The Intelligent Transportation Society of America was established in 1991 as a not-for-profit organization to foster the use of advanced technologies in surface transportation systems.

 

The formation of the society was motivated by recognition that while numerous existing organizations were actively involved in intelligent transportation issues, no single organization existed to focus exclusive attention on emerging technologies. The Highway Users Federation and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials worked closely with leaders within the Federal Highway Administration and others to create an organization to focus national attention, research, and funding on intelligent transportation systems.   

 

 

There was strong private sector interest and support for its formation, broad support from the public sector—including the U.S. Department of Transportation—and active involvement from the research community. 

 

In 1991, the federal government’s role in transportation was undergoing a dramatic transformation. In addition, new technology was seen as an important, yet still emerging, tool to aid transportation. Without a massive “interstate-like” federal program to guide investment in this new technology, it was critical that some formal partnership among the varied interests in the technology be created to guide research, development and deployment—a national, public-private partnership where local, state and federal governments could work together with private sector industry interests was needed.

 

The private sector viewed the market for ITS technologies, products and services as a lucrative one. But, much of the success of ITS was dependent on largely government-funded infrastructure. While approximately 80 percent of the investment in ITS was to be made by the private sector, a fair portion of the public sector's 20 percent investment would have to be made first, to provide the infrastructure upon which ITS goods and services could be developed and sold. The public-private partnership was seen as a means for the private sector to share research and development costs with the government, shape government policy related to the industry and keep the government apprised of activities being carried out in the private sector.

 

Federal Advisory Committee

 

In 1991, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) provided this initial funding and authorized the organization to be a Federal Advisory Committee to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Among its first major tasks was the development of a strategic plan for ITS deployment in the U.S. The document was a collaborative effort among the organization’s membership and the U.S. DOT set a national framework for guiding the development of intelligent transportation systems. It also helped define the institutional and investment roles for the public and private sector in deployment. And, perhaps most importantly for the organization, the strategic plan helped give the organization credibility with both sectors and placed it in a central role to foster intelligent transportation systems in the U.S.

 

 

When the Intelligent Transportation Society of America was formed, the president of the Highway Users Federation was named as President and CEO of the society. An Executive Director was also named to manage day-to-day operations. One objective of the linkage was to support ITS America’s interests through lobbying. The federation provided an established advocacy infrastructure to generate political support for intelligent transportation systems. The relationship was relatively effective until the society’s first President retired and formal relations with the federation were severed. To fill the void, ITS America increased it legislative information services and activities (within the confines of its tax-exempt status).

 

Later, the society, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation, led the development of the National ITS Program Plan, the creation of a national ITS architecture to identify critical interfaces to achieve interoperability at the regional, state and national levels, the establishment of a national clearinghouse of ITS information (ITSA.org), and the formation of policy included in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).