Friday, December 21, 2007

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Friday, December 21, 2007 -- ISSN 1529-1057

1) Federal Lawsuit Filed Over Chicago’s Cell Phone Ban
Link to story and video in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cellsuit_20dec20,1,1375208.story

2) Texas Toll Road Critics Denied Access to All Requested Documents
Link to AP story:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5396271.html

3) Transportation Security Administration’s Top Secret Security Center
Facility tracks every plane in the sky in an effort to keep travelers safe.
Link to story and video from ABC’s Good Morning America:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/LegalCenter/story?id=4035695&page=1

4) Massachusetts Turnpike Ponders How to Increase Life in the FastLane
Agency wants to boost use of electronic tolls.
Link to story in The MetroWest Daily News:
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x282557239

5) Check Your Wait Times at Airport Security Lines Online
Link to story in The Journal News:
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071221/NEWS03/712210437/1019

6) Airlines Race to Provide In-Flight Internet Access
Link to Reuters story:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071221.wgtAirNet1221/BNStory/Technology/home/

7) Etiquette Questions Arise Over In-Flight Web Access
Link to AP story:
http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/1220biz-airborneInternet.html

8) United Airlines Takes the iPod Skyward
Link to story in Wired:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2007/12/united-airlines.html

9) Alaska Airlines Hopes Airport Gate Displays Lessen Delays
Link to story in the Portland Business Journal:
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/12/17/daily30.html
Link to news release from Alaska Airlines:
http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/asnews/asfeatures/AS_20071219_135349.asp

10) Commuters Helping Commuters
New service tips rail riders to problems.
Link to story in Boston Now:
http://www.bostonnow.com/news/local/2007/12/19/commuters-helping-commuters
Link to Clever Commute: http://www.clevercommute.com/

11) Radio Traffic Alerts Improving in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, but May Not Catch Up with Technology
Link to column in The Morning Call:
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-warrior-dec2107,0,7867755.column

12) Signs May Lead to HOV Confusion on Texas Expressway
Link to story and video report on WFAA-TV:
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa071220_mo_hovlanes.3720976c.html

13) National Standards for Traffic Control Devices; Maintaining Traffic Sign Retroreflectivity – Federal Register Notice: December 21, 2007
Link to further information from the Federal Highway Administration:
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/news/news_detail.asp?ID=399

14) December Issue of Florida DOT’s SunGuide Disseminator Online
Link to newsletter:
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/trafficoperations/Newsletters/2007/12_2007/12_2007.htm


News Releases
1) Washington State DOT Report Reveals New Jobs, More People, Slightly Longer Commute in Puget Sound Region – Agency uses technology to reduce delays
2) Travel Web Sites Kayak.com and SideStep to Finalize Merger


Upcoming Events
Infrarail 2008 – March 11-13 – Birmingham, UK
http://www.infrarail.com/


Friday Bonus
An engineer’s perspective on Santa.
http://onthegomom.blogspot.com/2007/12/engineers-perspective-on-santa-funny.html


Today in Transportation History
1987 **20th anniversary** - The ferry Dona Paz sinks in the Tablas Strait after colliding with an oil tanker. It was the worst peacetime maritime disaster in history.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,966394,00.html?iid=chix-sphere

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Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.
© 2007 Bernie Wagenblast