct link between south Hampton Roads, VA, and Virginia’s Eastern Shore, carrying US 13, the shore’s main north-south highway. This engineering marvel saves motorists 95 miles when traveling between Virginia Beach and points north of Wilmington, DE.
St. Louis , Miss ouri Home of USTRANSCOM Gateway Arch – The tallest stainless steel monument in the world, the St. Louis Gateway Arch offers a window to America’s westward expansion, built at the location of St. Louis’ foundation. Just as Americans used many modes of transportation to move out west, there are several types of transport to the top of the arch as well: by elevator, tram, or 1076 stairs. DTJ
Professional Certification and Career Enhancement Irvin Varkonyi, CSCP, PLog, President, Supply Chain Operations Preparedness Education ivarkonyi@apus.edu
Learnin g objectives 1. Learn the definitions of professional certifications 2. U nderstand the value of certification in your career 3. Gain knowledge on social media’s discussions on certifications
Using the five Ws and H method, the features and benefits of professional certification are used to assist decision making in pursuing professional development.
What is professional certification? “Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task. Many certifications are used as postnominal letters indicating an earned privilege from an oversight professional body acting to safeguard the public interest.”
This definition allows us to differentiate certification from a university degree. Certification demonstrates the skills that you have developed through the workplace and study. Education, such as earning a university degree, demonstrates the knowledge that you have gained that enables the individual to utilize critical thinking, which can be used to advance a profession.
Why is there professional certification? Certification, based on an industry’s standards, enables an organization to determine the capabilities of its workforce, as an extra tool in addition to others to evaluate its workers. Certification also allows different organizations in an industry to assess workers who may desire to move between organizations.
“The growth of certification programs is also a reaction to the changing employment market. Certifications are portable, since they do not depend on one company’s definition of a certain job. Certification stands about the resume and the professional reference by being an impartial, third-party endorsement of an individual’s professional knowledge and experience.”
Who creates professional certifications? Professional associations, trade organizations, and international standard bodies, among others, create professional certifications. APICS, the Association for Operations Management, has developed Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP). The Project Management Institute has developed the Project Management Professional (PMP), among others. ISM, the Institute for Supply Management, has developed the Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM). Government agencies also develop certification. The DOD created the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) for professionals in the acquisition workforce. Technology professionals have a wide array of certifications from industry and government.
When is certification of value? Certification is of value for professionals when work experience has been accumulated. Certification normally involves a review of work experience as well as testing of knowledge gained from experience. Thus certification will generally come after experience has been gained. Certification authorities normally require recertification. Few industries stay static in this technology-driven world, thus certified professionals must demonstrate that they have maintained industry involvement and knowledge. Timing of certification renewals varies by industry. At APICs, the Certified Supply Chain Professional must be renewed every five years. So does DAWIA.
How is certification earned? Certification is a combination of evaluation of work experience and an examination. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Standard 1100, defines the requirements of meeting the ANSI standard for being a certifying organization. According to ANSI Standard 1100, a professional certifying organization must meet two requirements: 1. Deliver an assessment based on industry knowledge, independent from training courses or course providers. 2. Grant a time-limited credential to anyone who meets the assessment standards.
Are there differences between international standards and certification? ANSI is critical in development standards for organizations and industries. Its standards will apply to organizations, and certifications will apply to individuals. Knowledge and experience with standards may be components within certification. For example, ASIS, the American Society for International Security, has created ASIS SPC.1.2009, Organization Resilience Standards. This standard focuses on security, preparedness, and continuity management systems. ASIS professionals are certified through CPP, Certified Protection Professional, and other certifications. Its standard for organizational resilience is a component of the certification exam.
Technology plays an increasingly important role in certification. Professionals who aspire to be certified can study for exams on specific websites dedicated to their certification. They can take their exams in proctored computer settings. Thus, those aspiring to be certified need not be fixed to a specific location and have the freedom to live and work where their jobs may take them.
