- Florida DOT Prepares To Open Air Taxi Service Development And Hosting Facility
- TransCore Names Former MDTA Official Its First Chief Experience Officer
- Christophe Boutin Named 2026 ASECAP President
- AAA Research Suggests Road Debris Is Unappreciated But Significant Factor In US Crashes
- Briefer Still: Seven Other Developments TRN Is Following
- Subscription Information
This is a Subscribers-Only area. If you are a subscriber, please login. If not...
Become a Subscriber Today »
Florida DOT Prepares To Open Air Taxi Service Development And Hosting Facility
Florida DOT is preparing to position the state as the US pioneer of commercial Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), otherwise known as air taxi service. A SunTrax test site that will serve various aircraft types — including electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft — is due to go into operation early this year. FDOT expects the facility to be capable of hosting commercial intercity passenger services by the end of 2026. Last month, California-based Archer Aiviation announced it could start as early as this year to provide flights between three international airports in Florida, with stops at several smaller airports.
FDOT has a multiphase plan for statewide service deployment. It is promoting AAM as an alternative to driving on congested highways.
Sources: Florida Today, WWSB News, FDOT website AAM subpage
Advanced Air Mobility (Air Taxis) Florida Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) SunTrax Transportation and Infrastructure Research & DevelopmentTransCore Names Former MDTA Official Its First Chief Experience Officer
TransCore announced the appointment of Deborah Sharpless as its first chief experience officer (CXO). In this new role, she will lead company-wide initiatives to strengthen relationships with public sector agencies, enhance service delivery, guide TransCore’s Voice-of-Customer programs, and translate feedback into measurable improvements in products, services, support, and operations. Ms. Sharpless will also help advance TransCore AI-powered tolling technologies by using customer insights and agency collaboration to guide prioritization, deployment, and adoption of the technologies.
Over a 25-year public-sector career that most recently included 17 years of service with the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), Ms. Sharpless exercised responsibilities for finance, operations, and customer service. Immediately before joining TransCore, she was MDTA’s chief financial officer. She is also a former MDTA deputy executive director. Ms. Sharpless has chaired the E-ZPass® Interagency Group Executive Board and been an IBTTA board member.
The company noted that its creation of the CXO role “builds on TransCore’s ongoing efforts to deepen collaboration with tolling and transportation agencies, elevate customer experience and translate customer feedback into meaningful outcomes.” President and CEO Whitt Hall commented, “As TransCore expands its technology portfolio and deepens long-term partnerships with tolling and transportation agencies, we recognized the need for a dedicated executive focus on customer experience and service delivery. The creation of the Chief Experience Officer role ensures customer insight is embedded across how our solutions are delivered, supported, and adopted over time. Deborah’s public sector experience gives her a deep understanding of agency priorities and positions her well to align our technology and services with our customers’ long-term goals.”
Source: TransCore news release
Appointments-Promotions-Retirements Artificial Intelligence Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) TransCore Women in TransportationChristophe Boutin Named 2026 ASECAP President
Christophe Boutin, executive director of ASFA, the association of French motorway and tolling companies, was recently named ASECAP president for 2026.
ASECAP (Association Européenne des Concessionnaires d’Autoroutes et d’Ouvrages à Péage) is the organization representing Europe’s toll facility operators. Its members manage motorways, bridges, and tunnels across 17 countries with a combined length exceeding 51,000 miles.
M. Boutin also serves as an IBTTA board member and president of the European Facilitation Platform supporting the rollout of the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS). He is a graduate of both École Polytechnique and École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées.
Sources: ASECAP news release, ASECAP’s Boutin biography, Global Highways
Appointments-Promotions-Retirements ASECAP (European Association of Toll Road Infrastructure Operators) European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) France IBTTAAAA Research Suggests Road Debris Is Unappreciated But Significant Factor In US Crashes
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research has disclosed that “[r]oad debris presents a significant threat to [US] traffic safety. It can contribute to crashes directly when vehicles are struck by objects actively falling or strike debris lying on the road. It can also contribute to crashes indirectly, when drivers crash while performing sudden evasive maneuvers to attempt to avoid debris.”
The foundation conducted a review of police crash reports and national crash data to compile estimates of debris-related incidents, which have not been extensively studied or documented. Among other things, findings set out in a November 2025 research brief indicate:
- Debris was a factor in an estimated 319,724 motor vehicle crashes, 32,802 injuries, and 433 fatalities between 2018 and 2023.
- The most common types of debris identified in crash data were vehicle parts, “miscellaneous cargo, tools, and building materials,” and natural debris like tree branches and dead animals.
- Crashes involving a driver’s attempt to avoid roadway debris tended to be more severe than crashes in which a vehicle struck or was struck by debris.
Based on the compiled estimates, the foundation suggests that a “coordinated effort is needed to address road debris as a safety issue. National and state agencies should implement countermeasures, such as standardized crash documentation, prioritized debris removal, and consistent enforcement of laws regarding load securement. Drivers can also help reduce debris-related crash risks by securing their cargo, maintaining their vehicles, and adopting defensive driving techniques.”
Source: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety announcement
American Automobile Association (AAA) Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Transportation and Infrastructure Research & DevelopmentBriefer Still: Seven Other Developments TRN Is Following
I-95 Work Zone Crash Kills Two Maine DOT Maintenance Workers, Injures A Third (Bangor Daily News, WABI News)
Some New Hampshire DOT Toll Plaza Lanes Are Shut Today for Maintenance Work (WMUR News)
Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) Imposes 24-Hour Winter Weather Ban On Certain Trucks And Closes Walk-In Center Due To Lake Effect Snowstorm Forecast (ITRCC social media post)
Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) Spotlights Website Redesign Benefits (ITD news release)
Ohio DOT Invests $97 Million In 39 Roadway Safety Projects To Deliver Roundabouts, Turn Lane And Intersection Improvements, Signage Upgrades, And Pedestrian And Bike Facilities (ODOT news release)
Despite Legislative Proposals And A Potentially Favorable Court Decision, Nationwide Toll Exemption For Brazilians Over 60 Remains Elusive (Click Petróleo e Gas)
Key Section Of Metro Pacific Tollways’ NLEX-C5 Northlink Project Is Halfway To Completion (NLEX news release)
Subscription Information
If you’re not already a Daily News Briefs subscriber and you want a complete picture of today’s news, click here or call 717-991-2823 for information. If you’re a newcomer to TollRoadsNews.com, try a free trial.