Monday, January 5, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, January 5, 2009 -- ISSN 1529-1057

BUSES

1) Device Helps Disabled Gain Independence
Travel Assistance Device sends a signal to the disabled person's cell phone when the bus reaches a designated stop.
Link to story in The Tampa Tribune:
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jan/05/na-device-helps-disabled-gain-independence/
Link to additional information from the University of South Florida:
http://www.nctr.usf.edu/projects/Year7/77711.html

CAMERAS

2) Pinal County, Arizona Pulls Speed Cameras
Link to AP story:
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/01/04/news/state/20090104_arizo_188265.txt

3) Federal Court Ruling Paves Way for More Red-Light Cameras in Chicago
Link to story in the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1362558,chicago-red-light-cameres-court-of-appeals-010509.article

GPS / NAVIGATION

4) Blind Residents Want Quebec to Help GPS be Their Guide
Link to CBC News story:
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/01/05/ot-090105-blind.html

5) GPS on a Plane…Insane
Link to blog in The Times:
http://blog.nj.com/skiing/2009/01/gps_on_a_plane_insane.html

OTHER

6) Infinite e-Town Project Launched in Beijing
Project will use third-generation mobile communications for applications including ITS.
Link to China Knowledge story:
http://www.chinaknowledge.com/Newswires/News_Detail.aspx?type=1&NewsID=20195

ROADWAYS

7) Signage is Tough Issue for Nebraska Attractions
Link to story in the North Platte Telegraph:
http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2009/01/03/news/50001393.txt

8) Malaysian Roads to be Rated for Safety
Link to story in The Star:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/3/nation/20090103161606&sec=nation
Link to additional information from the International Road Assessment Programme:
http://www.irap.net/malaysia.asp#StarRatingResults

9) Kansas Senator Wants to Base Interstate Tolls on Speed
Bill would allow the Kansas Turnpike Authority to charge tolls based on the speed traveled by a driver.
Link to story in The Topeka Capital-Journal:
http://cjonline.com/stories/010509/kan_373994094.shtml

SAFETY / SECURITY

10) Internet to Help Identify Drivers' Next-of-Kin
Link to story in The Tampa Tribune:
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jan/02/021702/internet-help-identify-drivers-next--kin/
Link to additional information on Florida's Emergency Contact Information Program:
http://www.flhsmv.gov/EmerContInfoHistory1.html

11) New York City Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Wants Cabbie Cameras
Link to story in the Daily News:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/01/05/2009-01-05_taxi_and_limousine_commissioner_wants_ca.html

12) Radiation Expert: A New Device Sniffs Out the Bad Stuff
Link to story in Governing:
http://www.governing.com/archive/2009/jan/techbrfs.txt
Link to additional information from Textron Defense Systems:
http://www.textrondefense.com/pdfs/datasheets/aram_datasheet.pdf

SPACE

13) Will Brain Waves Help Pilot Future Space Ships?
Link to column in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2009-01-03-brain-waves_N.htm

TRANSIT

14) 'Next Stop, [Your Audio Ad Here]'
Link to story in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/education/edlife/ideas-busads-t.html?_r=1
Link to additional information from Commuter Advertising: http://www.commuter-advertising.com/

15) Arriving Soon: Toronto Transit Info at the Touch of a Cell Phone
Link to story in Metro Toronto:
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/comment/article/162158
Link to additional information about Next Vehicle Information System from the TTC:
http://www3.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Projects_and_initiatives/Next_vehicle_information_system/index.jsp

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

16) Calls to South Dakota 511 Travel Hotline Increase Again
Link to AP story:
http://www.argusleader.com/article/20090103/UPDATES/90103002/1001/news

17) Washington State DOT Using Twitter to Update Drivers
Link to story and video report on KING-TV:
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_123108WAB_wsdot_twitter_texting_TP.26dfd024.html
Link to WSDOT on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wsdot

18) St. Louis MySpace Page Will Keep You Out of Traffic, In a Trance
Link to blog from the Riverfront Times:
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/stlog/2009/01/st_louis_myspace_page_will_keep_you_out_of_traffic_in_a_trance_cameras.php
Link to MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/livestlscanner2

VEHICLES

19) Monitoring Devices Installed on State Vehicles in Oklahoma
Link to AP story:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20090104_12_0_OKLAHO97562

20) US Appeals Court Pulls Ruling on Michigan Mirror Ornaments Law
Link to AP story:
http://www.freep.com/article/20090102/NEWS06/90102048/1008/NEWS06

21) Arizona Lawmaker Wants to Junk License-Frame Law
Link to Capitol Media Services story:
http://www.azstarnet.com/altds/pastframe/metro/274306

22) Can You Hear My Prius Now?
Link to story in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/education/edlife/ideas-noise-t.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss


News Releases
1) A Single Certificate for Safer Navigation on European Inland Waterways


Upcoming Events
2009 Toll Road Summit of Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific Rim – March 15-18 – Sydney
http://www.ibtta.org/Events/eventdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=3660


Today in Transportation History
1939 **70th anniversary** - Aviatrix Amelia Earhart was declared dead following her disappearance in 1937.
http://www.ameliaearhart.com/about/fastfacts.html

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© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast