About Traffax Inc.
Traffax was formally launched in 2009 to commerialize, manufacture, and sell Bluetooth-based sensors based on technology developed at the University of Maryland. US and international patent applications for use of Bluetooth for traffic monitoring applications were applied for in 2008, fomally filed in 2009, are currently pending. (http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20090210141).
The promiise of Bluetooth-based monitoring for transportation applications was immediately recognized. Since 2009, BluFAX has been used as a means of validating travel time data as part of the I-95 Corridor Coalition Vehicle Probe Project. Traffax was awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research Grant in 2009 to further refine and demonstrate the use of BluFAX for a range of transportation-related applications. An SBIR Phase II Grant was awarded to Traffax in 2010, to support instriumentation and realtime monitoring of approximatly 100 miles of congested freeway-arterial corridors in Virginia and Maryland. As of September 2011, deployment of field equipment is well underway.
Since 2008, Traffax BluFAX data collection equipment have been seen well over 300,000 unit-hours of operation in the field in the United States, Canada, Australia, the EU, and elsewhere. The BluFAX line of products, based on a battery-operated portable unit, has expanded to include BluFAX sensors and software to support a wide spectrum of applications from short-term placements to permanent, integrated applications, for traffic and planning studies to realtime traffic monitoring applications.
The Traffax Team
Traffax was founded and is managed by a highly-qualified team of transportation, technology, and business professionals who are uniquely qualfied to propagate the use of a low-cost data collection methodology developed at the University of Maryland that provides an inexpensive and reliable way to directly sample vehicle traveltimes. Our product and approach to business has been guided by extensive experience and understanding of transportation applications and the needs and requirements of transportation and planning agencies and their consultants.
Peter Carnes, CEO. Mr. Carnes brings extensive experience in the business and manufacturing sectors, and an impressive track record working in high-technology, rapidly evolving fields.
Stanley E. Young, PhD, P.E., President
Dr. Young, president of Traffax Inc, is one of the primary inventors of the BluFAX technology, and lead developer of the BluSTATS Analysis software. Stan has over 17 years of experience in transportation research and development, with extensive experience in system applications, wireless communications, non-destructive testing, and design of data collection, processing, and display systems.
Donna C. Nelson, PhD, PE, Director of Sales and Marketing
Dr. Donna Nelson joined Traffax staff in 2009. She brings over twenty eight years experience in transportation engineering and planning, road safety, and intelligent transportation systems.Her experience includes nearly ten years experience as a transportation consultant and researcher supporting Federal, state and locat transportation and incident management agencies, serving as Director of the Maryland Transportation Technology Transfer Center providing training and technical support to state and local agencies with transportation and incident management responsibilities, nearly five years experience with ITS America, eight years experience as an academic faculty at Universities where she taught taught undergraduate and graduate courses in transportation engineering, traffic operations, road safety and general civil engineering in the US and Australia. At Traffax, she provide application suport for Traffax distributors and customers, to ensure their experience with BluFAX and Traffax products is a success.
Nick Ganig Development Engineer
Philip J. Tarnoff, Chairman of the Board. Mr Tarnoff has been a leader in the areas of traffic operations and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) for the last 30 years. He founded the leading ITS systems integration firm in the 1980s and, in 1997, founded the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology at the University of Maryland. Throughout his career, Mr. Tarnoff has been responsible for many marquee initiatives including the I-95 Corridor Coalition’s Vehicle Probe Project, the development of new forms of traveltime measurement technology, development of performance measures for transportation operations, assessment of the state of the art of traffic signal operations and the development of regional incident management systems. Mr. Tarnoff provides senior level guidance for the company, and assists in marketing and product development.