Social media sites have also become a source of information. Here are a few to get you started: • http://www.linkedin.com/answers/ browse/career-education/certificationlicenses/CAR_CRT • www.facebook.com/pages/Professionalcertification/139515772734841 (for IT professionals)
Are you a trainer or educator who may seek certification in your profession? Check out the American Society for Training and Development‘s certifications: • http://search.astd.org/Search. aspx?csquery=certification.
NDTA Passenger Travel Services Committee Expands COL Denny Edwards, USA (Ret.)
Good news from the Passenger Travel Services Committee (PTSC). It has been far too long since the committee has had active rail and bus travel representatives. Soon it appears that both Amtrak and a leading nationwide bus management company, Transportation Management Services, will take their places on the PTSC. Planned High -Speed Rail Pr ojects in the US
Major Corridors Funding* Total Miles Top Speed
California $3 billion 1955 miles 220 mph
Northeast Corridor $683 million 727 miles 110 mph
Charlotte–Raleigh–Richmond–Washington, DC $688 million 480 miles 110 mph
Eugene –Portland–Seattle–Vancouver $637 million 467 miles 150 mph
Kansas City –St. Louis–Chicago $1.17 billion 570 miles 110 mph
*Department of Transportation, FRA
10,000
8,000
High Speed Rail Worldwide
Planned Under construction In Operation
Since the mid 1970s, rail passenger service and bus passenger service have seen a steady decline in official military travel. That decline pretty much mirrored rail and bus service in general.
Shortly after Amtrak was formed in 1971, a robust DOD rail and bus travel program was promoted by long time NDTA member retired Army Colonel Joe Bellino. Working for both Amtrak and also Greyhound after he retired as Director of Passenger Traffic at SDDC (then MTMTS), he worked to expand military guard and reserve unit moves, recruiting station inductees transportation, and official duty travel programs for the military—all issues that he knew well from his Passenger Travel days at MTMTS.
Unfortunately, budgets and politics prevented much progress over the following 35 years. Until recently, that is, with renewed interest in High Speed Rail (HSR) routes and improving Amtrak service. If actually realized, plans for HSR lines and 6,000
4,000
2,000
0
China Spain France Japan Turkey Germany Italy
Source: UIC – International Union of Railways
Portugal USA
expanded Amtrak service, could make Department of Defense troop movements viable once again.
The key according to many rail experts is winning back public support for rail travel. Amtrak seems to be doing just that. They have spotlighted improved rail travel on Amtrak and launched their 40th Anniversary celebration this year on National Train Day—May 7, 2011. [Editor’s note: The date commemorates the Golden Spike Ceremony in 1869, 142 years ago.] Free celebrations were hosted in major Amtrak cities, and a special 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train was launched to travel the country for the next six months. Amtrak has also produced a special anniversary book and DVD documentary for sale on the train.
Likewise, with the demise of the nationwide bus giants Greyhound and Continental Trailways, military unit and troop movements decreased. But now bus companies are coming back with sleek European style coaches with additional amenities, restroom facilities, on-board food service, TV-DVD, and WiFi. Add to that competitive rates, and DOD will want to take a second look at intercity bus service for sure.
