David Oglevee has joined Macro Corporation as a Senior Principal Consultant. Based in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, Dave will support Macro’s business development initiatives in the highly specialized area of rail transit control centers and all of the supporting systems operated from a center. Dave has more than 20 years of experience in rail transit consulting engineering. Dave was previously responsible for business development activities at LTK Engineering Services.

Marietta, GA – Cobb County, a suburban commuter community north of Atlanta, recently selected Macro to help design and assist them procure a new AVL system with real-time bus arrival capabilities into its fleet of fixed-route bus and paratransit services (“Cobb Community Transit”, or CCT.) Macro will conduct a thorough review and assessment of CCT’s current operations and legacy dispatch systems, MIS, communications infrastructure, computer networks, and operations planning to formulate a recommended AVL system design and implementation plan, followed immediately by preparing an RFP to procure the system recommended. Macro will then assist CCT with vendor selection, contract negotiations, and implementation oversight/QA. CCT hopes to have the new system operational around the end of 2010.
 

Akron, OH – The Regional Transit Authority of Akron, Ohio (“METRO”) recently selected Macro Corporation to prepare a roadmap and system engineering process for the “greenfield” deployment of a wide range of state-or-the-art advanced public transportation systems (APTS) while also enhancing wireless voice and data communications capabilities fleet-wide. All facets of today’s proven and emerging APTS technologies will be considered that, once fully operational, promises to significantly improve service quality, safety, productivity, and an attractive return on investment (ROI) for the City. The suite of APTS systems such as computer-aided dispatch (CAD), GPS-based automatic vehicle location (AVL), and interactive voice response (IVR) systems, are planned for initial deployment in 2010-2011. These systems would also serve as the foundation for modern passenger amenities such as real-time bus and paratransit status information delivered online, wirelessly to passenger cell phones, and possibly on audio/visual displays placed at key bus stops.
 

Cincinnati, OH - The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) has awarded a contract to Macro to prepare a design plan and technical specification to upgrade their outdated CAD/AVL and 800 MHz analog radio systems in use by the region's "METRO" fixed-route bus and "ACCESS" paratransit services. The engagement's chief objectives include modernizing the CAD and AVL fixed-end and mobile systems with new, proven technologies, and upgrading the radio system for improved interoperability, compliance with current FCC licensing rules, and expanding coverage and capacity. Work will begin immediately and extend into 2011 for procurement and implementation oversight support.

San Diego, CA - SANDAG has extended Macro’s contract for design and implementation oversight services of the San Diego Trolley's CTC/SCADA System. The contract will extend Macro’s services to Novemeber 2010 and include Macro’s support of field testing and commissioning of the new system. The new Trolley CTC/SCADA system will monitor and control wayside and station facilities along the Trolley's 70 mile network. In addition to supporting operations at the new OCC site, Macro’s OCC/SCADA system design responsibilities will be extended to the field sites to upgrade passenger communications, Train-to-Wayside Controllers (which facilitate retrieval of train location data and communications between the central system and car-borne systems), and traction power substation SCADA. In an earlier phase, Macro designed a new Operations Control Center that today serves the operations staff using interim systems.

Chicago, IL – Macro has been awarded a contract to design and specify a replacement CTC system for Amtrak’s Chicago Terminal. This facility monitors and controls rail operations at Chicago Terminal North, Chicago Terminal South, New Orleans Terminal, and the Michigan Line. The former system supplier no longer supports the existing system so Amtrak decided to move aggressively to procure a replacement system before severe problems could affect operations. Macro was hired based on our extensive experience with Amtrak systems to prepare a specification for a modern replacement system. We are also consulting on a new OCC facility design.