Congratulating the recipient of the 2022 IEEE ITSS Presidential Prize for Sustainability in Transportation By: Cristina Olaverri-Monreal, IEEE ITSS President 2022-2023

In April 2022, I had the great honor of announcing the establishment of the IEEE ITSS Presidential Prize for Sustainability in Transportation. This prize was created to recognize the worldwide sustainable innovative approaches and efforts that contribute to accelerating climate-neutral transport. As a pioneer in the recognition and promotion of technologies toward sustainable transport, IEEE ITSS will use this prize to contribute towards increasing awareness of a prompt reduction of greenhouse emissions.

I am pleased to announce the IEEE ITSS Presidential Prize for Sustainability in Transportation selection committee has decided to award the prize to the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, represented by Prof. David Cebon “for their multinational, multi-stakeholder, multidisciplinary, high-impact research into decarbonizing road-freight.”

The Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF) brings together leading UK academic institutions with vehicle manufacturers, freight operators, and government partners. It focuses on researching innovative solutions to sustainability challenges facing road freight by optimizing vehicle technologies in parallel with logistics operations. Key recent contributions to accelerating climate-neutral transport are:

  1. Developing an extensive research program into: (i) vehicle decarbonization technologiesincluding: aerodynamic improvements, light-weighting, low rolling-resistance tires, dual-fueltechnologies, long combination vehicles, urban delivery, eco-driving, heavy vehicleelectrification, refrigeration; (ii) logistics efficiency measures including: horizontal collaboration,co-loading and consolidation, last mile solutions, fleet and depot electrification, vaccinedistribution and cold-chain logistics in developing countries.
  2. Developing a range of tools and technologies to help operators decarbonize their vehicle fleets:‘SRF Optimizer’ – online guidance to fleet decarbonization strategies; ‘SRF Logger’ – Android Appfor logging vehicle performance data in-service; Coasting Advisor – Android App advisor for eco-driving; Fleet electrification dashboard – for designing fleets and depot charging systems.
  3. Extending policy advice: Extensive evidence on road freight decarbonization for policymakers.
  4. Building a global network of research centers concerned with sustainable road freight: in India,China, and Africa. These centers collaborate to develop knowledge and strategic interventionsto support global road freight decarbonization.

The results and impact of the four programs listed above are summarized here: https://www.csrf.ac.uk/outputs-home/output-summaries/. A list of corresponding publications can be found here: https://www.csrf.ac.uk/outputs-home/publications/.

The Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF) will receive a $6,000 research grant from the IEEE ITS Society to use in the continuation of their research.

Please join me in congratulating Prof. David Cebon and the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF) at Cambridge University on their outstanding achievements!

About the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF)

SRF performs fundamental and applied research into low-carbon road freight, including both vehicle engineering and logistical factors. The Centre receives funding from various UK Government and European sources, particularly EPSRC, ETI and InnovateUK, as well as from industry members. The SRF has strong international links with partner research centers in China, India and South Africa.

About Prof. David Cebon

David Cebon FREng, FIMechE, is Director of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight and the Cambridge Vehicle Dynamics Consortium. He is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering in Cambridge University Engineering Department, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1985. Professor Cebon has authored or co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed papers on dynamic loads of heavy vehicles, road and bridge response and damage, asphalt micromechanics, weigh-in-motion, advanced suspension design, safety, productivity and energy consumption. He has been the Principal Investigator of numerous EPSRC grants and projects funded by sponsors including the EU and US sources.

Cristina Olaverri-Monreal
President IEEE ITSS