NTSO History

Overview

Established as one of the first transportation safety organizations in the United States of America in 1967 by more than 200 government and business leaders, the National Transportation Safety Organization (NTSO) is a globally recognized organization that is dedicated to advancing transportation safety.  NTSO addresses all modes of transportation, with a primary focus on road and aviation safety.  Our mission is to identify transportation safety trends that negatively impact society and develop solutions that can be implemented to save lives, prevent injuries, and improve mobility.

Focusing on the Four E’s of safety (Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Emergency Medical Services), NTSO provides traffic engineering services to its government members and delivers public education and professional training programs.  In addition, NTSO applies for and manages grants on behalf of government agencies and safety initiatives, actively monitors and engages in federal and state legislation, promotes aviation safety including Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C UAS), and represents the interests of drone pilots.  NTSO also collects and monitors traffic and crash data and developed the first web-based traffic crash analysis system, which remains one of the most advanced and powerful systems in the world.

Achievements

NTSO has been recognized at the national and international levels for its leadership in transportation safety. In 2008, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government awarded NTSO for “Top 50 Programs of the 2008 Innovations in American Government.” In a 2006 Federal Highway Administration publication titled, “Innovative Intersection Safety Improvement Strategies and Management Practices: A Domestic Scan,” NTSO and the Road Commission for Oakland County were recognized as a best practice. Most recently, NTSO’s “Remembering Ally: Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign” was one of five traffic safety programs in the nation to receive a Peter K. O’Rourke Award during 2013. It also received a 2012 Outstanding Traffic Safety Achievement Award from the Michigan Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission. A component of the campaign, a realistic distracted driving crash education video, received an Eclipse Award for production excellence and has been viewed in more than 90 countries.

NTSO is proud that one of its focus areas, Oakland County, Michigan, has achieved one of the lowest traffic fatality rates in the world at 0.44 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles of travel.
Awards and Recognition

Michigan Governor’s Traffic SafetyAdvisory Commission: “2012Outstanding Traffic SafetyAchievement Award” (RememberingAlly: Distracted Driving AwarenessCampaign)

2012 Eclipse Award: “Achievementin Production Excellence – RealisticDistracted Driving Crash”(Remembering Ally: DistractedDriving Awareness Campaign)

Ash Center for DemocraticGovernance and Innovation atHarvard University’s John F.Kennedy School of Government:“Top 50 Programs of the 2008Innovations in American Government”

Federal Highway Administration: 2006 “InnovativeIntersection Safety Improvement Strategies andManagement Practices: A Domestic Scan” named TIA and the Road Commission for Oakland County as a bestpractice

Recognized by SMART Transit Agency for efforts topromote and implement new community based transitroutes

National and International Speaker at ITS ConferencesRelating to TDM/ITS Projects with Chrysler and otherbusinesses

Invited Speaker by the Transportation Research Board toInternational Conferences on Traffic Crash Data Analysis

National Association of Public Information Officers,“Award of Excellence” for Drunk Driving Campaign

American Society of Public Administrators: Award for“Outstanding Contributions in Shaping the PublicAgenda”

Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving: “TIA’s Projectis the Model for the Nation”

National Safety Council Award for ExceptionalCountermeasures in Drinking and Driving

National Association of Counties: Award for “ExceptionalAchievements to Increase Traffic Capacity and Safety”

Congressional Citation: “Applying a Full SystemsManagement Approach to Meet Drunk Driving Problems”

Market Opinion Research: “The Most Effective PublicOpinion Change We’ve Seen”

3M Company Trailblazer Award: “OutstandingAccomplishments in Highway Safety”

Congressional Citation: “Unique, Innovative TrafficSafety Management Systems”

Federal Highway Administration: Rates TIA Data System“Most Comprehensive in the Nation”

NHTSA: TIA Selected as One of Two NationalDemonstration Project Agencies

National Association of Counties: Award for “OutstandingAchievement”
Major Projects

“Remembering Ally:Distracted DrivingAwarenessCampaign”

Web-based TrafficCrash Analysis Tool(TCAT)

Conversion toElectronic DataCollection ofMichigan’s TrafficCitations, Crashand ReportingSystems

Implement “FAST-TRAC TV” at Chrysler Utilizing Road Commission forOakland County Real-time Traffic Data from “SCATS”

Transportation Mobility Study Utilizing DemandManagement Techniques and ITS Technologies

