Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Tuesday, January 8, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) Ending One Airport Runaround
Cell phone lots cut airport ground traffic.
Link to story in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/business/08parking.html?ex=1357448400&en=641814b7de30c42b&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

GPS / NAVIGATION

2) Study: Navigation Systems Could Cause Accidents
Software errors in satellite navigation devices in the Netherlands are sending vehicles through residential areas not intended for heavy traffic.
Link to IDG News Service story:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,141180-c,gpsreceivers/article.html
Link to report from Stichting Onderzoek Navigatiesystemen:
http://www.stichtingonderzoeknavigatiesystemen.nl/_files/son_nav001_20071210_en_Navigation_systems_seriously_undermine_road_savety.pdf

3) GPS Navigation Gets Smarter
Navigation devices at CES have acquired new features such as speech recognition, 3D maps, and information on fuel prices at nearby gas stations.
Link to story in PC World:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,141174-c,ces/article.html

4) Free Cell Phone Service Lets Callers Simply Dial for Text Directions
Link to story and audio report in the Chattanooga Times Free Press:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/life.aspx?articleid=27954&zoneid=10’

MARITIME

5) Outdated Charts of Arctic Waters Could Threaten Ship Safety: Expert
Some maritime charts still being used date back to 1800s.
Link to CBC News story:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2008/01/04/north-ships.html

OTHER

6) Web Site a Direct Link to Seattle Taxi Drivers
Cabbies get a chance to use their reputation to get calls.
Link to story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/346497_cabs05.html
Link to Taxi Drivers Direct: http://www.taxidriversdirect.com/

7) Bill Would Dump Vanity License Plates in South Dakota
Link to AP story:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SD_VANITY_PLATES_SDOL-?SITE=SDSIO&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

PUBLIC RELATIONS / EDUCATION

8) Preparation Pays Off
Advance information helps St. Louis drivers cope with closure of interstate highway.
Link to story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/2578E07D0989635C862573CA0011FB9E?OpenDocument

RAIL

9) High Speed Rail: Surfing the Internet at 320 KPH
Link to story in the Transport Information Group:
http://www.matthieudesiderio.com/?p=40

SAFETY / SECURITY

10) Don’t Like My Driving? Please Don’t Dial the DMV
Anonymous complaints can lead to driver retesting in Oregon.
Link to AP story:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OR_BAD_DRIVER_OROL-?SITE=ORCOR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE

11) Emergency Alert System Uses Cell Phones in Specific Areas
Link to story in The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/06/AR2008010601742.html (free registration required)

TELEMATICS

12) Autos Becoming Vibrant Electronic Hubs
Link to AP story:
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_7913148

13) A Car to Drive While Your Mind Wanders
Link to AFP story:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=nw20080108115319553C962440&click_id=31&set_id=1

14) ATX President and CEO Steve Millstein Predicts Bright Future for Telematics
Link to story in Aftermarket Business:
http://aftermarketbusiness.search-autoparts.com/aftermarketbusiness/Web+Exclusive/ATX-President-and-CEO-Steve-Millstein-predicts-bri/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/482676?contextCategoryId=41829

15) Electronic Car Technology
Link to interview with General Motors CEO, Rick Wagoner.
Link to video report on Fox Business News:
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=289004&cl=5874154&src=finance&ch=1316259

TRANSIT

16) Dutch Public Transport Card Hacked
Link to story from Radio Netherlands:
http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5590699/Dutch-public-transport-card-hacked

17) Valley Metro Links Bus Riders with Cell-Friendly Web Site
Link to story in the Phoenix Business Journal:
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/01/07/daily14.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

18) Report on Tennessee DOT’s SmartWay System
Link to story and video report on WVLT-TV:
http://www.volunteertv.com/ettm/headlines/13521737.html
Link to TDOT SmartWay: http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/tdotsmartway/


News Releases
1) PublicRoutes.com Announces Strategic Partnership with NewYork.com
2) Effectiveness of Iowa Red-Light Running Programs Evaluated in New Report
3) General Motors Demonstrates Self-Driving Chevrolet Tahoe ‘Boss’ at Consumer Electronics Show


Upcoming Events
APTA Transportation & University Communities Conference – April 5-8 – Reno, Nevada
http://www.apta.com/conferences_calendar/univ/


Today in Transportation History
1962 – The Netherlands worst rail disaster took place in Harmelen.
http://danger-ahead.railfan.net/accidents/harmelen/home.html

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© 2008 Bernie Wagenblast