A strong advocate of modern motor coach service and a new NDTA corporate member is Transportation Management Services (TMS). As a leading provider of transportation planning and operations for government and industry, they are already heavily involved with FEMA in disaster assistance and in providing motor coaches for emergency evacuations. Their civil preparedness planning and operational support capabilities provide a good fit with NDTA’s mission and goals. DTJ
ALL OF THESE FIRMS SUPPORT THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES OF NDTA
SUSTAINING MEMBERS ABF Freight System, Inc. Accor Hotels ACTCO-Afghanistan Logistics Air Transport Assn. of America Air Transport International, LLC AIT Worldwide Logistics, Inc. American Maritime Officers American Military University American United Logistics AMYX ARINC Army Air Force Exchange Service Arven Freight Services, LLC Associated Global Systems Baggett Transportation Co. Boyle Transportation Cardinal Transport, Inc. Carlson Hotels Worldwide CGI Chalich Trucking, Inc. Chamber of Shipping of America Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation Covenant Transport Coyne Airways Coyote Logistics, LLC/General Freight Services CRST International, Inc. CSC Crowley Maritime Corp. CWT SatoTravel C2 Freight Resources, Inc. DAMCO Dell, Inc. Delta Air Lines, Inc. DHL Express Dynamics Research Corp. Enterprise Database Corporation Express-1 Fikes Truck Line GE Aviation General Dynamics/American Overseas Marine General Dynamics NASSCO GeoDecisions Global Maritime & Trans. School-USMM A Greatwide Truckload Management Hilton Worldwide HLC Government Services Hub Group, Inc. Intercomp Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) Intermarine, LLC International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO Intl. Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots Interstate Worldwide Relocation Kansas City Southern Keystone Shipping Company Knight Transportation KU Transportation Research Institute Kuehne + Nagel, Inc. Labelmaster Software Liberty Global Logistics, LLC Liberty Maritime Corporation
REGIONAL PATRONS AAAA Forwarding, Inc. Access America Transport, Inc. AFC Worldwide Express/R+L Global Services Aggreko International AKA a division of Korman Communities Al-Morrell Development/Morrell Int’l. Alaska West Express American Moving & Storage Assn. American Trucking Associations Anton Law Group Association of American Railroads ATS Specialized, Inc. Avis Budget Group Benchmarking Partners C5T Corporation Cargotec USA, Inc. The Cartwright Companies Cavalier Logistics Center for the Commercial Deployment of Transportation Technologies (CCDoTT) Ceres Terminals, Inc. CGM Security Solutions, Inc. Chapman Freeborn Airchartering Chassis King C.L. Services, Inc. Coastal Maritime Stevedoring, LLC Corporate Flight Management Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group EADS North America Enterprise Holdings Erudite Company Estes Forwarding Worldwide, LLC Europcar Car & Truck Rental Executive Apartments, Inc. Federal IT Consulting (FEDITC), LLC FlightWorks FM N Logistics Fox Rent A Car Goverline Logistics Great American Lines, Inc. Green Valley Transportation Corp. Hanjin Intermodal America, Inc. Hawaii Air Cargo, Inc. Holiday Inn VA Beach – Norfolk Hotel & Conference Center HudsonMann, Inc. Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Innovative Green Solutions JAS Forwarding Kalitta Charters, LLC LMJ International Logistics, LLC Logistics Management Resources, Inc.
LMI Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. M 2 Transport Mack Trucks, Inc. ManTech International Corp. Marine Engineer’s Benefits Association Martin Logistics, Inc. Matson Navigation Co., Inc. Mayflower Transit McCollister’s Transportation Systems, Inc. McLeod Software Menlo Worldwide Mercer Transportation Co. Military Officers Association of America National Air Carrier Assn., Inc. National Van Lines New England Motor Freight, a Shevell Group Co. North Carolina State Ports Authority NYK Logistics Americas Ocean Shipholdings, Inc. Ocean Star International, Inc. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. Omega World Travel One Network Enterprises, Inc. OSG Ship Management, Inc. Overdrive Logistics, Inc. Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Panalpina Parts Associates, Inc. (PAI) Pilot Freight Services PODS Port of Beaumont Pratt & Whitney Prestera Trucking, Inc. Priority Solutions International Priority Worldwide Services PRTM Management Consultants, LLC Qualcomm Incorporated Radiant Logistics Partners, LLC Ridgeway International Rock-It-Cargo USA, LLC Sammons Trucking Savi, a Lockheed Martin Company Sea Star Line, LLC Seafarers Int’l Union of N.A. AGLIWD Sealed Air Corp. Sealift, Inc. Southwest Airlines SRA International, Inc. Tamerlane Global Services Textainer Equipment Management Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE) TQL Transportation Institute Transportation Intermediaries Assn. (TIA) Tri-State Motor Transit, Co., (TSMT) Tucker Company Worldwide, Inc. Union Pacific Railroad United Airlines United Van Lines, Inc. UPS Freight UTi Worldwide, Inc. UTXL Wagler Integrated Logistics, LLC Worldwide Aeros Corp
LTD Hospitality Group Lynden, Inc. Magellan Transport Logistics Marriott Hawaii Resorts & Hotels Marriott International MBA | Morten Beyer & Agnew McLane Advanced Technologies MCR Federal, LLC (MCR) Meyer Trucking, Inc. Mi-Jack Products & Technology Military Sealift Command (MSC) Miramar Transportation mLINQS, LLC MRA Experiential Tours & Equipment Naniq Systems, LLC NCI Information Systems, Inc. NFI Oakwood Corporate Worldwide ORBIS Corp. OTO Hospitality Development Overwatch, Inc. Patriot Contract Services, LLC Payless Car Rental Philadelphia Regional Port Authority Phoenix International Freight Services, Ltd. Port of Port Arthur Port of San Diego Reckart Logistics, Inc. Royal Trucking Company Scan Logistix, Inc. Seabridge, Inc. Sea Box, Inc. SkyLink—(USA) Sleep Inn and Suites SLT Express Way, Inc. SR International Logistics, Inc. Stratos Jet Charters, Inc. Suite Solutions TAPESTRY - FSG Tennessee Steel Haulers Trailer Bridge, Inc. Trailer Transit, Inc. Trans Global Logistics Europe GmbH TRI-STATE Expedited Service, Inc. Triton Systems, Inc. Truva International Transportation & Logistics Try Tours Expediting Services Unified Consultants Group, Inc. Unimasters Logistics PLC US Bank Freight Payment US Door & Building Components Utley, Inc. The Virginian Suites
AAR CORP + PLUS Agility Defense & Government Services + PLUS American Shipping & Logistics Group (ASL) + PLUS APL Limited + PLUS Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings + PLUS The Boeing Company + PLUS Bennett Motor Express, LLC + PLUS Choice Hotels International + PLUS CEVA Logistics + PLUS Cubic Global Tracking Solutions, Inc. + PLUS FedEx + PLUS Final Mile Logistics + PLUS Global Aviation Holdings Inc. + PLUS Hapag-Lloyd USA, LLC + PLUS Horizon Lines, Inc. + PLUS IBM + PLUS InterContinental Hotels Group + PLUS Landstar System, Inc. + PLUS Maersk Line, Limited + PLUS National Air Cargo + PLUS Panther Expedited Services, Inc. + PLUS Ports America + PLUS Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) + PLUS Supreme Group USA, LLC + PLUS Titan Services + PLUS Universal Truckload Services, Inc. + PLUS UPS + PLUS YRC Worldwide + PLUS
Accenture American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier, LLC BNSF Railway Co. Booz Allen Hamilton Bristol Associates CorTrans Logistics, LLC CSX Transportation DB Schenker DHL Global Forwarding Evergreen International Airlines, Inc. The Hertz Corporation Innovative Logistics, LLC International Shipholding Corp. KGL Holding Lockheed Martin Norfolk Southern Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation Omni Air International The Pasha Group R&R Trucking Raith-CTS Logistics SkyBitz
The Big Roads
The Big Roads, by Earl Swift, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, June 2011, $27.00, Hardcover, 384 pp, ISBN-13: 978-0618812417. A man-made wonder, a connective network, an economic force, a bringer of blight and sprawl and the possibility of escape—the US interstate system changed the face of our country. The Big Roads charts the creation of these essential American highways. From the turn-of-the-century car racing entrepreneur who spurred the citizenled “Good Roads” movement to the handful of driven engineers who conceived of the interstates and how they would work—years before President Eisenhower knew the plans existed—to the protests that erupted across the nation when highways reached the cities and found people unwilling to be uprooted in the name of progress, Swift follows a winding, fascinating route through twentiethcentury American life.
