Projects

Cybersecurity is a significant concern in all industries. Given the rapid adoption of technology in the area of automated and connected vehicles, transportation infrastructure is a particularly attractive target. The concern is so great that in 2013 the Florida Legislature requested the formation of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity , which named transportation as a key focus area. Public transportation vehicles (e.g., buses) are perhaps the most-exposed component of transit infrastructure—they carry a large number of individuals that are continuously entering and exiting and contain a constantly increasing number of different technologies that can be leveraged as potential attack vectors. Technology on-board a typical transit vehicle includes publicly accessible Wi-Fi networks, traffic signal preemption equipment that can be used to change traffic light timings, wireless fare payment technology interfaces (Near Field Communication, Bluetooth, and barcode scanning), automatic passenger counting systems, and connectivity with dispatch/command and control systems via a wireless modem or dedicated short range communications (DSRC). This project will identify and mitigate transit cybersecurity liabilities and facilitate ongoing cybersecurity information exchange among Florida transit agencies, their vendors, and cybersecurity researchers. This project will include a literature review of transit technologies and their potential vulnerabilities, a survey for transit agency staff for deployed technologies in Florida, organization of a Transit Cybersecurity Working Group, and workshops aimed to bring together the Florida Center for Cybersecurity, students of cybersecurity, cybersecurity researchers, and Florida transit agencies, to consider and evaluate the security of transit technologies.

Partners: City of Tampa, Florida Department of Transportation University of South Florida

The City of Tampa contains numerous truck traffic generators and destinations including two international shipping ports, industrial and commercial sites, numerous warehouses, a railroad inter-modal distribution center, and the Tampa International Airport. In addition, the City contains several historic neighborhoods including Ybor City and Hyde Park. All parties with an interest in trucking in the City were concerned about keeping truck traffic on appropriate roads. To guide truck drivers to drive on the designated truck route system and increase their compliance, The City of Tampa – Transportation Division would like to develop an effective citywide Truck Route Signing Program. The research team at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida (USF) assisted the City in this important initiative by proposing and developing truck route signing program for the City of Tampa via a pilot study on selected sites. Through this project, CUTR conducted literature review, performed field investigation, designed truck route signage and experiment plan, conducted before and after study of implementing proposed signage, and evaluated their effectiveness of the proposed truck route signing program for the City of Tampa. The preliminary evaluation result showed that the proposed truck route signing program for the City of Tampa could effectively keep truck traffic on appropriate roads. The proposed program could help expand the economy of the Tampa Bay area and also preserve the quality of life within residential areas.

Partners: City of Tampa and University of South Florida