Monday, October 6, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, October 6, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

Professional Development Hours Offered for Attendees of the 15th World Congress on ITS

Your attendance at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems and ITS America’s Annual Meeting will entitle you to earn up to as many as 23 professional development hour (PDH) units. Many engineering and related licensure and certification agencies around the world require the demonstration of continuing professional competency that is met by the range of plenary, technical, scientific, executive, special, and interactive sessions you can attend in New York. For more information and to register, go to www.itsworldcongress.org.


AVIATION

1) Airports Stall on High-Tech
Link to story in The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2008/10/06/airports_stall_on_high_tech/

2) Security Fear Over Airport Face Scanners
Faulty facial recognition scanners at a British airport are allowing two people through immigration control on just one passport.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3136395/Security-fear-over-airport-face-scanners.html

3) Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Tests Runway Safety System
Link to story in the Star-Telegram:
http://www.star-telegram.com/dallas_news/story/953967.html

4) South Bend, Indiana Airport Asks Fliers to Choose Between Fox News, CNN
Link to story in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-10-05-airport-check-in_N.htm

CARTOGRAPHY

5) Googled!
Amateur cartographers are going high-tech to make the most unexpected online maps - and ticking off old-school mapmakers along the way.
Link to story in The Globe and Mail:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081003.wgtmapmakers1003/BNStory/Technology/home

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

6) Electronic Toll Cards, Plaza Expansion Coming to Detroit-Windsor Tunnel
Link to story in Crain’s Detroit Business:
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20081006/FREE/810060293/-1

MARITIME

7) Rotterdam and Amsterdam to Merge Port Data Systems
Link to story in Cargonews Asia:
http://www.cargonewsasia.com/secured/article.aspx?id=23&article=17210

ROADWAYS

8) Traffic Signs that Frown at Speeding Drivers 'are Nothing but a Novelty Act'
Link to story in The Times:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article4878848.ece

9) Longer Yellow Lights Tied to Fewer Wrecks
Lengthen yellow signal by half a second dramatically reduces accidents at intersection.
Link to story in The Arizona Republic:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2008/10/06/20081006yellowlight1006.html

10) Highway Safety: Foresight Issues Challenge DOT's Efforts to Assess and Respond to New Technology-Based Trends
Link to GAO report:
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-56

SAFETY / SECURITY

11) Study Points to Hazards of Driver iPods
Link to column in The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/05/study_points_to_hazard_of_driver_ipods/

12) High-Tech ID Cards Rolling Out at New England Ports
New England marine terminals have the earliest compliance date for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential.
Link to story in The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/10/06/high_tech_id_cards_rolling_out_at_ports/

13) Federal Regulation: Media Must Wear Safety Vests on Highways
Link to story in Radio:
http://radiomagonline.com/currents/fedral-regulation-media-safety-vests-highway-1003/

TELEMATICS

14) Ford’s Key-with-a-Chip to Control Teen Drivers
Link to CNET News story:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-10058797-76.html
Link to news release from Ford:
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=29172

15) Ditched Pay-as-You-Drive Insurance Set for Revival?
Link to story on silicon:
http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39299147,00.htm?r=1

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

16) Today’s Driver has Options, Thanks to New Technology
Link to column in The Miami Herald:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/714596.html

17) Cutting Travel Time Worth £40m to the Scottish Economy
Link to story in The Scotsman:
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/business/Cutting-travel-time--worth.4560343.jp


News Releases
1) Idaho Scenic Byways Web Site Wins National Award
2) Motorola's New In-Vehicle/Fixed Mount Mobile Computer Provides Robust Wireless Connectivity
3) Ford's Latest Safety 'Brakethrough' -- Collision Warning with Brake Support -- Coming in 2009
4) Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Launches New Web Site for Teens


Upcoming Events
CTST / Smart Card Alliance Annual Meeting – May 4-7 – New Orleans
http://www.ctst.com/CTST09/


Today in Transportation History
1846 – George Westinghouse, inventor of the railroad air brake, was born in Central Bridge, New York.
http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/westinghouse.html

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