How did we get from dirt tracks to expressways, from main streets to offramps, from mud to concrete and steel, in less than a century? Through decades of politics, activism, and marvels of engineering, we recognize in our highways the wanderlust, grand scale, and conflicting notions of citizenship and progress that define America. And it is this conflict that is truly both fascinating and thoughtprovoking. For example, neighborhoods were wiped out or cut in two by new freeways in New York, Chicago, and New Orleans, displacing thousands and destroying ethnic communities. And in another case of progress at any price, in 1963, the California State Division of Highways proposed setting off 22 atomic bombs in the Bristol Mountains to make way for I-40 to Barstow—a 36% savings over normal engineering methods. Yikes! Fortunately, common sense prevailed. This is a truly fascinating book for anyone interested in the role of transportation in the economic development of modern America. DTJ
continued from page 5
fight jetlag, and things really get interesting. And that’s all for those of us in coach; the wonders of first class are increasingly becoming the stuff of myth, not that I’ll ever know for sure.
The railroad industry is investing huge sums in technology. For example, Positive Train Control uses on-board computers, digital communications, and Global Positioning Systems equipment that let a central control station at the company see where their trains are in real time and stop them by remote control if an engineer fails to obey a signal. In addition, advances in braking and car-monitoring systems will improve safety and keep closer tabs on hazardous cargo. Sadly, none of these advances has anything to do with passenger travel. Despite the adoption of high-speed passenger rail service in other countries, the US continues to ignore what could be a very attractive alternative to air and auto travel. This lack of a clear national rail passenger strategy meant the federal government couldn’t even give away stimulus funds to the states for that purpose. So, here we are in 2011, still relying on personal vehicles and the airlines for the bulk of our passenger transport needs, which is unfortunate given their relatively large carbon footprint. I don’t believe any of our forefathers expected that dependence to last so long or be so total. If you have a chance to read The Big Roads, the book I recommend in this issue’s Bookshelf Ideas, you see that throughout the 20th century, highway planners (and those in other modes, I suspect) almost always underestimated future traffic levels with negative implications for our infrastructure. And yet, is there any other country in the world even close to the size of ours that one can drive across non-stop should their bladder allow it? And where else can an air traveler truly expect to find multiple flights per day to wherever they want to go, either within the US or abroad? Despite its flaws, our passenger transportation system provides us a level of mobility virtually unique in the world. I’ll take it. DTJ continued from page 4
vided valuable insight on what has aided them in career advancement and their success. A-35ers have also worked with education experts to gain information on what resources are available to further transportation and logistics careers. Young professionals participating in these activities perform more effectively; some have applied lessons learned to gain promotions.
Most recently, NDTA A-35ers are helping troops stay connected with their loved ones. We worked with Cell Phones for Soldiers and made calling cards available for an entire battalion so they will be able to call home while deployed.
The A-35 Committee stands ready “To be an active component of NDTA providing opportunities and developing tomorrow’s leaders”. DTJ
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serve. The t-shirt worn by Lt. Marilyn Upton’s mother said it all: “Some Heroes Wear Capes, My Hero Wears Army Boots.”
Members of 1-204th ADA—you are heroes to many of us! Thank you for your service to the State of Mississippi and the United States of America. DTJ
Thank you to Major General William L. Freeman, Jr. and Colonel Robert F. Thomas, for their support and assistance in bringing the story of the 1-204th ADA Battalion to NDTA readers. All members of NDTA, along with our fellow citizens, will be praying for the safe return home of your troops and all the others still in harms way. HOO AH!
American Military University........................... 5 APL................................................................Cov 3 ARC..................................................................... 15 Bennett International Group .......................... 25 Boyle Transportation ......................................... 6 Budget................................................................ 21 Farrell Lines....................................................... 11 FedEx.............................................................Cov 4 InterContinental Hotels Group......................... 9 Landstar............................................................. 13 Maersk Line, Limited ......................................... 1 SAIC...............................................................Cov 2 Southwest Airlines........................................... 17 UPS....................................................................... 2 DTJ Inde x of Advertisers
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