Monday, August 6, 2007

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, August 6, 2007 -- ISSN 1529-1057

1) High-Tech Gear Aids Bridge Investigation
Link to AP story:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5029164.html

2) New Wi-Fi Network Proves Critical in Minneapolis Bridge Disaster
Link to story in Computerworld:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9028978&intsrc=news_ts_head

3) Jets Fly High and True on GPS
Link to story in the Sunday Herald Sun:
http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,22182976-36335,00.html

4) Canadian Transit Ruling Will Bring Many Changes: Lawyers
Requirement to announce all stops to assist blind riders in Toronto will be felt nationwide.
Link to CTV story:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070806/canada_public_transit_070806/20070806?hub=Canada

5) Virginia DOT Tweaks 511 Traffic Program, Adding Some Features While Slashing Others
Link to story in the Rocktown Weekly:
http://www.rocktownweekly.com/news_details.php?AID=11517&CHID=2
Link to story in The News Virginian:
http://www.newsvirginian.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WNV%2FMGArticle%2FWNV_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352227887&path=!news!localnews

6) Roadway Cameras, Message Boards Help Keep Traffic Flowing in Oklahoma
Link to story in The Oklahoman:
http://newsok.com/article/3099482

7) Word-of-Mouth, Marketing Boost New Manhattan Ferry’s Popularity
Link to story in The Record:
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2MDgmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcxNzc0OTEmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkz

8) What are Airlines Doing to Ease Pain?
Improved communication part of effort to improve customer service.
Link to column in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0805insideraug05,0,42499.story

9) Chicago Airports to Offer Improved Communications for Disabled Travelers
Link to story on WLS-TV:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=5510943

10) Few Signs of Help for New Jersey Drivers
Lack of signs leads to confusion, not the intended destination.
Link to column in The Record:
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyNjcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcxNzc1NDQmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk5

11) Over a Third of UK Drivers Can’t Read a Road Map
Link to story on Sky News:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1278701,00.html

12) In-Flight Entertainment Update
What's new and entertaining in the air? We review your options, including Apple's iPhone, portable media players, and what the airlines have to offer.
Link to story in PC World:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,135128/article.html

13) Getting a Read on Congestion
RFID technology is in line to change driving patterns, reduce congestion, and help the transportation industry operate more efficiently.
Link to story in DC Velocity:
http://www.dcvelocity.com/articles/?article_id=1043

14) Congestion Relief
Traffic forecasting system used to determine if it’s faster to drive around or through a construction zone.
Link to story in Macleans:
http://www.macleans.ca/science/technology/article.jsp?content=20070806_108083_108083

15) Forget RFID. GPS is the New Tech Bogeyman
Link to commentary in InformationWeek:
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/08/forget_rfid_gps.html

16) Nissan Shows Safety Technology
Self-lifting gas pedal, drunken driving prevention to be offered.
Link to AP story:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070806/japan_safe_cars.html?.v=5 \
Link to news release from Nissan:
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/CLF00103082007-1.htm

17) More Portable Navigation Devices Arriving with Real-Time Traffic
Link to story in Twice:
http://www.twice.com/article/CA6465749.html?industryid=45190

18) National Automated Highway System Consortium Reports Posted Online to Commemorate Tenth Anniversary of Demo ‘97
Link to results from California PATH:
http://www.path.berkeley.edu/nahsc/

19) Communicating with the Public Using ATIS During Disasters - A Guide for Practitioners
Link to publication from US DOT:
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/atis/index.htm

20) Active Traffic Management: The Next Step in Congestion Management
Link to report from the Federal Highway Administration:
http://international.fhwa.dot.gov/pubs/pl07012/index.cfm


News Releases

1) FRA and California Public Safety Partners Announce Initiative to Educate Farm Workers about Dangers near Railroad Lines
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/press-releases/156

2) Virginia Governor Announces Grants to Establish Strategic Supplies of First Responder Radio Systems
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/MediaRelations/NewsReleases/viewRelease.cfm?id=475

3) Intermap Technologies and Auburn University Use GIS to Reduce Fuel Consumption
http://www.intermap.com/interior.php/pid/1/sid/306/tid/245/nid/2160


Upcoming Events
Webinar: National ITS Architecture Update: New Features of the Latest Version of the National ITS Architecture (Version 6.0) – August 23
http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/s070823_architecture.asp


Today in Transportation History
1997 **10th anniversary** - Korean Air Flight 801 crashes in Guam. All but 25 of the 254 people aboard died.
http://ns.gov.gu/guam/indexmain.html

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