Jointly organized by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)'s Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (CSE) and the Hong Kong Society for Transportation Studies (HKSTS), the 18th International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory (ISTTT) has come to a fruitful close by bringing together leading academics to discuss transport-related topics.
The long-standing ISTTT prides itself in the extremely high quality of its proceedings since its earliest inception in 1959, yet it is the first time that it was held in Hong Kong. The symposium is the main gathering for the world's transportation and traffic theorists, and those who are interested in contributing to or gaining a deeper understanding of traffic and transportation phenomena in order to better plan, design and manage the transportation system.
Although it embraces a wide range of topics, from traffic flow theories and demand modelling to road safety and logistics and supply chain modelling, the ISTTT is hallmarked by its intellectual innovation, research and development excellence in the treatment of real-world transportation and traffic problems.
The symposium organizer said it was timely to organize the 18th ISTTT in the vibrant Hong Kong city, as the thrust of transportation infrastructure development has emerged strongly in Asia. The symposium in Hong Kong also marked the 50th Anniversary of this premier conference series.
A total of 35 papers were selected for presentation at the 18th ISTTT, which was held from 16 to 18 July, from 230 extended abstracts and subsequently 108 invited submissions of full papers, following a rigorous two-tier peer review process. They addressed a wide range of topics covering both scientific and operational aspects of transportation and traffic, spanning all modes of transport, including freight as well as private and public transport.
Apart from these 35 papers, many high quality papers were also recommended for presentation and publication. It is for this reason that 21 additional papers have been published in a companion volume, which were presented in the poster session of the Symposium. For details, please visit the website of www.isttt18.org.
The symposium organizers were thankful to the three funding organizations whose financial contribution has made it possible for them to host the 18th ISTTT in Hong Kong. The three funding organizations are: the Professional Services Development Assistance Scheme (PSDAS) of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the SAR Government; The Croucher Foundation, and the Faculty of Construction and Land Use of PolyU.
Previous editions of the ISTTT conferences were held in different major cities which included Warren, Michigan (1959), London (1963), New York (1965), Karlsruhe (1968), Berkeley, California (1971), Sydney (1974), Kyoto (1977), Toronto (1981), Delft (1984), Cambridge, Massachusetts (1987), Yokohama (1990), Berkeley, California (1993), Lyon (1996), Jerusalem (1999), Adelaide (2002), College Park, Maryland (2005), and London (2007).
