Friday, July 20, 2007

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Friday, July 20, 2007 -- ISSN 1529-1057

Final Agenda Available; Room Block Closed for FHWA’s and NOAA’s 3rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium
The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research and the Federal Highway Administration is sponsoring the Third National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium, which will be held July 25-27, 2007 at the Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner, in Vienna, Virginia. Registration fees for non-federal attendees for the full 3-day Symposium is $125; 1-day registration for non-federal attendees is $60. All employees of the Federal government may attend the Symposium at no charge. Online registration ends at midnight EDT on July 20. Registration also will be available onsite at the Sheraton on Tuesday from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m., and all day Wednesday and Thursday. The theme of the symposium is “Improving commerce and reducing deaths and injuries through innovative, weather-related R&D and applications for the surface transportation system.” The symposium is a jam-packed, three-day event. It will cover the current state of surface transportation weather and climate services; you will learn more about the social and economic benefits that can be obtained from increased use of improved surface transportation weather and climate information; and you will hear about and make input on the federal-level research and development (R&D) priorities for improvements in surface transportation weather and climate information, and have ample opportunities to help shape how we will move forward to meet these research and development needs. Details on conference logistics, a final agenda, and additional symposium materials are available at http://www.ofcm.gov/wist/wist.htm, the Clarus Initiative website at http://www.clarusinitiative.org/, or ITS America’s website at http://www.itsa.org/industry_member_news_content/c219_d1552/News/Industry_amp_Member_News.html.


1) Caution Urged for Licenses Carrying Data Chips
Link to story in The Seattle Times:
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=rfid200&date=20070720&query=gregoire

2) US Lawmakers Aim to Scan All Container Ships
Link to AP story:
http://www.foxreno.com/news/13718344/detail.html

3) Radiation Detector Program Delayed
US Department of Homeland Security may have misled Congress, GAO audit finds.
Link to story in The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/19/AR2007071902615.html

4) US Homeland Security Department Working on National Standards for Credentials for First Responders
Link to story in Federal Computer Week:
http://www.fcw.com/article103288-07-20-07-Web

5) Camera Eyes Give Cars More Autonomy
Link to story in EE Times:
http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201002272

6) An Automobile’s Digital Heart
Link to story in Express Computer:
http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20070723/edit01.shtml

7) Chicago Transit Authority Reinstates Map Man
Agency ordered to rehire former manager who was deemed responsible for errors in thousands of rail system maps.
Link to UPI story:
http://www.imedinews.ge/en/news_read/52892

8) Congested Areas on Crash Course to Ease Traffic
Link to story in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-07-19-freeway-congestion_N.htm

9) Chicago’s Emergency Operations Center on Wheels
Link to photo essay in Government Technology:
http://www.govtech.com/gt/multimedia.php?id=127225

10) New Design for the Planning for Operations Web Site
Link to further information from US DOT:
http://www.plan4operations.dot.gov/current_news/news.cfm?ID=14
Link to site: http://www.plan4operations.dot.gov/

11) June Issue of Florida DOT’s Smart Moves Newsletter
Link to newsletter:
http://www.smartsunguide.com/pdf/SMART%20Moves%20-%20June%202007%20web.pdf


News Releases

1) TrafficGauge Launches First Traffic Map for iPhone
http://www.marketwire.com/2.0/release.do?id=753076

2) SBD Reports on the Environmental Benefits of Intelligent Transport System Technologies
http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/news/20-07-07_2


Upcoming Events
ITS America’s 2007 Business Leadership Conference – September 10-12 – Washington, DC
http://www.itsa.org/business_leadership.html


Friday Bonus
What might happen if they built a highway around Old Faithful.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=t8TXOs0E9s4


Today in Transportation History
1907 **100th anniversary** - The Great Salem Train Wreck takes place in Michigan.
http://hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070719/LIFE/707190564/1105/NEWS12

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© 2007 Bernie Wagenblast