Asian Transportation Research Society (ATRANS)

902/1 Glas Haus Building, Soi Sukhumvit 25 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Tel. +66 (0)2-661-6248 , FAX +66 (0)2-661-6249

http://www.atransociety.com

Background

• In Asia, currently, we are still facing high level of traffic congestion, pollution, energy used and accidents.

• Even over decades, there has been heavily an emphasis on building transport infrastructures.

• But we have limited number of institutes for building knowledge.

Background

• In May 2007, a group of scholars, researchers and policy practitioners gathered together and discussed enthusiastically how to encourage research studies among young scholars and researchers in Thailand and other Asian countries.

• ATRANS was established for encouragement of academics / researchers to conduct research on transportation-related problems, traffic safety, energy and environment in multidisciplinary manner.

Mission

“to encourage Asian academics and young researchers to conduct transportation-related research activities by providing research funds, collaborating and coordinating with public and private agencies concerned statewide for information gathering as a pool of transportation researches and information interchange benefiting our dynamic society for a better quality of live.”

Area of Specialization Number

・ Transport Engineering, planning and policy, Traffic Safety

11

・ Civil Engineering 1

・ Urban and Regional planning 1

・ Economics ・ Business Administration

2

・ Mechanical engineering・ Automotive engineering

1

・ Psychology ・ Education・ Medical sciences ・ Ergonomics

1

・ Sociology, Cultural anthropology 0

・ Environmental science & technology 0

・ Law, Public Administration 0

・ Information and communication technology・ Electrical and electronic engineering

0

Total 17

Areas of Specialization – Regular committee

ATRANS Activities

• Research Activity• Symposium & Academic Activity• ATRANS Research, the Journal of Asian

Transportation Research Society

Research Activity

• Funding about $90,000 each year• In 2007 and 2008, ATRANS has granted 7 research

projects• In 2009, ATRANS has granted 4 research projects

– Integrating congestion charging schemes and mass transit systems in Bangkok

– Feasibility study of Ethanol usage as diesel substitute in Thai transportation sector: Scenarios analysis

– Driving cycle for measurements of fuel consumption and exhaust emission of motorcycle in Khon Kaen

– An analysis of vehicle kilometers of travel from odometer readings in Thailand

Symposium & Academic Activity

• To cooperate with politicians, government staff, practitioners, the public and young generation.

• The 1st Symposium was on 1st August 2008:

“Transport Crisis in Thailand” (123 participants)• The 2nd Symposium was on 27-28 August 2009

“Transportation for Sustainable Development under Global Financial Crisis: Opportunity or Disaster?” (372 participants)– Also including the ATRANS Student Chapter session (entirely

organized and managed by student members who are from Thai universities across the country)

• In both symposiums, there were Essay and Painting Competitions. To introduce primary, secondary and high-school students to explore transport world.

ATRANS Research, the Journal of Asian Transportation Research Society

• to provides opportunities to exchange informative, innovative and critical ideas on a wide range of multidisciplinary issues in Asia.

• The first issue will be published in December 2009

Financing

• ATRANS society is a non-profit organization and run by donation from oversea donor

Future activity plan

• Community-based activity:– Raising traffic safety awareness through community

participation– Organizing workshops on transportation education

provision to community with technical assistance• School-based activity:

– Encouraging school children and students to create their own program related to safety and perform in ATRANS student chapter activity

• Research activity:– Increasing communication between experts across

Asia.

Conclusions

• Human and Knowledge development project• Multidisciplinary• Regional and global networks• Public and private • Academia, practitioners, young researchers, and

also young generation• Cooperation with policy makers