Monday, January 28, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, January 28, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) Airport Safety: Magnetic Fingerprinting in the Fog?
Researchers develop system to pinpoint the location of aircraft at airports even in places where other traffic monitoring systems face difficulties.
Link to story on ICT Results:
http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults/index.cfm/section/news/tpl/article/BrowsingType/Features/ID/89466

2) Federal Aviation Administration Lets Long Island’s MacArthur Airport Keep Air Traffic Equipment
Link to story in Newsday:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-liair0127,0,3056946.story

GPS / NAVIGATION

3) UK Will Not Abandon Galileo Yet, Says Government
Link to story in Computing:
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2208227/uk-abandon-galileo-yet
Link to report from the Select Committee on Transport:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmtran/283/28304.htm

MARITIME

4) ‘Hotline Between Coast Guards of India and Pakistan Working Well’
Link to story in The Hindu:
http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/28/stories/2008012854971200.htm

5) Scrapped by Canada, High-Tech Radar Sold to Sri Lanka
Link to Canwest News Service story:
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=3a853b61-62cd-449a-9537-3bae9565a2a2&k=73075

6) Key Decisions on Long-Range Ship Tracking Made at International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee
Link to story in IMO News:
http://www.imo.org/includes/blastDataOnly.asp/data_id%3D20746/IMONewsNo407LR.pdf (page 19)

OTHER

7) A Less Distant DOT
Connecticut's insular transportation agency could learn a few things from other states about service and accessibility.
Link to commentary in the Hartford Courant:
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/commentary/hc-commentarydot127.artjan27,0,6640248.story

8) Free Radio Service Provides Decent Fare on School Buses
Link to AP story:
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/14453127.html

9) Alabama Trucking Services Now Online
Link to story on eTrucker:
http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=66280
Link to Alabama Online Trucking Resources: http://trucking.alabama.gov

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

10) Kiosks to Serve Up Info on Minnesota’s New I-35W Bridge
Link to story in the Star Tribune:
http://www.startribune.com/local/14481822.html

ROADWAYS

11) Watch Out, Another Traffic Spy is Heading Your Way
Car-sharing lanes are coming to Britain in a bid to tackle rising congestion and a new smart camera will help to police them.
Link to story in The Sunday Times:
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/news/article3250609.ece

12) ‘Smart’ Traffic Light Plan
Test will use traffic signals to keep traffic out of built-up areas during high pollution periods.
Link to story in the Leicester Mercury:
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=132935&command=displayContent&sourceNode=132702&contentPK=19690195&folderPk=77465&pNodeId=132393

13) Articles from Current Issue of Public Roads
- Mobility Services for All – ITS technologies are improving the quality of transportation for individuals in human services programs.
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/08jan/04.htm
- QuickZone: Modeling in the Zone – With the revised Federal Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule now in effect, this modeling tool can help DOTs comply.
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/08jan/05.htm
- The Corporate Master Plan Shapes R&T Practice
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/08jan/06.htm

SAFETY / SECURITY

14) Unease Persists on Real ID
Final rules for Real ID cards don’t put privacy, security concerns to rest.
Link to commentary in Government Computer News:
http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/45737-1.html

15) IT Snags Slow Secure Flight
TSA’s passenger screening system criticized as duplicative of Customs and Border Protection’s border program.
Link to story in Government Computer News:
http://www.gcn.com/print/27_2/45697-1.html

16) School Bus Cameras Help Discipline
North Carolina school district says behavior is improved and more cameras are added.
Link to story in The Charlotte Observer:
http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_news/story/466251.html

TELEMATICS

17) OnStar to Offer Remote Cell Phone Commands
Link to story in This Week in Consumer Electronics:
http://www.twice.com/article/CA6526411.html?nid=3189

TRANSIT

18) Wi-Fi Gets Trial Run on Massachusetts Commuter Trains
Link to story in The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/01/28/wi_fi_gets_trial_run_on_commuter_trains/ (may require free registration)
Link to further information from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority:
http://www.mbta.com/riding_the_t/wifi/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

19) Keeping More Electronic Eyes on the Road
Florida plans to add more tools to monitor conditions and information motorists.
Link to story in the Herald-Tribune:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080128/NEWS/801280581


News Releases
1) Alaska Governor Announces Plan to Improve Aviation Safety – New Bill Helps Pilots Obtain State of the Art Avionics
2) Mazda to Test Intelligent Transport System in Hiroshima
3) Personal Navigation Devices Will Be Complemented, Not Replaced, by Handset-Based Navigation Solutions
4) AirIQ Launches Enhanced Offering for Consumers
5) King County, Washington 911 Chosen for National Pilot Program
6) Public Safety Spectrum Trust on Recent Statements in the Media on Upcoming 700 MHz Auction
7) Leading Active Vehicle Safety Experts Explain Why IVS is Such a Big Deal to Future of European Automotive Industry
8) Requirement for Analog Cellular Service Expires in February in US
9) Freeway and Tollway Operations Conference Abstract Submission Deadline is February 1, 2008
10) Iteris Announces New Georgia DOT Fast Forward Contract


Upcoming Events
American Society for Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing 2008 Annual Conference – April 28-May 2 – Portland, Oregon
http://www.asprs.org/portland08/index.html


Today in Transportation History
1938 **70th anniversary** - Rudolf Caracciola sets a world land speed record of 268.9 mph (432.7 km/h).
http://thespeedblog.com/racers-past-rudolf-caracciola-1901-1959/

1958 **50th anniversary** - The plastic Lego bricks that countless future engineers used to build their first bridges and other creations, was first patented.
http://www.lego.com

=============================================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.
© 2008 Bernie Wagenblast