Welcome to HVTT13 – for the first time in South America!

The 13th International Symposium on Heavy Vehicle Transport Technology (HVTT13) is presented by the International Forum for Road Transport Technology (IFRTT), again with the aim of providing a forum for discussions and the exchange of ideas amongst legislators, road administrators, academics, consultants, vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, transport organizations and transport operators. Please see the link to Conference Papers in the IFRTT website for a full record of the papers from previous symposia.

We are aiming to have delegates from all regions including Asia, Africa, Central and South America and the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, North America and Oceania. In common with previous symposia, we will have plenary sessions, parallel technical sessions and quality evening social events.

Exchange of ideas with fellow delegates has always been a highlight of these Symposia and HVTT13 will be no exception. Discussions among delegates from all over the world, can only be of benefit in providing better targeted road transport outcomes.

With the ever increasing speed of information exchange, together with extensive availability of electronic records of research, there have been suggestions that symposia and technical conferences are obsolete. Nothing could be further from the truth, as informal discussions and face-to-face exchange of ideas with like-minded professionals cannot be replaced with digital communications and in fact, become more important as the volume of information grows.

Throughout the world, countries are faced with a growing freight task. Despite the rapidly-developing road infrastructure and heavy vehicle technologies evident in many countries, the challenges regarding safety, congestion, productivity, community expectations and the environment remain. Governments and organizations are required to develop and adopt standards and technologies while updating legislation that not only ensures the safety and sustainability of the transport environment and facilitate optimum productivity, but that are also sufficiently flexible to incorporate new technologies for both vehicles and transport infrastructure. Standards, regulations and legislation must thus be designed to provide better transport outcomes in the future.

In keeping with the symposium’s theme of Expanding Horizons, this will be the first time an HVTT conference is held in South America. It will also be the first time that papers will be translated into a language other than English, and that simultaneous translation (Spanish, English) will be available throughout the conference.

HVTT’s traditional topics have expanded their horizons as well: heavy road vehicles interact with infrastructure, with other modes of transport and with the community where they travel. Topics such as Sustainability, Future fuels and Intelligent Transport only acknowledge the future opportunities that the road heavy vehicle sector is able to provide.

San Luis is a beautiful place to visit, and you will find we have made a special effort to set new levels for the programme for accompanying delegates to enjoy the trip too.

Paul Nordengen, President IFRTT.
Bob Pearson, Chairman HVTT13 Scientific Committee.
Graciela Corvalán, President HVTT13 Organizing Committee .
Alejandra Efrón, Vice-President Central and South America, IFRTT. HVTT13 Committees’Coordinator.

Call for papers
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR ROAD TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGY
HVTT 13: San Luis, Argentina, 27 – 30 October 2014

Call for papers INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR ROAD TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGY
HVTT 13: San Luis, Argentina, 27th – 30th October 2014
Expanding horizons