Friday, March 14, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Friday, March 14, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

Maryland Transportation Operations Summit Set for May 1

You are cordially invited to participate in the Maryland Transportation Operations Summit, May 1, 2008 at the Conference Center at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. The theme of this year’s summit is “Better Mobility Through Improved Transportation Operations.” The Maryland Transportation Operations Summit will bring together Maryland state, regional and local transportation and public safety agencies to discuss: current national perspectives on highway and transit operations; current status of highway and transit operations in Maryland; agency plans and visions for improving and mainstreaming operations in Maryland; and next steps for expanded and integrated agency efforts to enhance operations. The Operations Summit is intended as an important first step in a larger effort to develop a broader, more cohesive operations program in Maryland. Registration and more details are available through http://MTOS.eventbrite.com.


AVIATION

1) New Air-Safety Proposals Come Under Attack
A US government proposal to modernize the nation's air-traffic system with satellite tracking is criticized by various aviation groups.
Link to story in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-03-13-faa_N.htm
Link to news release from the Air Transport Association:
http://www.airlines.org/news/releases/2008/news_03-03-08.htm
Link to comments from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association:
http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080304ads-b-comments.pdf

CARTOGRAPHY

2) How Google Earth Ate Our Town
Nanaimo, British Columbia maps a wide variety of information.
Link to story in Time:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1720932,00.html?imw=Y
Link to earth.nanaimo.ca: http://earth.nanaimo.ca/

GPS / NAVIGATION

3) New York City Taxi Drivers Drop Lawsuit Over GPS
Link to story in The New York Sun:
http://www.nysun.com/article/72943

4) GPS, Meet WPS. Mapping the Next Step
Link to story in Consumer Reports:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2008/03/gps-wi-fi-wps.html
Link to additional information from Skyhook Wireless: http://www.skyhookwireless.com

OTHER

5) Firm’s Pennsylvania Turnpike Access Decried
One company competing to lease the roadway given exclusive access to records, inspections and staff expertise.
Link to story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/state/s_557213.html

6) UK Couple Set Up Traffic Rant Web Site
Link to story in the Wigan Evening Post:
http://www.wigantoday.net/wigannews/Couple-set-up-traffic-rant.3878945.jp
Link to Traffic Talk: http://www.traffictalk.co.uk/

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

7) Campaign Begins for Oregon’s Move Over Law
Link to story and video report on KPTV-TV:
http://www.kptv.com/news/15594235/detail.html
Link to Move Over brochure:
http://www.oregon.gov/OSP/PATROL/docs/move_over.pdf

8) Lights, Camera, I-PASS: Instructional Video Shows Dos, Don'ts
Link to story in The SouthtownStar:
http://www.southtownstar.com/business/tridgell/840016,031308onthemove.article

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) Tackling Traffic’s Biggest Killer
Stopping head-on collisions a key aim of PReVENT.
Link to story on ICT Results:
http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults/index.cfm/section/news/tpl/article/BrowsingType/Features/ID/89636
Link to PReVENT project’s site: http://www.prevent-ip.org

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

10) High-Tech Traffic System Going Into Place in Wichita Area
Link to story and video report on KAKE-TV:
http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/16662116.html

11) Connecticut State Senator Wants Fix for Traffic Alerts
Link to story in The Advocate:
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-nor.duff-e-alerts11mar14,0,5677791.story
Link to news release from State Senator Bob Duff:
http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/duff-080313.html

12) Traffic Probes Provide Real-Time Data on Road Conditions
Link to story in InTransition:
http://www.intransitionmag.org/Winter_2008/probes.html
Link to additional information about TRANSMIT: http://www.xcm.org/services/tech%20development/transmit.html

13) Observer Sees Google’s Future in Transportation Routing
Link to story in InformationWeek:
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=206903550
Link to Google patent application:
http://www.arnoldit.com/lists/google-patents/pat20060149461.pdf

14) Hospitals to be Featured in Transport Movie
Film to highlight EU’s OPTIMUM2 project that has as its primary aim the improvement of the accessibility of busy locations in urban areas.
Link to story in The Chorley Citizen:
http://www.chorleycitizen.co.uk/display.var.2117893.0.hospitals_to_feature_in_transport_movie.php
Link to OPTIMUM2 ‘s site: http://www.optimum2.org


News Releases
1) Vitronic and Thales to Supply Multi-Lane, Free-Flow Tolling System in Australia


Upcoming Events
The Climate Change Think Tank: Transportation’s Impacts and Solutions – May 29-30 – Amherst, Massachusetts
http://www.h3bmedia.com/networx/climate.cfm


Friday Bonus
I’ve heard of smart cars, smart highways and smart cards, but this is the first smart bike I’ve seen demonstrated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOGbuCaBBoM


Today in Transportation History
1908 **100th anniversary** - Edward Heinemann, a noted designer of military aircraft for Douglas, was born in Saginaw, Michigan.
http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/heinemann.htm

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© 2008 Bernie Wagenblast