Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Wednesday, March 3, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Call for Papers Deadline Fast Approaching

IRF’s Third Latin America Regional Congress, September 20-23, 2010 in Bogotá, Colombia, will provide road industry leaders with opportunities to share in-country experiences as well as promote the transfer of knowledge and technology throughout the region and the rest of the world. Papers must be submitted no later than March 26, 2010. The congress will include speakers on road safety, pavements, ITS, financing and tunneling and will also include an exhibition. For more information including topics, key dates, guidelines, and to submit your paper online, visit http://www.irfnews.org/llamado-a-presentar-trabajos/

AVIATION

1) FAA Not Amused as Kid Gives Directions to Pilots in Kennedy Airport’s Control Tower

Link to article in the Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/03/03/2010-03-03_now_landing_your_plane__a_schoolboy.html

Link to FAA statement:

http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=11212

CAMERAS

2) No Statewide Repeal of Red-Light Cameras in Illinois

Link to article in the Daily Herald:

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=363178&src=109

CARPOOLS

3) Social Networking and Phone Apps Enable Smarter Carpooling

Link to article on In Telematics Today:

http://intelematicstoday.com/2010/03/02/social-networking-and-phone-apps-enable-smarter-carpooling/

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

4) Massachusetts Turnpike Electronic Toll Testing Approved

Link to story on WHDH-TV:

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO136917/

MARITIME

5) Phantom Ledge Not so Far-Feteched

Grounding of fireboat in Maine harbor shows charts are not always accurate.

Link to article in the Portland Press Herald:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Phantom-ledge-not-so-far-fetched-.html

A Crack in the Electronic Armor

Link to article in Points East:

http://www.pointseast.com/template.shtml?id=EkyuypAZEEKorYwewf&style=story

6) Washington State DOT Testing Real-Time Ferry Tracker

Link to story and video on KING-TV:

http://www.king5.com/news/New-Ferry-Watch-System-86172792.html

OTHER

7) The Secret Language of Signs

They’re the most useful thing you pay no attention to. Start paying attention.

Link to article in Slate:

http://www.slate.com/id/2245644/

8) The ERTICO February Interview

A discussion with MEPs Zita Gurmai and Dieter-Lebrecht Koch about ITS and urban mobility.

Link to interview from ERTICO:

http://www.ertico.com/en/news/ertico_newsroom/the_ertico_february_interview.htm

RAILROADS

9) Railroad Experts Focus on Efficiency

Conference at technology center highlights new techniques to inspect cars and monitor rail conditions.

Link to article in The Pueblo Chieftain:

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/03/news/local/doc4b8dec3924108874518667.txt

10) Skype on a Train

Will reliable Wi-Fi connections lure road warriors onto trains?

Link to article in The Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/skype-on-a-train/article1487226/

ROADWAYS

11) Replacement of Metric Signs Along Arizona’s I-19 Indefinitely Postponed

Link to article in the Arizona Daily Star:

http://www.azstarnet.com/news/local/article_d7dec8f6-26f5-11df-b567-001cc4c03286.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

12) Texting-and-Driving Bill Dies in Arizona Senate

Link to article in The Arizona Republic:

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2010/03/03/20100303politics-textingbill0303.html

13) Emergency Communications: Establishment of the Emergency Communications Preparedness Center and Related Interagency Coordination Challenges

Link to US Government Accountability Office report:

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10463r.pdf

TELEMATICS

14) Telematics: The Game Changer for the Insurance Industry

Link to article in Insurance & Technology:

http://www.insurancetech.com/blog/archives/2010/03/telematics_the.html

TRANSIT

15) Lost in Penn Station

Why are the signs at the nation’s busiest train hub so confusing?

Link to article in Slate:

http://www.slate.com/id/2246104/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

16) March Issue of Florida DOT’s SunGuide Disseminator Online

Link to newsletter:

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/trafficoperations/Newsletters/2010/2010-003-Mar.pdf

VEHICLES

17) Control Your Car with Your Smartphone

Link to article in Popular Science:

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2010-02/remote-control-cars

News Releases

1) Apollo Video Technology Launches iPhone App for Transit Managers and First Responders – Provides Instant Access to Live Video Feeds

2) Federal Signal Acquires VESystems

3) High Time for Real-Time Solutions with Mobility Integrators, Says Frost & Sullivan

Upcoming Events

APWA North American Snow Conference – April 18-21 – Omaha, Nebraska

http://sites.apwa.net/snow/2010/home.aspx

Today in Transportation History

1915 **95^th anniversary** - The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), a forerunner of NASA, was created.

http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Evolution_of_Technology/NACA/Tech1.htm

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© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast www.bwcommunications.net