Transportation Communications Newsletter: December 2010

Thank you for your support of the TCN over the past year. That support came in many ways; donations, story suggestions, words of encouragement, passing along of the TCN to others and simply being a subscriber. There are over 7,400 of you from around the world and I'm grateful for being invited into your inbox each weekday. I look forward to another year of sharing transportation news in 2011.

Upcoming Events

International Association of Public Transport (UITP) World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition – April 10-14 – Dubai

http://www.uitp.org/events/2011/dubai_new/en/home.cfm

Friday Bonus

As 2010 ends many look back over 2010 and ahead to 2011. I thought it might be interesting to see a series of ads from AT&T in 1993 that looked ahead at some of the technology we might one day see. Many of the predictions are products we take for granted today such as the Kindle, electronic toll collection and GPS. By the way, I think they need to slow down a bit going through that toll lane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PJcABbtvtA

Today in Transportation History

1860 **150^th anniversary** Joseph S. Cullinan, the founder of The Texas Company, today known as Texaco, was born near Sharon, Pennsylvania.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=3754

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

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 at bernie@bwcommunications.net.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Thursday, December 30, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) For Some Travelers Stranded in Airports, Relief is in 140 Characters

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/us/30airlines.html

2) How Airlines Managed Through the Blizzard

Link to article on TheStreet:

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/story/10957402/1/how-airlines-managed-through-the-blizzard.html

OTHER

3) Snowpocalypse? Good Thing There's an App for That

Link to article on All Things Digital:

http://mobilized.allthingsd.com/20101227/snowpocalypse-good-thing-that-theres-an-app-for-that/

PARKING

4) Coming Soon to Seattle: Parking Rates that Go Up at Busiest Times

Link to article in The Seattle Times:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013799522_parking30m.html

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

5) Ads Blast Texting and Driving

Link to article in The State:

http://www.thestate.com/2010/12/30/1624228/ads-blast-texting-and-driving.html

Link to news release from AAA Carolinas:

http://www.aaacarolinas.com/absolutenm/templates/releaseTemplate.aspx?articleid=9269

SAFETY / SECURITY

6) Ohio DOT Snow Plows May Switch to Green Light to Cut Crashes

Link to article in The Blade:

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101230/NEWS16/12290391

Link to news release:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/news/Pages/ODOTseeksGreenLanternHelptoProtectSnowplows.aspx

TRANSIT

7) Chicago Transit Authority to Test Train Tracker in January

Link to article in Crain's Chicago Business:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20101230/NEWS10/101239992/cta-to-test-train-tracker-in-january

Link to news release from the CTA:

http://www.transitchicago.com/news/default.aspx?Month=&Year=&Category=2&ArticleId=2756

8) Technology Drives Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation

Link to article in the Delcan Herald:

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/125103/technology-drives-bmtc.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

9) Estonian Highways Board Launches a New Information System for Drivers

Link to article in The Baltic Course:

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=35525

10) Vail, Colorado Police Strategize to Keep I-70 Open as Snow Piles Up

Link to story and video on KUSA-TV:

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=172403

11) Turning Traffic Nightmare Into Profitable Venture

Beijing company signs contract to provide traffic information services.

Link to article in Global Times:

http://business.globaltimes.cn/industries/2010-12/607067.html

Link to news release from China TransInfo:

http://goo.gl/PDKf8

12) Manila to Implement New Policy of Enforcing Traffic Violations Only Through Cameras

Link to article in BusinessWorld:

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=23704

News Releases

1) FCC Considers Expanding Role of Travelers Information Stations to Broadcast Additional Public Safety and Other Information to the Public

2) New Ford Sync Destinations App Offers 'On the Go' Navigation; Predicts Best Departure Times

3) Global Consumer Telematics Penetration in New Cars to Reach 62%

Upcoming Events

Maritime and Navigation Risk Conference – March 30-31 - Montreal

http://www.passeportmaritime.com/en/events/mnrc2011

Today in Transportation History

1940 **70^th anniversary** The Arroyo Seco Parkway, also known as the Pasadena Freeway, was dedicated. It was the first freeway in the urban western United States.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/sync/cpimages/file/Historic%20Arroyo%20Seco.pdf

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

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 at bernie@bwcommunications.net.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Wednesday, December 29, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) Stranded Fliers Get Busy Signals

Passengers have one persistent complaint: They can't get answers from anybody at the airlines.

Link to story from ABC's Good Morning America:

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/airport-delays-stranded-fliers-busy-signals/story?id=12494568

Link to AP article:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Travelers-say-airlines-apf-1323824965.html?x=0&.v=3

2) Self-Service Technology in Airports

Can it help improve the traveler's experience?

