The American Traffic Safety Services Association's (ATSSA's) Traffic Expo '98 is geared toward the traffic safety industry, offering access to industry information and educational opportunities.

The exposition-with the theme Traffic Safety: It's a Way of Living-will be held Jan. 24-26, at the Long Beach County Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. At least 3,200 attendees are expected to visit 190 exhibitors, including Roads & Bridges, occupying 457 exhibit booths. This will be the 28th year that companies have come together to display the latest technology in the traffic safety industry.

The show will officially open on Saturday, Jan. 24, with the opening general session where ATSSA President Roger Rathburn will report on the progress the association has made over the past year. Roger Wentz, who will take over as executive director for ATSSA will be officially welcomed at the general session.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Tony Alessandra, a marketing strategist and applied behavioral scientist, and president of InContact Systems Inc., a company that develops and markets sales force automation and business software solutions. A prolific author in the business publishing field, Alessandra has penned such books as, The Platinum Rule, Collaborative Selling and Communicating at Work.

Educational opportunities will commence on Sunday, Jan. 25, with business roundtables. Sam Van Hooser, from Reality Based Solutions, will facilitate a roundtable devoted to real-life workplace scenarios.

Another roundtable discussion, lead by Pat Lees, from the National Highway Institute, will discuss efforts to increase the quality of safety on America's roadways.

Other discussions will cover succession planning for establishing transfer of company ownership; insurance topics, including loss control methods; and an insight into the methods used by the industry's successful business owners.

Workshops

Monday, Jan. 26, will be filled with workshop, starting at 8 a.m. Topics will cover ISTEA reauthorization and how changes in funding will affect the industry.

In October 1998, many work zone devices will be required to meet the National Cooperative Highway Research Program guidelines. One workshop will feature representatives from the industry and the FHWA explaining the particulars of the guideline.

There will be an update on AASHTO programs affecting ATSSA members such as the movement by states to implement the use of metric. Another workshop will explore the process for the development of minimum standards of retroreflectivity, and discuss the benefits that minimum levels provide to the motoring public.

Other workshops will cover warranty contracts for pavement markings, a discussion of the changes to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), and whether or not MUTCD and the traffic control plan provide adequate guidance for the contractor.

Later that day at 3 p.m., there will be a public officials forum, providing public official delegates with an opportunity to network and learn from each other.

Other networking opportunities may be had at the president's reception, where you can meet and visit with colleagues. It will be hosted by ATSSA President Roger Rathburn, and will take place on Friday, Jan. 23, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The closing reception will also serve as a farewell to ATSSA Executive Director Robert Garrett, whose retirement begins officially at the close of Traffic Expo.

For more information about the 28th annual ATSSA Convention and Traffic Expo '98, contact the American Traffic Safety Services Association, 5440 Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredericksburg, VA 22407; or call 540/898-5400, or fax 540/898-5510.