NETS
 

NETS News

Vol IV, Issue 2   June 2008
 

NETS Tools Assist Asset Management Effort
The NETS Navigation System Simulation (NaSS) project provided critical data to the Inland Navigation Asset Management effort. The lock information database component of the NaSS project, known as the NaSS Schema, provided information needed by the "National Application of Shipper-Carrier Cost (SCC) Model for Estimating NED Cost Impacts due to Main Lock Chamber Closures". The results of the National Application will be used to inform development of the FY10 Navigation Budget EC Annex.

The NaSS Schema provided lock data related to vessel traffic counts by vessel type, average lock delay, lock processing times by chamber and number of cuts, percent of lockages which are single and multiple cut, and vessel operating costs based on horsepower. Had the NaSS Schema not been available, alternative means of developing the data would have likely been time and cost prohibitive.

Fact Sheet

Wes Wilson Measures Benefits and Progress of NETS Demand Modeling Efforts
Professor Wesley Wilson was invited to present NETS research at Washington State University and at the University of Minnesota. His presentations focused on the measurement of benefits and progression of NETS demand modeling efforts, particularly in regards to applications of the techniques introduced by Kenneth Train and Wesley Wilson titled "Estimation on Stated-Preference Experiments Constructed from Revealed-Preference Choices" Transportation Research – B, Vol. 42 (2008) , 191-203, and in particular, on a recent application to shippers in the Upper Mississippi-Illinois Region.

Transportation Research – B

Wes Wilson Attends International Forum Roundtable on Transport Economics
Nets Researcher Wesley Wilson, PhD was invited to and attended an Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) roundtable on transport economics. This roundtable focused on Port Competition and Hinterland Connections. The International Transport Forum workshop was attended by a wide variety of policy makers, planners, academic and non-academic economists. Papers were presented by:

International Transport Forum Roundtables
 

Submit R&D Needs and Requirements by 30 June 08!
It’s time to submit R&D needs and requirements. The deadline is 30 June 08! Online forms may be accessed from the Navigation Gateway http://operations.usace.army.mil/navigation.cfm.

The USACE Research and Development Directorate (CERD) has developed a Civil Works R&D process that is based on field-identified research requirements. Under this process, R&D needs and requirements are identified and prioritized by Research Area Review Groups (RARG) composed of a representative membership of field and MSC experts.

Engineers and scientists throughout the USACE can assist the RARGs by developing R&D statements of need based on their awareness of technical challenges related to their technical disciplines and mission areas. Please feel free to contact CIRP PIs to develop these statements relative to navigation, channels, inlets, and adjacent beaches. To submit statements of need, online forms may be accessed from the Navigation Gateway. POC: Julie Rosati, Julie.D.Rosati@usace.army.mil.

The submitted prioritized requirements are routed through Headquarters for overall prioritization. CERD will then develops a Civil Works R&D program to achieve those higher priority requirements. This process is synchronized with the 2-year budget planning process of the Federal government; that is, the requirements generated and prioritized by this fall (FY09) will be eligible to become new starts as part of the FY11 Civil Works R&D program.

 

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Copyright 2008, Navigation Economic Technologies Program, US Army Corps of Engineers