Chief Engineer Emerging Mobility at HNTB working on advanced ITS projects designing and deploying vehicle to infrastructure communication systems, connected vehicle systems, automated vehicle systems, electric vehicles and infrastructure, automated guideways, airport systems, Ground transportation, transit systems, Smart Cities, variable message sign systems. Bob supports emerging mobility programs for HNTB clients across the country. He leverages his 30 years of experience in delivering innovative technology solutions to support connected and automated vehicle programs and Smart City initiatives. As Director Technology Services at NJTransit for 12 years before coming to HNTB, his experience in applying technology solutions for public transportation agencies has been essential in planning and deploying multi-modal systems in major urban areas.
The first person to propose Connected Automated Vehicles (CV/AV) over 20 years ago to propose using connected vehicles and connected infrastructure to automate vehicles and improve vehicle safety. One of the founders of the Smart Road at Virginia Tech and the first to design the facility for testing automated vehicles and concepts. Pointed out that GPS alone will not be sufficient accuracy for safety based CV applications and demonstrated the use of centimeter accuracy all-weather Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to control vehicles. Summary of Smart Cities & CV/Av Experience MTA Genius Challenge Winner – Awarded innovation prize for signal system with over 400 proposals submitted. Developed Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) using Connected Vehicle and Ultrawideband technology for a rapid deployment at a low cost. Same technology we deployed at street level in NYC to accurately locate buses, cars and freight vehicles. San Francisco Airport High-level Zero Emission Vehicle Readiness Plan – Robert is working with SFO environmental and electrical groups to analyze the existing ground transportation and electrical infrastructure and their Capital Infrastructure Plan to determine what coming disruptors of electric vehicles, mobility on demand, Connected and automated vehicles will impact the infrastructure. Recommendations will be made to their Capital Plan to support these changing paradigms and transition their fleet to fully electric vehicles. Columbus Smart Cities – Lead Systems Engineer working on various Connected Vehicle initiatives on the Columbus Smart City Project. Included is the Connected Electric Automated Vehicle shuttles and electric charging infrastructure; deployment of 3000 onboard units and 175 roadside units for 15 different CV applications including safety, mobility and traffic management applications; and First/last mile mobility on demand applications. Responsible for providing the technical vision and System of Systems Engineering process for the program. Work with public and private partners to integrate disparate systems into a cohesive program that optimizes the partner contributions. Direct individual project managers in development of system requirements that contribute to the overall program. PANYNJ Electric Vehicle Transition Planning – Robert helped prepare space and electrical needs to support the acquisition of electric buses for JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports. JFK is procuring 40 electric buses, LaGuardia is procuring 20 buses and Newark is procuring 20 buses. NJDOT Statewide CV System Engineering – Lead engineer preparing the statewide system engineering documents including Concept of Operations, System Requirements, Verification and Validation Plans for Connected Vehicle Implementation of CV technology on traffic signals and state fleet vehicles. This includes transit signal priority (TSP) for the NJTRANSIT buses. PANYNJ Autonomous Transit Engineering – Robert prepared engineering documents (ConOps, Requirements, RFI) for a pilot deployment for the Exclusive Bus Lanes (XBL) going into the Lincoln tunnel. The deployment will automate 1900 Motor Coach Industry (MCI) buses with Virtual-Rail automated technology that will improve safety and increase capacity to the bus lane through automation and will achieve the centimeter accuracies necessary for the tight vehicle maneuvers needed in the tunnel and at the Port Authority Bus Terminal Newark & LaGuardia Airport People Mover Replacement – Robert is working with Port Authority for the New York area airports on feasibility studies and beginning preliminary engineering to deploy virtual-rail dedicated automated guideways to take the place of Automated Rail People movers. FHWA Automated Highway System – Developed one of three concept families for FHWA to automate vehicles on highways. Was the only one to use connected vehicles to achieve automation. Prior Project Experience: New Jersey Transit Corporation, Director of Technology Services, Customer Communication Technology, Newark, NJ – Director of technological