Welcome! This is the blog version of the Transportation Communications Newsletter, which has been published since 1998. You'll find it online at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications/.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Transportation Communications Newsletter
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057
15th World Congress Call for Papers: Deadline Extended to January 31
The deadline for submitting technical and scientific papers to the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems has been extended to January 31, 2008. Do not miss the opportunity to present at this event which is expected to attract 10,000 delegates from more than 40 countries from November 16-20, 2008 in New York City. Technical paper drafts and full scientific papers must be submitted at http://www.itsworldcongress.org/submit-a-paper.html no later than January 31. If you have questions about paper content or format, contact Nicole Oliphant at noliphant@itsa.org.
AVIATION
1) Federal Aviation Administration Moves to Extend Runway Safety Requirements to All Certified Airports
Link to story in Air Transport World:
http://atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=11333
MARITIME
2) Public Involvement Tops the List of Goals for the Port of Everett’s New President
Link to story in The Daily Herald:
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080109/BIZ/594833566
OTHER
3) Sunspot Activity Expected to Disrupt GPS, Cell Phones, Power Grid
Link to story in InformationWeek:
http://www.informationweek.com/management/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205600814
ROADWAYS
4) Florida Legislature Looks to Set Guidelines for Red-Light Cameras
Link to AP story:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_RED_LIGHT_CAMERAS_FLOL-?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME
TELEMATICS
5) Australia Piloting GPS-Based Control of Vehicle Speed
Link to story in Government Technology:
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/245052
6) GM: We’ll All be Connected
Technology will link and guide cars.
Link to story in the Detroit Free Press:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080109/BUSINESS01/801090345
Link to text of CES address by General Motors Chairman and CEO, Rick Wagoner:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/01/gm-says-electro.html
TRANSIT
7) Transit Censors
Is San Francisco transit agency infringing on free speech rights?
Link to story in the San Francisco Bay Guardian:
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=5384&catid=4&volume_id=317&issue_id=334&volume_num=42&issue_num=15
8) Transit Lobbying Goes Online
Campaign pushes for extend hours of operation for Vancouver’s SkyTrain.
Link to story in 24 Hours Vancouver:
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2008/01/09/4759691-sun.html
Link to petition on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6666586191 (requires free registration)
TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT
9) Missouri DOT Command Center Keeps Eyes on Road
Link to story in the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/13CAEAD46DF689B6862573CB00589A1B?OpenDocument
10) January Issue of Florida DOT’s SunGuide Disseminator
Link to newsletter:
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/trafficoperations/Newsletters/2008/01_2008/01_2008.htm
News Releases
1) University of Arkansas Researchers Develop Tool for Securing Rural Transportation Networks
2) New Book "Your World, Your Future" Explores Future of Technology, Energy, Transportation, & Global Warming
3) Delphi Offers Hub for Connecting Multiple Vehicle Systems and Consumer Interfaces
4) Delphi Shows New Dual-View Navigation at CES
Upcoming Events
National Hurricane Conference – March 31-April 4 – Orlando, Florida
http://www.hurricanemeeting.com/
Today in Transportation History
1968 **40th anniversary** - Surveyor 7 makes a soft landing on the Moon.
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1968-001A
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Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.
© 2008 Bernie Wagenblast
I am the PIO for TransLink, the agency that oversees SkyTrain in Vancouver BC. There are a couple of things worth noting. First, it is necessary to shut down the SkyTrain system for a few hours each night for the purpose of track maintenance. The system shuts down after the last train out of Waterfront Station at 1:18 am (12:18 am on Saturday and 11:18pm on Sunday) so the system is ready to roll again in the morning rush hour. In determining scheduling, TransLink planners consulted with employers of shift workers -- convenience stores, hotels, hospitals, etc. -- to make sure their shifts fit with our schedule and maintenance requirements. Basically, this is a case of people wanting to party right up till 4AM closing and be accommodated on public transit. You can just imagine the backlash if we had a problem during the rush because the track had not been properly maintained.
ReplyDeleteIt's worth pointing out that this fellow's story is a bit fishy. 24 Hours reported that he started the petition on Dec. 29, but he told The Province newspaper that he started it after being put off SkyTrain at 2AM New Year's morning. Our Field Operations and Transit Police have no record -- even anecdotally -- of such an incident, and frankly, we don't tell people they have to get off SkyTrain because the service day has ended: they stay on the train until their station or the terminus station.