2026 Coalition Annual Event
May 5-6, 2026
The 2026 Coalition Annual Event will hosted by T-Mobile at the Executive Briefing Center in Herndon, VA.
Agenda
This agenda is tentative and subject to change. All activities will be held at the T-Mobile Executive Briefing Center unless otherwise noted. The dress code for this event is business casual.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
| Start Time | End Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. | Early D2D Advisory Board Registration |
| 10:30 a.m. | 1:30 p.m. | D2D Advisory Board Meeting (Invitation Only) |
| 3:00 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. | D2D Technology Readiness Audit Working Group Meeting
Invitation only. The team is pursuing participants who want to collaborate on Virginia and regional considerations of communication and operational needs that require public and private partnerships to meet future deployments of automated vehicles. These investigations with the working group will be focused in on road highway/urban or aerial operations depending on participation. If interested, please contact Prasad Gupte. |
| 3:00 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | Early Virginia Maritime Association (VMA) NOVA Chapter Registration |
| 3:30 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | VMA NOVA Chapter Meeting (Invitation Only) |
| 4:30 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | General Registration |
| 5:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | Networking Reception with Demonstrations
Join us for a happy hour networking reception with partners from both Dock to Door, and the rare opportunity to meet new collaborators through a jointly hosted event of D2D with the VMA NOVA Chapter. Demos, relationship-building, photo booths, and more! Partner technology demonstrations will take place throughout the center for small group tours. |
| 6:30 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | Dinner
A Cinco de Mayo themed dinner opportunity to build relationships with fellow partners and collaborators. Featuring keynote T-Mobile Representative on how T-Mobile is paving the future of connected and automated vehicles. |
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
| Start Time | End Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | 10:00 a.m. | Registration |
| 8:30 a.m. | 9:15 a.m. | Breakfast & Networking |
| 9:15 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | Keynote, Panels, Workshops, Demonstrations, Tours |
| 9:15 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. | Keynote Opener (TBA)
An energizing kickoff into the state of the supply chain, horizon of connected and automated vehicles, and federal priorities with a theme of how collaboration is key to overcoming today’s challenges. |
| 9:30 a.m. | 10:00 a.m. | Government Focused Panel: Effective Partnerships lead to Informed Policy
Legislative updates from public sector representatives and D2D partners as it relates to current market and policy changes that affect supply chain operations. |
| 10:00 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. | Smart & Connected Infrastructure: Urban Freight Applications
Explores emerging smart‑city technologies enabling more efficient and resilient urban freight movement, such as connected corridors, curb management systems, digital twins, and real‑time traffic coordination. |
| 10:30 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. | Impacts of AI on Freight
A discussion on how artificial intelligence is reshaping freight operations, including routing optimization, predictive maintenance, supply‑chain visibility, and automated logistics. |
| 10:30 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. | Rail Automation Applications
Focuses on automation technologies emerging in the rail sector, including remote operations, automated inspections, digital signaling, and obstacle detection. |
| 11:00 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. | D2D STEM Pilot Program Feature
Feature of the D2D Pilot STEM program launched last year in 2025 with participating partners. |
| 11:30 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | Breakthroughs and Bottlenecks in Energy Efficient and Resilient Freight
Showcase Coalition partner efforts from Spring 2026 working group that advance energy-efficient vehicle and infrastructure technology, highlighting various nodes along the supply chain. |
| 12:00 p.m. | 12:45 p.m. | Lunch
Featuring sponsor recognition activity. |
| 12:45 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. | Economic Impact Activity: Hermes Assistant Turning Data into Dollars
An interactive game where participants follow a shipment across the supply chain and experience how data gaps create real economic costs. Players then see how Hermes Assistant turns selective data sharing into measurable gains in time, money, and workforce efficiency. |
| 1:00 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. | Exploring Ways to Foster AV Acceptance by Communities
Moderated discussion with D2D partners from the research and practice perspective for enabling AV acceptance by communities. |
| 1:30 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | EV/AV Workforce Training of the Future
Examines national trends and best practices in preparing the next‑generation workforce for electric and autonomous freight technologies, from technician roles to AV inspection needs. This will feature Virginia Clean Cities project GUMBO training as well as initial findings from the GO Virginia funded D2D Pathways Program workforce planning project. |
| 2:00 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | Last-Mile Energy Efficient Freight Project Feature
Highlight a specific D2D partner project update and gaps that still exist in enabling last-mile delivery. |
| 2:30 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | Can the Grid Handle AI and Zero‑Emission Freight? Data Centers, Transportation, and the Grid
Analyze the growing impact to the grid from AI optimizations, V2X deployments, and megawatt charging to explore planning, resilience, and investment strategies for balancing future demand. |
| 3:00 p.m. | 4:15 p.m. | Facility Tour (TBA) |
| 4:15 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks |
Location
T-Mobile Executive Briefing Center
2340 Dulles Corner Blvd
Herndon, VA 20171
Event Hotel
Hyatt Place Herndon Dulles East
13711 Sayward Blvd
Herndon, VA 20171
571-643-0905
For our room block, you can book online or via phone using group code: G-TMOB.
Free Dulles Airport shuttle service available.
Visitor Information
Other Lodging
We are not able to provide shuttling services, so please arrange your own transportation to the Executive Briefing Center.
Registration
Registration information has been emailed to Coalition members. Please contact D2DCoalition@vtti.vt.edu if you have any questions.
Accommodations
If you are an individual with a disability and require accommodation or have dietary restrictions, please contact Christina Viers at cviers@vtti.vt.edu or 540-231-0397 during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.