Friday, November 21, 2008

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Friday, November 21, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

Join IBTTA for the 2008 Transportation Finance Summit, December 7-9, 2008 in Washington, DC

Hear industry experts discuss solutions to the huge challenge of funding, maintaining, and operating surface transportation infrastructure in a stressed global environment. Special guests include U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and Former Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives Richard Gephardt. This year, a special Pre-Summit CFO Roundtable will be held on Sunday, December 7, in partnership with The Transportation Transformation Group. This four-hour session will focus on the nuts and bolts issues affecting CFO's and associated professionals in our industry. Jane Garvey, Head of U.S. Public-Private Partnerships at JPMorgan and a Department of Transportation Review Team Lead by the Office of President-Elect Obama, will kick off the Roundtable. Visit IBTTA’s website to download the program, find the details and register online today!


BICYCLES

1) Internet Offers Easy Access to the World of Cyber-Cycling
Link to story in the Mail Tribune:
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081120/LIFE/811200309

OTHER

2) ITS – Something for Everyone
Link to blog from ABI Research:
http://www.abiresearch.com/Blog/Telematics_Blog/553

3) Coverage of ITS World Congress from Traffic Technology Today
- ITS America President Calls on Obama for ITS Support
http://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news.php?NewsID=9233
- A Show of Contrasts
http://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/industry-blogs.php?BlogID=138

RAILROADS

4) California Train Accident Puts Control System, Mandated by 2015, Back in Spotlight
Link to story in The Press-Enterprise:
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_metrolinkptc21.4426d4e.html

ROADWAYS

5) Questions Pile Up After Storm-Struck Travelers Spend Night on Nova Scotia Highway
Link to CBC News story:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/081121/canada/novascotia_highway_stuck_questions

6) FHWA Provides Guidance on South Carolina Department of Transportation Outdoor Advertising Nonconforming Sign
Link to memo from the US Federal Highway Administration:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/scoacpilot.htm

7) New From the Federal Highway Administration
- Work Zone Process Review Toolbox
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/prtoolbox/pr_toolbox.htm
- Traffic Control Systems Handbook
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop06006/index.htm

8) Effectiveness of Behavioral Highway Safety Countermeasures
Link to report from the Transportation Research Board:
http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9727

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) Highway Safety Improvement Program: Further Efforts Needed to Address Data Limitations and Better Align Funding with States' Top Safety Priorities
Link to US Government Accountability Office report:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0935.pdf

TELEMATICS

10) HD Radio Telematics is Featured at ITS World Congress
Link to story in Radio World:
http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0101/t.16279.html

11) VW Says, ‘Look, Ma - No Hands’
Link to blog on Wired:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/11/vw-says-look-mo.html

12) Mercedes-Benz myCOMAND Concept Brings Internet Safely Into Cars
Link to story and video on autoblog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/20/mercedes-benz-mycomand-concept-brings-internet-safely-into-cars/

TRANSIT

13) Escambia County Area Transit’s All a-Twitter
Florida transit agency plugs into multiple social networking sites.
Link to story in the Pensacola News Journal:
http://www.pnj.com/article/20081120/NEWS01/81120028

14) DC Metro Hawking the Face of Change
Fare cards will commemorate Obama’s inauguration.
Link to story in the Daily News:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/11/21/2008-11-21_dc_metro_hawking_the_face_of_change-2.html

15) Essex County Council: Electronic Bus Timetable Boards Confusing
Link to story in the Gazette:
http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/3864466.Essex__Bus_route_timetables____confusing___/

16) Bus Ads Roll Again After Graffiti Flap
San Francisco Muni had ads removed from buses because ads ‘looked like graffiti.’
Link to story in the Contra Costa Times:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/traffic/ci_11033625
Link to photo of Chevron bus ad:
http://www.thinkyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/eimg_0546.jpg

17) ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Ads Return to Chicago Buses Just in Time for Holidays
Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-Ads-Return-to-CTA-Buses.html

18) Maryland Transit Administration Official Says Rail Shutdown Might Have Been Prevented if Electronic System was Purchased
Link to story in The Baltimore Sun:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-md.rail21nov21,0,2614846.story

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

19) 511 Service Debuts in New York State
Link to story and video report on NY1 News:
http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/89352/dial-511-for-updates-on-traffic--transit/Default.aspx
Link to 511NY: http://511ny.org/

20) When Inclement Weather Strikes, Maryland Operations Center Keeps Track of Roads
Link to story in the Carroll County Times:
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2008/11/21/news/local_news/newsstory1.txt

21) Purdue Students Track Game Day Traffic Using Bluetooth Technology
Link to story in The Exponent:
http://www.purdueexponent.org/?module=article&story_id=13839

22) Nokia Researchers Show Off the Mobile Experiences of the Future
Link to story on VentureBeat:
http://venturebeat.com/2008/11/20/nokia-researchers-show-off-the-mobile-experiences-of-the-future/


News Releases
1) EMS Technologies Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Satamatics
2) AA Launches New Zealand’s Latest Online Mapping Web Site


Upcoming Events
GPS-Wireless 2009 – February 4-5 – San Francisco
http://www.gps-wireless.com/


Friday Bonus
I don’t know about you, but I think I’d be afraid to wake up a commuter wearing this.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10071741-1.html


Today in Transportation History
1964 – The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened connecting the New York City boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/1121.html#article

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