Monday, March 16, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, March 16, 2009 -- ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) FAA’s New En Route System Almost Ready for Debut
Link to story in Aviation Week and Space Technology:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/aw031609p1.xml&headline=FAA's%20New%20En%20Route%20System%20Almost%20Ready%20for%20Debut
Link to FAA fact sheet on En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM):
http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=7714

CAMERAS

2) In Arizona, Let the Driver Beware
Writer says he won’t be visiting Arizona soon after seeing temporary speed-zones set up with traffic cameras.
Link to commentary in The New York Times:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/in-arizona-let-the-driver-beware/

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

3) Expressway Tolls Likely to Confuse in Japan
Drivers concerned over complicated pricing structure of new system.
Link to story in The Yomiuri Shimbun:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20090317TDY02307.htm

OTHER

4) Transparency for Stimulus Spending Remains a Work in Progress
Link to story in Government Executive:
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=42268

5) San Francisco Bay Transportation Panel Supports Forcing Motorists to Report Mileage, Privacy Fears Aroused
Link to story in the Contra Costa Times:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_11910120
Link to California Assembly Bill 1135:
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_1101-1150/ab_1135_bill_20090227_introduced.html

6) Convicted Massachusetts Drivers Kept Their Licenses
Link to story in The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/15/convicted_drivers_kept_their_licenses/

RAILROADS

7) Amtrak Crash a Decade Ago Sparked Safety Progress
Link to story in The Daily Journal:
http://www.daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=437007

ROADWAYS

8) London Mayor Mulls ‘Intelligent’ Congestion Charge System for City
Link to story in the Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/16/boris-johnson-congestion-charge

9) Spending Stimulus on Highway Signs Questioned
Link to story in the Connecticut Post:
http://www.connpost.com/ci_11915281

10) Ohio DOT to Update Tractor Warning Signs
Link to story in The Plain Dealer:
http://www.cleveland.com/roadrant/index.ssf/2009/03/ohio_department_of_transportat.html
Link to photo of old-style sign: https://www.gemplers.com/larger/131344

11) Who Got Dan Ryan Deals?
Illinois DOT provides some information following requests for list of contractors and sub-contractors.
Link to story in the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/1478434,CST-NWS-watchdog16.article

12) Risque Shop ‘Adopts’ Connecticut Highway
Link to AP story:
http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-ap-ct-adultstores-highwmar16,0,1751556.story

SAFETY / SECURITY

13) International Conference Steers Toward Traffic Safety
Link to story in the Edmonton Sun:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2009/03/16/8762456-sun.html
Link to additional information on Urban Traffic Safety Conference:
http://www.trafficsafetyconference.com/

14) Anti-Terrorism Posters at UK Airport
Link to BBC News story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7944892.stm

TRANSIT

15) Washington State Bus Agency Says ‘Enough’ on Bus Ads
Agency calls for a moratorium on public service advertisements following controversy on border patrol posters.
Link to story in the Peninsula Daily News:
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090315/news/303159995
Link to notice from the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington Foundation:
http://www.aclu-wa.org/document.cfm?id=924
Link to further information from the Jefferson County Republican Central Committee:
http://jcrcc.blogspot.com/2009/03/more-of-transit-politics.html

16) Toronto Subway Plans Could Signal the End of Line for Train Drivers
Link to story in the Toronto Star:
http://www.thestar.com/article/601538

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

17) US Transportation Security Administration Watching Fliers Far Beyond Metal Detectors
Link to story in The Columbus Dispatch:
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/03/15/TSA_check.ART_ART_03-15-09_B1_AOD83RG.html?sid=101
Link to additional information on Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program:
http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/boston_bdo_spot.shtm

VEHICLES

18) Helping Cars ‘ Talk’ with One Another Goal of Connected Vehicle Proving Center in Ann Arbor
Link to story in The Ann Arbor News:
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/03/helping_cars_talk_with_one_ano.html


News Releases
1) International Maritime Organization's Navigational Warning System Used to Advise of DPRK Satellite Launch
2) Citilog Announces Automatic Incident Detection (AID) Traffic Management Software Version 6 that Enhances Incident Detection, Trajectory Tracking and Video Quality


Job Postings
- Traffic Safety Center Director – University of California, Berkeley – Berkeley, California
http://www.tsc.berkeley.edu/news/tscdirector.html


Solicitation
- Request for Proposals – Effectiveness of Different Approaches to Disseminating Traveler Information on Travel Time Reliability – Transportation Research Board
http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2343


Upcoming Events
Airports Canada 2009 – April 28-30 - Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada
http://www.cacairports.ca/english/meetings_events/AirportsCanada2009.php


Today in Transportation History
1926 – In Auburn, Massachusetts Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fuel rocket.
http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=483&ResourceType=Site

=============================================================================================
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.
© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast