The Intelligent Transportation Society of America announced that Neil D. Schuster will be the organization's new president and CEO, effective Oct. 15.

Schuster succeeds acting President David J. Hensing, who had held the post of ITS America president after retiring from a distinguished 20-year career with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Hensing had held the post since January 2001.
For the past 16 years, Schuster has served as executive director for the Washington, D.C.-based International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Assn. Prior to leading IBTTA he served in senior management positions with the American Automobile Manufacturers Association and the America Waterways Operators.
Larry Yermack, ITS America chairman, said Schuster's experience in legislative and regulatory affairs will be a tremendous asset to the organization as it approaches the next Congressional reauthorization of transportation funding in 2003.
"Traffic congestion and the growth of transit, as well as increasingly sophisticated emergency management programs, are intelligent transportation issues facing exponential growth in the near term," Schuster said. "These deployment issues, as well as the increased presence of in-vehicle telematics, are areas where I hope to ensure that ITS America retains its leadership role."
ITS America is a public/private partnership of nearly 700 companies, federal, state and regional government agencies, academic institutions and other transportation-related associations that serves as the leading advocate for intelligent transportation systems in the United States. The Society is a utilized Federal advisory committee to the US DOT.