Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 -- ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) European Air Agency Launches New Control System
Link to AP story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jwTmBkCDo07pLdqvaYGcTJ5M7cEAD973UG283

2) Texas Wind Farm Makes Deal with FAA
Some of the turbines could interfere with radar at nearby airport.
Link to story in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times:
http://www.caller.com/news/2009/mar/24/wind-farm-makes-deal-with-faa/

3) Salt Lake City Airport Takes on Feds in Motto Lawsuit
Airport’s use of "Simpli-fly" may conflict with TSA’s trademark.
Link to story in The Salt Lake Tribune:
http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_11980779

4) Your Airline Wants to Get to Know You
Airlines are getting closer to rolling out new technology that tells airport agents details about you.
Link to column in The Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123785242956819529.html

5) Web Tech Helps Airlines Reduce Fuel Costs
Link to story on SiliconRepublic:
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/12569/randd/web-tech-helps-airlines-reduce-fuel-costs

BUSES

6) Talking Buses Roll Out in Washington State
Link to story in The News Tribune:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstory/story/686148.html

CAMERAS

7) DC Budget Shortfall = More Speed Cams, Tickets
Link to story and video on WRC-TV:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Budget-Shortfall--more-speed-cameras--parking-tickets-for-us.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

8) Latest US Air Force GPS Satellite in Orbit
Link to story in Aviation Week:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/GPS032409.xml&headline=Latest%20USAF%20GPS%20Satellite%20In%20Orbit%20&channel=space

MARITIME

9) US Coast Guard: Observations on Changes to Management and Oversight of the Deepwater Program
Link to report from the US Government Accountability Office:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09462t.pdf

ROADWAYS

10) Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to Raise Cash with Billboard Blitz
Nineteen localities receiving ads have little power to say no.
Link to story in The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/24/t_set_to_raise_cash_with_billboard_blitz/

11) Professor: Road Line Misperception Decreases Road Safety
Link to story in the Mansfield News Journal:
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20090324/UPDATES01/303240009/1002/NEWS01

SAFETY / SECURITY

12) US National Interoperability Network's Time Has Come, Panelists Say
Link to story in Government Technology:
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/628717

TRANSIT

13) 13 Light-Rail Crashes, but Phoenix Officials Say Safety System Works
Link to story in The Arizona Republic:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/03/24/20090324metro-safety.html

14) Real-Time Warnings Can Avoid Hassles
Toronto transit riders can alert other riders to delays
Link to story in Metro Toronto:
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/comment/article/201132
Link to TTCupdates: http://ttcupdates.com/community/

15) Chicago Transit Authority Says It’s on Slow Train for Terrorist Alerts
Key officials with bus and rail system lack clearance, panel told.
Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-rail-security-24-mar24,0,1056800.story

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

16) Florida 511 Traffic Hotline Costing Taxpayers Millions
Link to story on WFTV-TV:
http://www.wftv.com/news/18996387/detail.html

17) New Monitoring Systems on Inland California Freeways Expected to Speed Traffic
Link to story in The Californian:
http://www.northcountytimes.com/articles/2009/03/23/news/californian/riverside/za48eebfc6fbaded58825757c00708da3.txt

18) Information Sharing for Traffic Incident Management
Link to publication from the Federal Highway Administration:
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop08059/default.htm

VEHICLES

19) Sprint Provides Wireless Links for Smart Ford F-Series Trucks, E-Series Vans
Link to story in Computerworld:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9130304


News Releases
1) EUMETSAT Discusses Cooperation with European Commission
2) ATX Introduces In-Vehicle Audio Messaging to Facilitate Ongoing Contact with Vehicle Owners, Dealers, Manufacturers


Job Postings
- Economist – US DOT, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center – Cambridge, Massachusetts
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobId=80078219&AVSDM=3%2F24%2F2009+2%3A51%3A52+PM


Upcoming Events
Velo-city 2009 – May 12-15 – Brussels
http://www.velo-city2009.com/homepage-en.html


Today in Transportation History
1989 **20th anniversary** - The Exxon Valdez ran aground and spilled 10.8 million gallons of oil in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
http://www.adn.com/evos/pgs/intro.html

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© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast