Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter
**10TH ANNIVERSARY WEEK**

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

Join IBTTA in Dallas for the Special Summit on Open Road Tolling – July 13-15, 2008

As more and more toll agencies are looking forward to the potential of Open Road Tolling (ORT), an associated issue in many minds is this question of “going cashless” and converting the toll operation to a pure non-cash system built upon electronic toll collection and a robust enforcement system. Hosted by the North Texas Tollway Authority, this workshop will provide valuable knowledge on the final steps to achieving all electronic free-flow tolling. For operators in Europe and other locations that must continue to allow cash on their systems, this summit will explore ways to maximize the use of ETC while still permitting cash for some transactions. Registration deadline is June 27, 2008. Download the program, find the details and register online today! www.IBTTA.org.


AVIATION

1) Report: FAA has Hired Air Traffic Controllers Too Quickly to Train Them
Link to AP story:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-06-10-faa-training_N.htm
Link to report from the US DOT Inspector General:http://www.oig.dot.gov/StreamFile?file=/data/pdfdocs/av2008055.pdf

2) R&D Project to Improve Monitoring of Wiring in Aircraft
Link to story on Engineer Live:
http://www.engineerlive.com/features/20290/rd-project-to-improve-monitoring-of-wiring-in-aircraft.thtml

3) Air Traffic Controllers Provide Behind-the-Scenes Look
Link to story and video report on KERO-TV:
http://www.turnto23.com/news/16564492/detail.html

BUSES

4) Israel’s Dan Bus Company Seeks ‘Brazilian Transport Revolution’
Wants to bring bus rapid transit system to Tel Aviv.
Link to story in The Jerusalem Post:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212659701037&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

MARITIME

5) More Problems for US Port Worker ID Program
Link to AP story:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-06-10-id-cards_N.htm

OTHER

6) Bill for Queensland Smart Card Driver’s License Almost Doubles
Link to story in The Courier-Mail:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23826410-3102,00.htm

ROADWAYS

7) States Green-Light New Red-Light Laws for Motorcycles
Motorcyclists in a growing number of states are being allowed to go through red lights when sensors aren't able to detect they are there.
Link to story in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-06-10-red-light-laws_N.htm

8) UPS has Found Ways to Work in Traffic
A computer system cuts the time drivers spend on the road.
Link to story in the Los Angeles Times:
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-me-trafficupsfour11-2008jun11,1,3833430.story

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) US Earthquake Planners Create Communications Network
Link to story in Government Computer News:
http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/46440-1.html


Upcoming Events
Webinar: Federal Highway Administration Planning for Operations – Management & Operations and Congestion Management Process
http://www.plan4operations.dot.gov/webinar_announcement.htm


Bernie’s Notes
Looking back over the first decade of the TCN I’ve been highlighting some milestones. On November 16, 1999 the first newsletter-style message was sent. As you can see from the link below, the format was quite different from what you receive today, but it included the headline and link arrangement that continues.
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications/message/457

Today in Transportation History
1583 **425th anniversary** - Humphrey Gilbert leaves Plymouth, England to search for the Northwest Passage.
http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=34374


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© 2008 Bernie Wagenblast