Thursday, April 10, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Thursday, April 10, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

GPS / NAVIGATION

1) TomTom and Garmin Lose Their Way
Makers of personal navigation devices are facing tough times from keen competition—namely cell phones—and a weakening economy.
Link to story in BusinessWeek:
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2008/tc2008048_819969.htm?chan=rss_topEmailedStories_ssi_5
Link to financial update from TomTom:
http://investors.tomtom.com/tomtom/press/2008/2008-04-08/

OTHER

2) Arizona Governor’s Office Opposed April Fool’s Prank
Arizona DOT collaborated with radio station story about tolls being collected on freeways.
Link to story in The Arizona Republic:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/09/20080409prank0409-ON.html
Link to story on KTAR Radio:
http://www.ktar.com/?sid=793341&nid=6

3) Draft ITS Program Goals and Focus Areas Posted – Comments Sought
Link to further information from the Research and Innovative Technology Administration:
http://www.its.dot.gov/program_goals/index.htm

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

4) Wisconsin DOT Launches Ad to Encourage Safety in Work Zones
Link to story and video on WISC-TV:
http://www.channel3000.com/news/15840872/detail.html

5) Orange Glow on I-75 May Spark Safe Driving
Ohio DOT lighting buildings in orange for National Work Zone Awareness Week.
Link to story in The Blade:
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080410/NEWS11/804100343
Link to news release from the Ohio Department of Transportation:
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/news/2008/04-07-08.asp

ROADWAYS

6) Washington State Says Yellow Ribbons on Freedom Bridge Near Fort Lewis Can Stay
Link to story in The News Tribune:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/front/topstories/story/331342.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

7) TSA Unveils Plan to X-Ray Cargo
Link to story in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-04-09-Aircargo_N.htm

8) Nationwide Text Message Alert System Approved
Link to AP story:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/phones/2008-04-09-nationwide-cellphone-alert_N.htm
Link to news release from the Federal Communications Commission:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-281433A1.pdf

9) DC Will Centralize Security Monitoring
Most city-owned cameras, including DOT video, will be monitored around-the-clock from single location.
Link to story in The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/09/AR2008040904048.html (free registration required)

TRANSIT

10) Google Transit Gets Smarter and Smarter
Link to story in Wired:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/04/google-transi-1.html
Link to Google Transit: http://www.google.com/transit

11) Transport Card Planned for Wellington, New Zealand
Link to story on Radio New Zealand:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200804100822/29bc889b

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

12) Microsoft Introduces Tool for Avoiding Traffic Jams
Link to story in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/technology/10maps.html?ex=1365566400&en=5581e55cad523f0a&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

13) Inrix Offers Nationwide Traffic Alerts
Data gleaned from mobile handsets and GPS-enabled vehicles will flag congested areas all across the country.
Link to story in InformationWeek:
http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/gps/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207100916
Link to news release from Inrix:
http://inrix.com/pressrelease.asp?ID=43

14) Microsoft, Traffic Jams and Inrix
Link to column in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/archives/136219.asp
News Releases
1) Kansas City's KSHB-TV Launches Free Mobile Traffic Camera Service to Help Lighten Traffic Load
2) Oregon DOT Seeking Innovative Ways to Improve Traffic Flow
3) US DOT Announces Approval of Phase II of the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems Program


Upcoming Events
Nineteenth Annual CTS Transportation Research Conference – May 20-21 – St. Paul, Minnesota
http://www.cts.umn.edu/Events/ResearchConf/index.html


Today in Transportation History
1968 **40th anniversary** - The New Zealand interisland ferry Wahine sank in Wellington Harbor killing 51 people.
http://wairarapa.co.nz/times-age/weekly/wahine.html

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

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