Retraining and Driving Performance Measurement forSenior Citzens

Alcohol Enforcement and Education Project

Videotape Series on Basic Enforcement and EngineeringPrincipals

Project to Repair or Replace all Deficient Traffic Signs

Photolog and Computerized Inventory of all Traffic Signsfor Entire County

Comprehensive Traffic Engineering Services Project

National Demonstration Project in Traffic SafetyManagement Systems

Pilot Project in Traffic Law Enforcement

Public Education Program for Safety Belt Use

Countywide Computerized Traffic Data System
Publications

“Traffic Review” Quarterly Newsletter

“Enroute” Quarterly TDM Newsletter on Mobility Issues

Setting Realistic Speed Limits (Update)

Series of Fact Bulletins “Controlling Traffic Issues”

Facts About Controlling Traffic in Residential Areas

Procedures for Analysis of High Crash Locations

A Manual for Evaluating Police Traffic Services

Setting Realistic Speed Limits

A Public Communications Guide for Traffic Engineers

Safe Approach Speeds at Uncontrolled Intersections

Procedures for Identifying High Crash Locations

Model Policies and Procedures for Police Traffic Services

Developing a Countywide Traffic Management System

Procedures for Assessing Community Traffic Problemsand Needs
Programs and Community Service

Assistance to allcommunities; FederalGrants to ReplaceDeficient Signs

Coordination andSupport: Task Forceon Traffic Congestionand Countermeasures

Course Series:

CrashInvestigation

Traffic RecordsUse

Introduced District Court Use of Computerized DriverRecord Checks

Media Campaign, “Drunk Drivers, the Party’s Over.”

Media Campaign, “We’ve Had It With Bad Drivers.”

Participated in Conversion to Statewide “Scanable CrashReport”

Programs of Support for High School Driver Education

Public Support Program for Improved Traffic EngineeringServices

Safety Belt Media Campaign, “It’s Lock It To Me Time.”

Training and Seminars:

Development of County’s “Wish List”

Sign Placement

Speed Zoning, Traffic Signs and Markings

Traffic Control and Crash Analysis

Traffic Crash and Volume Studies

Traffic Engineering Principles for Elected Officials

Traffic Law Enforcement

UD-10 Training

Short Course Series:

Accident Investigation

Drunk Driving Detection and Arrest

Police Traffic Supervision

Sign Placement Equipment Purchase for loan to SmallCommunities

Survey of Traffic Needs for County Master Plan

Traffic Surveillance Equipment Purchase for communities

Training and Deployment, Specialized AlcoholEnforcement Team

CEO's Through the Years
Jim Santilli, CEO

JIM SANTILLI

2011 - Present
15 Years

JERRY L. WALKER

2009 - 2011
2 Years

FRANK P. CARDIMEN JR.

1993 - 2009
16 Years
Bruce B. Madsen

BRUCE B. MADSEN

1967 - 1993
26 Years

Chairs of the Board of Directors

DENNIS G. KOLAR, P.E.

Managing Director

Road Commission for Oakland County

(2019 - Present)

KEITH S. SCHULTZ

Manager

Vehicle Technology & Safety Policy

General Motors Company

(2015 - 2019)

STEVE KENNER

Global Director

Automotive Safety

Ford Motor Company

(2014 - 2015)

KEVIN M. KENNEDY

President

North America

Takata

(2011 - 2014)

SUSAN M. CISCHKE

Group Vice President

Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

Ford Motor Company

( - 2011)

GUY D. BRIGGS

Group Vice President

North American Manufacturing and Labor Relations

( - )

JAMES L. TOLLEY

Vice President

Public Affairs

Chrysler Corporation

(1986 - 1992)

WILLIAM E. HOGLUND

Vice President

Group Executive

Operating Staff's Group

General Motors Corporation

(1983 - 1986)

HERBERT L. MISCH

Vice President

Environmental & Safety Engineering

Ford Motor Company

(1979 - 1983)

ALEX C. MAIR

General Manager

Pontiac Motor Division

Vice President

General Motors Corporation

(1977 - 1979)

H. RICHARD FORD

Vice President

Worldwide Automotive Marketing

Bendix Corporation

(1974 - 1977)

F. JAMES MCDONALD

General Manager

Chevrolet Motor Division

Vice President

General Motors Corporation

(1972 - 1974)

EDWIN O. GEORGE

President

Detroit Edison

(1969 - 1972)

PAUL N. AVERILL

Publisher

The Birmingham Eccentric

(1967 - 1969)

JAMES O. WRIGHT

President

Federal-Mogul Corporation

(1965 - 1967)


Historic Items