services at NJ TRANSIT who oversaw operations technologies and customer facing technologies, including supervising and leading managers and consultants in maintenance and design of systems communications technology for passenger stations and bus and rail operations. Robert handled planning, including web-based products, Smartphone applications, public address, signage, CCTV, network, access control and power systems. He directed 24/7 maintenance of 1k+ IP based devices, such as servers, workstation, and field equipment throughout New Jersey. He also spearheaded task delegation and performance management for software developers in custom software Agile design utilizing Java, .asp, .net, and mobile Android/iOS with Oracle databases. Robert also developed and defined schedule, scope and budget for numerous technology-related deployments throughout transit and collaborate with operations user groups, determining system requirements and engineering capital projects for systems deployment for project totaling $50 million, as well as leading resource allocation and management of annual $2.3 million budget including in-house and consultant staff. His specific accomplishments include:
  Start – End Dates: 03/2004 – 09/2016 Ross & Baruzzini, Principal Consultant and Senior Transportation Planner and Engineer, New York, NY – Principal consultant who led an intelligent transportation systems (ITS) think tank with senior transportation technology planning and design expertise. Robert oversaw operations technologies and customer facing technologies related to ITS and led firm-wide resources related to ITS projects. His notable experience includes:
  Start – End Dates: 09/2016 – 01/2017 Parsons Corporation, Communications and Principal Engineer, New York, NY – Communications and control engineer principal manager who directed the operations control center design discipline, including authoring functional requirements for operations control and contact centers. Robert delivered key contributions to numerous system design projects with New York area railroads, including Metro-North, Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey PATH. He developed control center systems, communications systems and SCADA systems covering train traffic control, voice, radio, network, WAN/LAN, public address, ticket vending, building management, HVAC controls, traction power SCADA, facility power SCADA, elevator/escalator control, security systems, fire/life safety systems, and variable message sign systems. In this role, Robert served on team designing and restoring train service to World Trade Center within 18 months after 9/11 disaster. He also designed communications and control systems for East Side Access service for LIRR into Grand Central. Start – End Dates: 06/2001 – 03/2004 Parsons Brinkerhoff/Farradyne, ITS Project, New York, NY – Technical staff member who managed the transit portion of an ITS project for that developed a combined traveler information system for the New York Tri-state region, including information from the 28 transit agencies in the region. This project integrated the transit routes and schedules from the 28 agencies and provided back to the users over the Internet and from call centers. Start – End Dates: 1997 – 2001 Virginia Tech Center for Transportation Research, Assistant Director, Blacksburg, VA – Assistant director at Virginia Tech in the College of Engineering for almost four years. Robert directed the efforts of graduate student research theses and dissertations in the Center for Transportation Research. In addition, he served on several graduate student committees and guest lecturer in several classes. As assistant director and technical lead for the areas of sensors, communications, the Smart Road and advanced transit research for the Center, Robert directed many research projects across the spectrum of intelligent transportation applications. He also developed a number of sensor and communications technologies for applications in traffic surveillance and vehicle control, and worked closely with Blacksburg Transit on various advanced transit research projects, including vehicle location and monitoring and traveler information. Start – End Dates: 1993 – 1997 Internet Business Technologies, Inc., Original Internet Provider, Blacksburg, VA – Owner who started one of the first internet service providers in the country, before selling off to Bell Atlantic. Start – End Dates: 1994 – 1995 Bolt Beranek & Newman, Engineering Design and Software Development, Arlington, VA – Technical staff member who provided engineering design and software development services for advanced Sonar and underwater acoustics systems. Start – End Dates: 1990 – 1993 Westinghouse, Technology Services Corp., Radar Systems Design, Crofton, MD – Technical staff member who designed advanced radar systems for defense agencies. Robert developed simulation software for testing design concepts. Start – End Dates: 1985 – 1990 |