National transportation authorities are expected to participate in "Moving Ahead 2010: Sustainable Transportation Solutions for the 21st Century," a conference scheduled for May 2-4 at The Ohio State University.

The event - co-hosted by Clean Fuels Ohio, a statewide nonprofit organization and designated U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Coalition - will include industry leaders, policymakers and researchers to "analyze how advanced transportation technologies, fuels and strategies will impact job creation, environmental protection and national security."

Transportation accounts for more than 30 percent of America's energy demand and more than 60 percent of its oil use.

Moving Ahead 2010 will examine the full range of transportation technologies, including automobile, truck, rail, aviation and transit systems and other strategies that can help provide more efficient transportation for the nation.

Some of the agenda items include:

¥ Vehicle Fuel Efficiency: Making Every Drop Count, which will include discussion about the current and near-term improvements in fuel efficiency for gasoline vehicles.

¥ Plug-In Vehicles and Chargers: Adding Zap To Your Zip, which will focus on plug-in electric vehicles and information about the variety of charging systems ready to support electric vehicles.

¥ Freight and Parcel Distribution: Smooth Moves. This segment will include discussion on improvements in fuel efficiency, vehicle design, and optimized routing programs that continue to improve the performance and environmental impact of distribution and delivery vehicles.

There will be information about technologies and strategies to reduce petroleum needs in freight transportation, including auxiliary power units, heavy hybrids, aerodynamics and route planning.

Attendees will also be able to view advanced technology vehicles of several types that will be displayed at the Ohio Expo and State Fairgrounds.

One of the speakers scheduled to participate in the event is Robin Chase, chief executive officer of GoLoco, an automobile share business and one of Time magazine's "100 most influential people of 2009."

Robert Hirsch, senior energy advisor for Management Information Services Inc. in Washington, D.C. and former chairman of the Board of Energy and Environmental Systems of the National Research Council, and Allan McArtor, chairman of Airbus Americas Inc. and former head of the Federal Aviation Administration, also are expected to speak.

Chase and McArtor will share their views on 21st century transportation trends at the opening reception.

Hirsch, an expert on the issue of peak oil production, will detail the need for an immediate transformation in petroleum usage during a conference keynote address.

Ohio State ranks second in industry-sponsored research and is home to one of the nation's oldest and most successful transportation research centers.

The complete agenda of activities and other information about the event can be found at MovingAhead-2010.com.