Grant to help researchers move
forward with “TransMap” data
project
Researchers at the University of Arkansas are using technology to improve the way government and industry
manage multimodal transportation systems nationwide,
thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of
Transportation’s Maritime Administration.
Over the next three years, researchers will develop the
“Transportation and Maritime Analytics Partnerships
Hub,” or “TransMap,” which will use big data to provide
real-time interactive maps and other geospatial data to
help government agencies and industry plan, build, and
maintain transportation infrastructure, including roads
and highways, rail lines, and waterways. The project helps
promote the development of “efficient, resilient, and sustainable” multimodal transportation nationwide, according to Heather Nachtmann, professor of industrial engineering and director of the University of Arkansas-led
Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center
(MarTREC).
Nachtmann and her MarTREC colleagues will use exist-
ing smart technologies to develop an integrated system that
will capture, curate, and disseminate high volumes of data
in visual format, according to the university. Nachtmann
refers to TransMap as a “visual decision space” for trans-
portation officials and the broader public, available as a
government-hosted website. Officials will be able to use
TransMap to plan and manage infrastructure, and others
can use it as a tool to evaluate increasingly complex trans-
portation networks, the university also said. The researchers
expect to launch a prototype website by September 2022.
MarTREC is one of 20 centers nationwide designated
as a Tier 1 University Transportation Center, which refers
to the level of grant funding it can receive from the U.S.
Department of Transportation. The center is a consortium
of researchers from Jackson State University in Mississippi,
Louisiana State University, the University of New Orleans,
Vanderbilt University, Texas A&M University, and the
Texas A&M Transportation Institute. n
Global logistics services pro-
vider Dachser has received
the 2019 3PL Excellence
award from the University
of Southern California and
the ports of Los Angeles
and Long Beach. The 3PL
Excellence award recog-
nizes service providers for
outstanding customer service, reliability, and industry
expertise. … The Port of Virginia received the Port
Management and Infrastructure award at the Lloyd’s
List 2019 Americas Awards, an annual competition
run by the maritime industry publication. The port
was honored for its Virginia International Gateway
(VIG) infrastructure project, a three-year, $312 million
investment that doubled VIG’s container and rail capac-
ity. … Material handling equipment supplier Murata
Machinery has been recognized by research and con-
sulting firm Frost & Sullivan as Logistics Automation
Solutions Provider of the Year – Asia-Pacific. Murata
Machinery was selected from a pool of over 200,000
companies for its commitment to innovation, ongoing
product-development initiatives, and customer-support
capabilities. … Werner Enterprises, a transportation
and logistics services provider, was honored as the
Enterprise Business of the Year at the 2019 AIM Tech
Celebration. Werner received the award for its out-
standing application of technology. … Liquid bulk
chemical carrier CTL Transportation LLC, an operating
company of Comcar Industries, has been recognized as
a conforming Responsible Care Partner by the American
Chemistry Council. The recognition was the result of
Responsible Care audits at CTL Transportation’s head-
quarters in Auburndale, Florida, and its terminal loca-
tions in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama.
accolades
DACHSER
