Quotes on ASTMv7 at ITSA Roundtable

Quotes on ASTMv7

“Like others we have devoted a lot of company resources to this. The results (ASTMv7) are not ideal for anyone but they represent a tolerable compromise. We have looked after the interests of our customers. We will be able to offer them a migration path which they can implement provided there is time. We must remember that the most this (ASTMv7) can do is to guarantee non-interference between systems. It provides compatibility. Other issues are involved in interoperability.” Paul Manuel, Mark IV.

“The race is over for the first generation of toll collection systems (in N. America). All the major agencies have made their choices. There will be no major RFPs in the immediate future. There is plenty of time in the US market. We should take that time to thoroughly test and develop the next generation of equipment. We see the North American influence on ISO and are grateful for it. We think that in Layer 7 there is the chance for international harmonization and that we can make common products for Europe, Japan and North America.” Ove Salomonsson, Saab Combitech.

“It (ASTMv7) is one we can go into the future with, while protecting the (existing) systems. So we can see a migration path (to ASTMv7). The other major isssue is cost. We have noticed something — that low cost tends to win — so it is vital that it allows us to build low cost. We want to build products that people want to buy.” Dick Schnacke, Amtech.

“We have been looking at the North American specifications (ASTMv7) very closely. We have the information to build to North American standards. We hope that the important Layer 7 work will lead to harmonized systems internationally.” Sam Oyama, Hitachi, saying he thought he spoke for other Japanese manufacturers too.

“This is an outstanding effort. We now have the framework to go forward. We can now build compatible systems and make them interoperable, if the agencies will will follow through and make the institutional arrangements. If they don’t do that then all this work on compatibility is a waste, just a field of dreams. We can’t build products you won’t buy. It is now up to the market to say we’ll buy....We’ll develop what the market wants. As soon as customers look as though they will commit to upgrades (go to ASTMv7) we will move. We have products quite close to the (ASTMv7) standard.” Loren Jonkey, Raytheon HTMS.

“Sometimes things (standards etc) just take time. I’m told it takes a woman nine months to make a baby. You can’t get expect to get that baby made in one month by getting nine women working at it.” Ed Logsdon, Commissioner Transp, Kentucky.

“From our perspective (as a toll operator) electronic tolling is a miracle pill. It moves our traffic. We have doubled our throughput and virually completely elminated queueing with no new toll lanes and fewer staff. What we have now works and works really well. We couldn’t operate without it now. ETC is now at the core of what we do and how we work. We can’t accept anything that will degrade our service even for a while. Any conversions will have to be seamless, painless to our customers, or they will get very angry and tell us we are stupid bureaucrats getting in their way. We face two conversions, first to the state choice SunPass (from Mark IV), then a second (ASTMv7). We mustn’t break something that is working.” Jorge Figueredo, Orlando Orange County Exwy Auth.

“This is a very important day. The companies have given far more than we (USDOT) has been able to provide. It is a superb job, but this is just the beginning...we have a piece of paper, now people have to act on it.” Mike Onder, USDOT.

“It is true that within our region (the northeast) we have a large degree of interoperability with our existing systems but I take offense at the suggestion that we are not concerned about potential compatibility problems. Our region is spreading and we will have problems when we become neighbors with systems in another region, (such as may happen in the Carolinas.) We think it is important that the new standard (ASTMv7) provides for the full range of tags from basic tolling through to the full range of functions, which probably only truckers will care about.” Rena Barta, IAG New York.

“We are very supportive of what the USDOT has been doing. We are fully committed to moving to a interoperable system throughout North America, Mexico, Canada and the US together. Our truckers already see the benefit of DSRC. We are especially happy about Layer 7 which is a major advance. We have shown you can handle multiple systems with good design, such as with the fusion transponder we have on highway 407 (which can handle IAG and ASTMv6 systems)” Lewis Sabounghi, Transport Canada.