Asian Transportation Research Society (ATRANS)

1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.”

8. Areas of Specialization – Regular committee Total 17

9. ATRANS Activities • Research Activity • Symposium & Academic Activity • ATRANS Research, the Journal of Asian Transportation Research Society

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

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

14. 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.

15. 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