The National Center for APEC (NCAPEC) participated in the 47th APEC Transportation Working Group (TPT-WG) Meeting in Vancouver, Canada from April 24-26, 2019. The TPT-WG47 Meeting convened a record number of economies and participants, demonstrating the growing need for international cooperation and information sharing in the transportation sector.
Participants broke out into four Expert Groups on Aviation, Maritime, Land, and Intermodal and ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems). The Lead Shepherd of the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) and the Secretary General of the International Transport Forum also participated with the goal of enhancing cross-fora collaboration. Economies shared their experience with pilot programs and public private partnerships in emerging transport technologies such as autonomous vehicles. Delegates also discussed developments in road safety and infrastructure.
The U.S. and Canadian governments held a full-day workshop on women in transportation on April 23 which highlighted the challenges and opportunities associated with attracting, retaining, and promoting women in the transportation sector. Speakers included the Associate Deputy Minister for Transport Canada Thao Pham and women entrepreneurs in aviation, as well as officials from the United States, Canada, Korea, Australia, and Chile.
Russia will host the 48th Transportation Working Group Meeting in November 2019. Side meetings will include a workshop on education and transportation. Transportation officials will convene in the United States for the 49th TPT-WG Meeting in the spring of 2020. The dates and location for the meeting have yet to be confirmed but transport technology will be a strong focus of the discussions. Given the policy implications of emerging technology and the benefits of information sharing in this growing area, it is a timely opportunity for U.S. industry to engage on transportation issues and activities in APEC.
