Friday, February 22, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Friday, February 22, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

IVBSS Making the Grade? U.S. DOT Invites Industry to Review Field Test Results at Public Meeting

The U.S. DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration invites all interested transportation professionals to attend the 2008 Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems (IVBSS) Public Meeting to be held in Ypsilanti, Michigan April 10-11, 2008, at the Eagle Crest Conference Center. The IVBSS Team will be presenting the results of the most recent testing of integrated crash warning systems for light vehicles and heavy commercial trucks, as well as providing a comprehensive overview of Phase Two of the testing. Registration is available at http://www.itsa.org/ivbss.html.


AVIATION

1) Will the FAA Ban Laptop Batteries?
Link to story in Computerworld:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=laptops&articleId=9064078&taxonomyId=76&intsrc=kc_feat

MARITIME

2) Workers are a Port’s Eyes, Ears
Link to story in The Post and Courier:
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/feb/22/workers_are_ports_eyes_ears/

OTHER

3) PCs Have Loads ‘O Trouble with Apostrophes
Programming errors mean the O’Dowds, van Kamps and Al-Husseins may have problems with airline reservations and car rentals.
Link to AP story:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/world/2008-02-22-apostrophes-computers_N.htm

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

4) UN Launches Public Transport Campaign
Link to story on EurActiv:
http://www.euractiv.com/en/transport/un-launches-public-transport-campaign/article-170473
Link to additional information: http://www.uitp.org/advocacy/theworldisyourhome.cfm
Link to news release from the International Association of Public Transport:
http://www.uitp.org/news/details-news.cfm?&id=147&lg=en

5) Beijing Launches Campaign to Encourage Passengers to Offer Seats to Needy
Link to Xinhua story:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/22/content_7648736.htm

ROADWAYS

6) Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Vows to ‘Get to Bottom’ of Interstate Troubles
Wants to know why interagency communications broke down.
Link to story in The Janesville Gazette:
http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/feb/22/transportation-secretary-vows-get-bottom-interstat/

7) Korea to Build High-Speed Smart Highway
Link to story on Traffic Technology Today:
http://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news.php?NewsID=3652

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) US Transportation Security Administration Won’t Release Video It Claims Shows Screener Stealing
Link to story and video report on WFTV-TV:
http://www.wftv.com/news/15345911/detail.html

TELEMATICS

9) Eyes for Night Driving
Link to column in The Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120355062952781227.html

10) Mazda Talks to the Road, and the Road Talks Back
Link to Wired News story:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/mazda-talks-to.html

11) The Secrets of Microsoft’s Sync
Link to story in BusinessWeek:
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2008/tc20080221_162333.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_technology

TRANSIT

12) Report: Staffing, Communication Fueled Long Island Rail Road Woes Last Winter
Link to story in Newsday:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--lirrimprovements0221feb21,0,4467011.story
Link to news release from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Inspector General:
http://mtaig.state.ny.us/assets/pdf/pr-2-08.pdf
Link to report: http://mtaig.state.ny.us/assets/pdf/08-03.pdf

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

13) Need Info About Jakarta Traffic? Ask TMC
Link to story in The Jakarta Post:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailcity.asp?fileid=20080222.C02&irec=1

14) Only Government Could Make Radio this Boring
New all-traffic radio station launched by the City of Calgary uses computer-generated voice.
Link to article in the Calgary Herald:
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=51dda578-a9f1-429d-ab08-17d5a275ab07

15) Hanoi’s Traffic Lights Need Smartening Up
Link to Vietnam News Agency story:
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=02SOC220208

16) Orange Park, Florida Banking on Technology to Curb Traffic Problem
Link to story in My Clay Sun:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/022208/nec_248989209.shtml

17) Worried About Traffic? Use the Web to Gauge Your Travel Times
Link to story on SmarterTravel:
http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-advice/worried-about-traffic-use-the-web-to-gauge-your-travel-times.html?id=2514230

VEHICLES

18) Australian Drivers to Get Stamp of Truth on New Cars’ Greenhouse Impact
Labels will detail fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions for all new cars.
Link to story in The Sydney Morning Herald:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/drivers-to-get-stamp-of-truth-on-new-cars-greenhouse-impact/2008/02/22/1203467388853.html

19) Swiss-on-Board Unit Project Slightly Delayed
Integration test rescheduled for replacement heavy vehicle on-board charge units.
Link to story from ERTICO – ITS Europe:
http://www.ertico.com/en/news_and_events/ertico_newsroom/partner_news_swiss_on-board_unit_project_slightly_delayed.htm


News Releases
1) Telematics Outshines Telemetry in North America
2) Strong Application Mix and Value Propositions Drive RFID Pilots and Deployments
3) Los Angeles County Traffic Management Center Completes Interface with the City of Los Angeles’ Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control Center
4) USTelematics Announces Revenue Sharing Agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio


Bernie’s Notes
Today’s edition comes early because my oldest daughter, Kirsten Marie, is being married tomorrow to Russell James Luedecker at Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick, New Jersey. I’ll be attending the wedding rehearsal at the time I normally send the TCN. Best wishes to the bride and groom!
http://www.russellandkirsten.com/


Upcoming Events
Talking Freight Web Seminar: Tolling and Pricing – March 19
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/news/news_detail.asp?ID=416


Friday Bonus
The sad thing is, I wouldn’t be surprised if OnStar has actually received a call like this.
http://images.chron.com/apps/comics/images/2008/1/23/Lola.119.g.gif


Today in Transportation History
1935 – It became illegal for airplanes to fly over the White House.
http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/ustreas/usss/t1pubrpt.html

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