IBTTA Tech Summit 2023: delegates urged to see the 'big picture'

Pulling people out of silos is the way forward, says IBTTA president
Charging, Tolling & Road Pricing / May 1, 2023
By Adam Hill
Pat Jones IBTTA Technology Summit innovation tolling
IBTTA's Pat Jones welcomes delegates to #IBTTAIndy

Visitors to the IBTTA Technology Summit in Indianapolis, US, have been urged to get out of their silos to move things forward.

In his opening remarks, IBTTA president Andrew Fremier, executive director of the Bay Area Toll Authority, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, talked of a theme for his year's term: bridging the gap.

"It is about pulling people away from their silos and seeing the big picture," he said.

He looked forward to "new ideas and exchange of information" at the conference, adding that it would be useful to look back at the lessons for the tolling sector of the Covid pandemic, while also looking ahead.

Earlier, IBTTA executive director and CEO Pat Jones had welcomed delegates - especially including first-timers - to the "IBTTA family".

And there was a video message from Carlos Monje, under secretary at US Department of Transportation, in which the importance of tolling for future funding of infrastructure was emphasised.

"The reality is that fuel tax is not keeping pace with vehicle miles travelled," he said. "We need other ways to fund infrastructure."

This would include the use of tolls - and Monje also said it would be important to "tell the story of the impacts of these investments".

The event includes conference sessions and an exhibition hall and runs until 2 May.

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