INDIANAPOLIS – A record number of logistics leaders convened at the 12th annual Indiana Logistics Summit, Oct. 7-8, at the Indiana Convention Center to hear top executives assess the national transportation crisis and identify possible solutions, the most intriguing of which could be the general use of driverless vehicles within three to four years.
More than 350 logistics professionals heard from national experts, including retired GM executive Lawrence D. Burns, Ph.D., a major proponent of reinventing the automobile, who offered several futuristic ideas on how the transportation industry will be transformed, including smart-high ways and driverless cars, ‘pods’ and trucks.
According to Burns, companies such as Google and Mercedes have already developed prototype vehicles with extensive testing on the open road, and this shift will create many new opportunities for consumers and businesses. He also challenged attendees to “think big, start small and learn fast” to put Indiana on the leading edge of creating a “totally integrated transportation system.”
“Indiana not only should continue to sustain its current infrastructure, but it also should prepare for the possibility of transformational change,” said Burns, who commended Indiana leaders for understanding the issues and planning for the future.
Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann kicked off the state’s premier logistics conference by highlighting key accomplishments with Indiana infrastructure projects that are completed, underway or planned. Summit attendees also listened to national leaders, such as Burns, discuss the country’s crumbling infrastructure for road, rail, air and water modes, new transportation policy ideas and alternative fuel initiatives.
Harvard Professor Stephen Goldsmith, former Indianapolis mayor and deputy mayor of New York City, shared his thoughts on how public-private partnerships and privatization can solve major infrastructure funding challenges for all levels of government.
Mortimer Downey, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation, updated the crowd on the progress (or lack thereof) by the U.S. Congress in addressing transportation infrastructure issues. He also discussed the changing demographics, economy, overall health of transportation system, in addition to fiscal constraints that may limit the government’s ability to upgrade infrastructure.
Many speakers identified human capital and workforce development needs as critical challenges in their industries, which echoed discussions at previous Summits. In an effort to address this concern, a “Logistics U” program was developed in recent years, which allowed nearly 100 high school students from around Indiana to come to this year’s event to learn about the opportunities available in logistics.
In addition, Summit leaders announced the first recipient of the Indiana Logistics Scholarship: Chelsea Hochstetler, a junior at University of Southern Indiana (USI). The $1,000 scholarship was created to recognize an accomplished college or high school student demonstrating a strong interest in logistics. Hochstetler, a resident of Chandler, Ind., and former valedictorian at Castle High School, is studying industrial engineering and recently completed a USI research project in which she conducted a market analysis of shipping steel by barge from northwest Indiana to southeast Indiana as a way to reduce interstate truck traffic and create economic opportunities for maritime businesses.
Organizers also announced the next Indiana Logistics Summit will be Sept. 22-23, 2015, at the Indiana Convention Center. More information is available onwww.indianalogistics.com.
Media Contact: Ty Gerig, tgerig@seasegerig.com – (317) 514-7963