Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 -- ISSN 1529-1057

Register Today and Prepare for the Approaching Recovery: IBTTA’s Workshop on Managing in an Era of Changing Economic Times, April 19-21, 2009 in San Francisco, CA

Join IBTTA in San Francisco for power-packed educational sessions and walk away with a world of knowledge on better managing your organization today and preparing for the approaching economic recovery. Learn how global issues are affecting your organization and the toll industry, the goals and efforts of the U.S. stimulus program, how to build a cost-conscious culture and make tough decisions, how to position your agency for unique opportunities during this slowdown, solid financing strategies and more. This is one meeting you don’t want to miss! Visit IBTTA’s website to view the preliminary agenda, make your travel arrangements and register today!


AVIATION

1) March/April Edition of FAA Aviation News Focuses on Technology
Link to newsletter:
http://www.faa.gov/news/aviation_news/2009/media/marapr2009.pdf

GPS / NAVIGATION

2) Police Use of Warrantless GPS Tracking Challenged in US Court
Link to AP story:
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-dc--gps-privacylaw0303mar03,0,1751321.story

OTHER

3) March Issue of Florida DOT’s SunGuide Disseminator
Link to newsletter:
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/trafficoperations/Newsletters/2009/2009-003-Mar.pdf

RAILROADS

4) European Railway Union Awards IT Contract for Freight-Rail Communications Project
Link to story in Progressive Railroading:
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=19825

ROADWAYS

5) 24/7 Monitoring Keeps Ontario’s Highway 69 Project on Track
Sensors monitor settlement of nearby railroad tracks.
Link to story in Road Talk:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/transtek/roadtalk/rt15-1/#a5

SAFETY / SECURITY

6) Fatal Crashes Down in Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Metro Initiative
Specialized computer mapping and a public information campaign part of the effort.
Link to story in The Plain Dealer:
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/03/fatal_crashes_down_in_ohio_hig_1.html
Link to news release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol:
http://statepatrol.ohio.gov/media/2009/09-015.pdf

7) Puerto Rico Bans Music, Cell Phones for School Bus Drivers
Link to AP story:
http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/2009/03/04/2009-03-04_puerto_rico_bans_music_cell_phones_for_s.html

8) Texting on a Train
Where technology exists to prevent transportation tragedies, from air crashes to grade-crossing accidents, it should be used.
Link to editorial in USA Today:
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/03/texting-on-a-tr.html

TRANSIT

9) WMATA Removes NextBus Public Test
Link to story on Greater Greater Washington:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=1739

10) Chicago Transit Authority’s New Voice: Carolyn Hopkins
Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-talk-cta-voicemar04,0,7232148.story

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

11) NYC Subway’s E-Mail Alerts Fail the Blizzard Test
Link to commentary in the Silicon Alley Insider:
http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-subways-email-alerts-fail-the-blizzard-test-2009-3

12) Superhighway Info Great; Millions Spent on It, Not so Great
Link to editorial in The Bay City Times:
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/bay-city/index.ssf/2009/03/superhighway_info_great_millio.html


News Releases
1) MIT Takes on Global Transportation Challenge - New initiative to pioneer 21st century solutions via greater coordination and interdisciplinary collaboration
2) The Google Maps vs MapQuest Online Mapping Portal War is Driving Map 2.0 Innovations
3) TransCore Selects GS&P for Team to Provide ITS Design Services for Florida DOT
4) NNG Global Services Selects Cellint for High-Resolution Traffic Service
5) CDW-G Launches Mass Notification Toolkit


Upcoming Events
Mississippi Valley Freight Coalition Spring Meeting & Conference – April 14-16 – Kansas City, Missouri
http://www.mississippivalleyfreight.org/2009meeting.html


Today in Transportation History
1824 **185th anniversary** - The National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was created in the UK.
http://www.rnli.org.uk/

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