Thursday, May 1, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Thursday, May 1, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

1) Illinois Toll Agency Sued Over Enforcement Process
Federal lawsuit alleges notices violate motorists' constitutional rights.
Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-tollsuit_30apr30,1,2470968.story

2) E-ZPass Coming to Rhode Island Bridge
Link to story and video report on WJAR-TV:
http://www.turnto10.com/northeast/jar/news.apx.-content-articles-JAR-2008-05-01-0013.html

MARITIME

3) US Coast Guard Plans Data Center to Monitor Vessels
Link to story in Washington Technology:
http://www.washingtontechnology.com/online/1_1/32714-1.html

OTHER

4) ‘Green Woman’ Offers Equal Rights at Traffic Lights
Link to AFP story:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gTUmI4_PLO0F_3KNWBUDoxAEBdlw

RAILROADS

5) Caltrain Wants Cameras, Seeks to Reduce Deaths
Cameras would be installed on trains to learn how and why people die on the tracks.
Link to story in the San Jose Mercury News:
http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_9116276

SAFETY / SECURITY

6) Lollicams – The Latest Weapon in the Battle Against Bad Drivers
School crossing guards will have small cameras installed on lollipop signs.
Link to story in The Times:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3846958.ece

7) Alberta Government Report Opposes Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving
Link to CP story:
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jNGqUo7N6eJuq8Axw17CA6-_iMtA
Link to report:
http://www.infratrans.gov.ab.ca/INFTRA_Content/docType48/Production/DistractedDrivingReportSept-07.pdf

8) Uniform Shift a Sign of Times
New York State DOT rolls out new safety vests for highway workers ahead of federal deadline.
Link to story in the Times Union:
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=685223&category=STATE&newsdate=5/1/2008

9) DC Forging Surveillance Network
About 4,500 cameras, including traffic cameras, will be linked to central office.
Link to story in The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/30/AR2008043003430.html

10) Road Safety Focus in Scotland is Shifting from Cameras to Speed Alerts
Link to story in The Scotsman:
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Road-safety-focus-is-shifting.4039394.jp

TELEMATICS

11) Keep on Trucking
Intelligent transport technology using telematics is set to transform the logistics world forever.
Link to story on SiliconRepublic:
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single10856

TRANSIT

12) Sofia’s Public Transport Online in Real-Time
Link to story in The Sofia Echo:
http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/sofia-s-public-transport-online-in-real-time/id_29087/catid_66
Link to GPS Net: http://www.skgt-bg.com/ (in Bulgarian)

13) With Poetry on Video, Pace Buses Take the Road Less Traveled
Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/nearnorthwest/chi-bus-poems_both_01may01,0,475275.story

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

14) Helping Winston-Salem, North Carolina DOT Control the Streets
Link to AP story:
http://www.chiefengineer.org/content/content_display.cfm/seqnumber_content/3386.htm

15) New Hampshire Service Patrols Aim to Fight Traffic Jams
Link to story in the Concord Monitor:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/NEWS01/805010430/1043/NEWS01

VEHICLES

16) University of Michigan Gets Money to Field Test Crash-Dodging Vehicles
Link to AP story:
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/business-16/120966534943470.xml&storylist=michigannews
Link to news release from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute:
http://www.umtri.umich.edu/news.php?id=1948

17) Ryder Rides Into Wireless
GPS, RFID contribute to fleet’s business success.
Link to story in RCR Wireless News:
http://www.rcrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/FREE/310879680/1014
18) Making Cars Smarter, Greener, Safer…and Better Listeners
Link to column in The New York Times:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/making-cars-smarter-greener-safer-and-better-listeners/ (may require free registration)

19) Volvo’s 2020 Vision: The Injury-Proof Car
Link to Reuters story:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24406445/


News Releases
1) University of Virginia Research Aims to Optimize Traffic Light Timing to Reduce Gas Consumption and Emissions
2) Digital In-Car & Mobile Technologies Revealed at Telematics Detroit Exhibition 2008


Upcoming Events
International Cargo Security Council Annual Meeting & Exposition – May 12-15 – Kings Point, New York
http://www.cargosecurity.com/annual/welcome.html


Today in Transportation History
1898 **110th anniversary** - The US Navy destroys Spain’s Pacific fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay.
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq84-1.htm

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

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