Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

Join the OmniAir Consortium in McLean, Virginia for the VII Tactical Deployment Workshop, May 22nd, 2008

Join lead thinkers and technical experts working to advance Vehicle Infrastructure Integration at the VII Tactical Deployment (VTD) Workshop. At this event, panelists and the audience will collaborate in a unique 'option finder' forum to discuss the tactical environment that's shaping VII and together, work to distill a practical strategy that answers the uncertainties of full-scale deployment from the technical and business perspectives. Organized by OmniAir members with support from H3B Media (publishers of 'Thinking Highways' and 'ETC, etc.') this workshop offers a thought-provoking chance to listen, contribute and advance VII. Find out more about VTD, the meeting and its registration details by visiting www.omniair.org/vtd/workshop/ or contact OmniAir at info@omniair.org.


AVIATION

1) More Airports to Use ‘Whole Body Imaging’ Machines
Link to story on CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/04/15/airport.security/
Link to additional information from the Transportation Security Administration:
http://www.tsa.gov/approach/tech/mwave.shtm

CARTOGRAPHY
2) A New Google Earth has Landed
Link to story on CNET News:
http://www.download.com/8301-2007_4-9919344-12.html
Link to news release from Google:
http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/annc/20080416_earth.html

3) Successful FeedMAP User Forum Workshop
Link to story from ERTICO – ITS Europe:
http://www.ertico.com/en/news_and_events/ertico_newsroom/project_news_successful_feedmap_user_forum_workshop.htm

MARITIME

4) Coast Guard Serves as Traffic Cop on the Mississippi River
Link to story in The Advocate:
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/17784399.html
Link to Waterways Action Plan from US Coast Guard:
http://www.uscg.mil/d8/westernrivers/docs/Waterways%20Action%20Plan%20March%2016%202007.pdf

5) USS Russell Navigates Uncharted Waters with Ship's Blog
Link to story on MarineLink:
http://www.marinelink.com/Story/ShowStory.aspx?StoryID=211491
Link to The Destroyermen: http://destroyermen.blogspot.com/

OTHER

6) New Body Would Coordinate Dublin Area Transport
Link to story in The Irish Times;
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0414/breaking167.htm
Link to further information from Houses of the Oireachtas:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=9186

7) Bill Requiring English-Only Driver’s Test in Alabama Creates Sharp Debate
Link to AP story:
http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-35/1208292878250670.xml&storylist=alabamanews

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

8) Washington State DOT Doodler Creator of 'Burl the Squirrel'
Cartoon character used for I-90 construction project.
Link to story in the Yakima Herald-Republic:
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/3224

RAILROADS

9) Washington, DC Upgrades Rail Security
Video and sensor system for CSX and Amtrak to be expanded in downtown area.
Link to UPI story:
http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Industry/Briefing/2008/04/15/washington_upgrades_rail_security/1343/
Link to news release from Duos Technologies:
http://www.duostechnologies.com/AboutUs/PressRoom_pdf/DCRailCorridorExpPR.pdf

ROADWAYS

10) Traffic Light Changes ‘Would Cut Emissions’
Link to story in the Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/04/16/eacarbon116.xml

11) RFID to Ease Philippine Traffic?
Link to story on CNET Asia:
http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/infochat/post.htm?id=63003186&scid=hm_bl

SAFETY / SECURITY

12) TSA May Begin Air Passenger Background Checks in 2009
Link to story from CongressDaily:
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39787&dcn=todaysnews

TELEMATICS

13) European Parliament Committee Adopts Intelligent Car Report
Link to story from ERTICO – ITS Europe:
http://www.ertico.com/en/news_and_events/ertico_newsroom/general_news_european_parliament_committee_adopts_intelligent_car_report.htm

TRANSIT

14) Chicago Transit Authority Criticized for Poor Communication During Subway Breakdown
Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cta-delays-webapr16,0,1530520.story
Link to news release from the CTA:
http://www.transitchicago.com/news/ctaandpress.wu?action=displayarticledetail&articleid=125893

15) Graz, Austria Bans Mobile Phones on Public Transport
Link to Deutsche Presse-Agentur story:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/199214,austrian-city-bans-mobile-phones-on-public-transport.html

16) Delhi BRT to Open on May 1
Link to story in The Times of India:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/BRT_to_open_on_May_1/articleshow/2954801.cms

17) Connecticut Official: Communication About Rail Center Lacking
Link to AP story:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct-xgr--railcenter0415apr15,0,631345.story

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

18) E-Mails Help Smyrna, Tennessee Drivers Avoid Road Work
Link to story in The Tennessean:
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080416/COLUMNIST0124/804160412/1008/OPINION01

VEHICLES

19) Car Safety Technologies ‘Promising’
Link to Press Association story:
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gBxmRU8TLVRPqtGV6-D8m5EwfkdQ
News Releases
1) Provantage Transit TV Goes National in South Africa – Taxi TV channel offers information and ads
2) TrafficLand Releases Live Traffic Camera Application on Facebook Platform


Upcoming Events
Sensors Expo & Conference – June 9-11 – Rosemont, Illinois
http://www.sensorsexpo.com/


Today in Transportation History
1953 **55th anniversary** - Queen Elizabeth II launches Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia in Clydebank, Scotland.
http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/

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