Transportation Communications Newsletter: Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Wednesday, September 22, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

Bernie's Notes

The TCN has been a labor of love since it began in 1998. As you can probably guess, it isn't designed to be a big moneymaker. Since January I've been in business for myself and depend on other transportation communication services I provide to support the TCN and provide a living for my family. I want to let you know what those other services are so, if the need arises, you can consider supporting the TCN in those ways.

First, there's the opportunity to purchase ads in the TCN. The cost is only $100 per issue and your ad is the only one that appears in the newsletter on the day it runs. The TCN goes to over 7,400 people daily. In addition to the TCN I provide transportation-related newsletters for other organizations including AASHTO, ITS California, Sam Schwartz Engineering and ACS. I would be happy to discuss how I could provide a newsletter for your organization. Finally, I also do transportation voice-overs. Just today I recorded the narration for a company's video presentation and next month radio and TV audiences in NYC will hear me on commercials for NJ Transit. Thousands hear me daily on phone systems and on transit systems in and around NYC. I'd be happy to tell you more and answer any questions you may have. You may reach me atbernie@bwcommunications.net.

AVIATION

1) Travel Groups Start Online Petition on Airline Fees

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/travel-groups-start-online-petition-on-airline-fees/

Link to site: http://MadAsHellAboutHiddenFees.com/

2) FAA Medical Institute in Oklahoma City Trains Flight Crews in Survival

Link to article in The Oklahoman:

http://newsok.com/faa-medical-institute-in-okc-trains-flight-crews-in-survival/article/3497387

GPS / NAVIGATION

3) Garmin Partners with Coyote for Speed Camera Information

Link to article on GPS Business News:

http://www.gpsbusinessnews.com/Garmin-Partners-with-Coyote-for-Speedcam-Information_a2496.html

MARITIME

4) South Carolina Ports to Get $17.3 Million Info Technology Upgrade

Link to article in The Post and Courier:

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/sep/22/ports-to-get-173m-info-technology-update/

5) Granddaughter of Titanic Officer Reveals Family Secret on Mix-Up of Steering Orders

Link to BBC News story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11390144

7) US Coast Guard Expands Safety Awareness Program for Personnel

Link to article in Government Security News:

http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/21499?c=maritime_port_security

PARKING

8) Dunedin, New Zealand Introduces Text-to-Pay Parking – Glitch Reported

Link to article in the Otago Daily Times:

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/127134/text-pay-parking-glitch

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) US Transportation Secretary Pushes Federal Law to Quell 'Epidemic' of Distracted Driving

Link to story and video on PBS NewsHour:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/transportation/july-dec10/driving_09-21.html

10) Can More Technology Solve the Texting and Driving Problem?

Link to story and video on WUSA-TV:

http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=112153

11) Real-Time Security Cameras Link New York City Subway Hubs

Link to AP article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iAzvpdUDucaZPrsqr3YRE_Lfu2JQD9IBSJQ00

12) New Documentary Sheds Light on TSA Shortcomings

Link to blog on Smarter Travel:

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/new-documentary-sheds-light-on-tsa-shortcomings.html?id=5765964

13) Public Transit Security Information Sharing: DHS Could Improve Information Sharing through Streamlining and Increased Outreach

Link to further information from the US Government Accountability Office:

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-895

TELEMATICS

14) Wrap Up from the Insurance Telematics USA Conference

Link to article in Telematics Update:

http://social.telematicsupdate.com/weekly-brief/wrap-insurance-telematics-usa-conference

15) Continental: 'The Car is Becoming 'Always On' Now'

Link to interview in Telematics Update:

http://bit.ly/dxzkCW

TRANSIT

16) Transit Unions Text Washington to Get Better Commute

Link to article in The Hill:

http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/120133-transit-unions-text-washington

17) New York MTA Brings TV to the Subway

Link to blog in The New York Times:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/m-t-a-brings-tvs-to-the-subway

18) Houston Metro Meetings Go Live on the Web

Link to story and audio report on KUHF Radio:

http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1285015381

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

19) How to Unjam Moscow's Traffic Jams?

City plans to develop intelligent transport system.

Link to story on The Voice of Russia:

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/09/22/21756315.html

20) Smart Roads in Queensland Set to Get Smarter?

Link to article on ZDNet:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/smart-roads-set-to-get-smarter-339306162.htm

News Releases

1) Passengers Design Train Interiors: Bombardier Chooses Winners of the Web-Based YouRail Design Contest

2) Iteris’ Lane Departure Warning System to be Integrated into Two Passenger Vehicle Models with Another OEM Customer

3) JetBlue and ViaSat Announce 21^st Century In-Flight Broadband Connectivity

4) Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers Share Safety Data

5) Seattle Creates Map Just for Pedestrians

6) PNDs Remain the Navigation Form-Factor of Choice but Survey Finds Regional Differences Exist

7) QNX, chumby Bring Personalized Internet Experience to the Car

8) Automotive Application Users to Reach 28 Million by 2015

Upcoming Events

T3 Webinar: Open Source Alternative to Deploying Transportation Management Systems – October 20

http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/s101020_opensource.asp

Today in Transportation History

1995 **15^th anniversary** A US Air Force AWACS plane crashed on takeoff at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. All 24 US and Canadian airman aboard were killed.

http://www.cnn.com/US/9509/alaska_crash/09-23/index.html

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

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe (for free) or unsubscribe, please contact me at bernie@bwcommunications.net.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Become a TCN fan on Facebook!

Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast atbernie@bwcommunications.net.