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Commission Applauds Central Florida AV Partnership on Earning USDOT's AV Proving Ground Designation

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Pilot seeks to encourage testing and information
sharing around automated vehicle technologies

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently selected the Central Florida Automated Vehicle Partnership as one of 10 proving ground designations throughout the country that will foster innovations that can safely transform personal and commercial mobility, expand capacity, and open new doors to disadvantaged people and communities.  According to a press release, these designations are a logical next step in the Department’s effort to advance the safe deployment of automated vehicle (AV) technology.

“Central Florida has many unique attributes for an AV proving ground that set it apart as the premier location for this designation,” said Jay Trumbull, chairman of the Commission. “The Partnership includes state-of-the-art high-tech facilities and committed local and state governments, working together to further the safety and use of AV technology on our streets to create a more sustainable community.”

The Central Florida region has developed a committed team of quality educational institutions and laboratories – including Florida Polytechnic University, the University of Central Florida, and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University-Florida State University – where AV technology will continue to be developed, refined and simulated. This proving ground offers controlled testing environments and laboratories at NASA and the new state-of-the art SunTrax facility – a purpose-built facility for the controlled testing of tolling and AV technology.

The final team members include Florida Department of Transportation and the City of Orlando’s local and regional transportation networks that provide a continuous network of roadways that allow for live AV deployment. The Central Florida proving ground offers testing environments include all modes of transportation including pedestrian, bicycle, transit, passenger vehicle and freight.

The Partnership joins together to draw from the strengths of each committed partner to provide a versatile network for the AV proving ground that includes all phases in the testing process from simulations, controlled testing and deployment.

The designated proving grounds will collectively form a Community of Practice around safe testing and deployment.  This group will openly share best practices for the safe conduct of testing and operations as they are developed, enabling the participants and the general public to learn at a faster rate and accelerating the pace of safe deployment.”

The proving grounds will also provide critical insights into optimal big data usage through automated vehicle testing and will serve as a foundation for building a community of practice around automated vehicle research.

The Florida Transportation Commission is an appointed body that provides performance and fiscal oversight of the FDOT, and makes transportation policy recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature.

Seminole State College nursing graduates ranked first in Central Florida

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Graduates of Seminole State College of Florida’s Nursing Program have another reason to celebrate. They are ranked first in Central Florida with a 99.4 percent pass rate on their licensure exams.
The Board of Nursing just released the results of the annual 2016 National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rates for Florida and Seminole State College earned the top spot among other Central Florida programs including the University of Central Florida, Keiser University, Adventist University of Health Sciences, Valencia College, and Lake-Sumter State College.
NCLEX is the state-required exam that determines whether graduates are prepared for entry-level nursing practice. Seminole State College’s 99.4 percent pass rates were remarkably higher than the 2016 state average of 72.68 percent, and the national average of 84.56 percent.
“The 2016 NCLEX pass rates for our nursing graduates are some of the highest in the state,’ says Dr. Cheryl Cicotti, associate dean for nursing. “These results speak to the hard work and dedication of the students and the nursing faculty/staff, and, highlight the efforts of the entire college toward promoting student success.”
To meet the tremendous demand for nurses, Seminole State has expanded its nursing enrollment by more than 300 percent over the past decade. In fact, the Job Placement Rate (2014 FETPIP data) of Seminole State’s nursing graduates is at a monumental 98 percent.
Just recently, Seminole State’s Nursing Program was ranked the No. 10 Best Nursing Program in Florida by RegisteredNursing.org.
Nursing programs were assessed on several factors which represent how well a program supports students towards licensure and beyond. This included analyzing past and present NCLEX-RN “pass-rates” – weighted by year. For more information about the methodology visit the RegisteredNursing.org website.
As part of their studies and training, Seminole State College nursing students are equipped with state-of-the-art healthcare labs and high-tech patient simulators. This includes the “Victoria” birthing simulator that creates lifelike labor and delivery providing students with hands-on experience for birth scenarios.
The College’s Nursing Program, part of the Ann Wiggins Moore Center for Nursing and Healthcare Professionals, is based at the Altamonte Springs Campus. To learn more, visit the nursing website.