Link to article in Airport Magazine:

http://issuu.com/aaae/docs/airport_magazine_1210_0111/29

CAMERAS

3) Speed Camera Details to be Published in UK

Statistics on individual cameras will show which earn the most money.

Link to article in The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8227982/Speed-camera-details-to-be-published.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

4) Sequoia-Funded SatNav Gets Personal

Link to DNA article:

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_sequoia-funded-satnav-gets-personal_1487838

MARITIME

5) Information Ahead of Platforms

Maritime Domain Awareness requires information sharing between the US Navy and partners.

Link to article in Maritime Reporter & Engineering News:

http://www.digitalwavepublishing.com/pubs/NWM/maritimereporter/201010/?pgno=33

OTHER

6) The (New) Social Network

A look at trucking's unexpected flirtation with social media.

Link to article in Truck News:

http://www.trucknews.com/issues/story.aspx?aid=1000398185

7) Drivers' Tweets Give South African Cops Headache

Alerts provided about police roadblocks.

Link to article in The Mercury:

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/drivers-tweets-give-cops-headache-1.1005859

Link to Twitter site: http://twitter.com/pigspotterkzn

TRANSIT

8) Former Boston T Trolley Operator Pleads Guilty in 2009 Texting Crash

Link to article in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/12/texting_t_drive.html?rss_id=Top+Stories

9) Boston T Apps: Bus Coming, Just Around the Snowbank

Link to editorial in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2010/12/28/t_apps_bus_coming_just_around_the_snowbank/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

10) Call to Ensure that Variable Road Signs in Scotland Give the Right Message

Link to article in The Courier:

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Living/Motoring/article/9110/call-to-ensure-that-variable-road-signs-give-the-right-message.html

11) Issaquah, Washington Unveils Real-Time Traffic Cameras on City Routes

Link to article in the Issaquah Press:

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2010/12/28/issaquah-unveils-real-time-traffic-cameras-on-city-routes/

Link to cameras: http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/SectionIndex.asp?SectionID=47

VEHICLES

12) Ford to Let Parents Censor Teens' Car Radio

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-12-29-1Ablocked29_ST_N.htm

13) More Vehicle Owners Manuals Showing Up Online

Link to story and video on Central Florida News 13:

http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2010/december/188270/More-vehicle-owners-manuals-showing-up-online

14) Millions of Honda Owners Victims of Yet Another Data Breach

Link to column on All Things Digital:

http://newenterprise.allthingsd.com/20101229/millions-of-honda-owners-victims-of-yet-another-data-breach/

News Releases

1) Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi Awards Tender for Automated Bus Scheduling System

2) American Airlines Provides Business Update Following Commercial Disputes with Orbitz and Expedia

Upcoming Events

APTA TransITech Conference – March 29-31 – Miami

http://www.apta.com/mc/2011/Pages/TransITech.aspx

Today in Transportation History

1860 **150^th anniversary** The first ironclad British warship, the HMS Warrior, was launched.

http://www.hmswarrior.org/

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

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 at bernie@bwcommunications.net.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Tuesday, December 28, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) FAA Seeks Fixes to Midair Collision Warning Devices

Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203513204576047303349520540.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

2) Japan Uses Taiwanese Technology to Read Damaged GPS Chips

Link to CNA article:

http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aSOC&ID=201012280043

MARITIME

3) US Coast Guard Says Its Planned Use of Ultra High Frequency SONAR Won't Harm Marine Life

Link to article in Government Security News:

http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/22111

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

4) Ad Campaign Advises Drivers to Use Caution Around Bikes and Pedestrians

Link to article in The News Tribune:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/12/27/1479376/campaign-advises-drivers-to-use.html

TELEMATICS

5) More Consumers are Letting Insurers Monitor Their Mileage

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/automobiles/26INSURE.html

6) Tele-what? Six In-Car Telematics Systems

Link to article on Autobytel:

http://www.autobytel.com/content/shared/articles/templates/index.cfm/ID/25173/article_id_int/8891

TRANSIT

7) New Nicosia Bus Service Failing Badly on the PR Front

Link to editorial in the Cyprus Mail:

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/bus/our-view-new-bus-service-failing-badly-pr-front/20101228

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

8) Nevada Officials: Proposed Road Operations Center Would Help Traffic Flow, Improve Emergency Response

Link to article in the Reno Gazette Journal:

http://www.rgj.com/article/20101227/NEWS/101227028/1321/news

News Releases

1) Colorado DOT Tests Trip Travel Times on I-25 in the Denver Area

2) NavFree Launches for iPhone and iPad

Upcoming Events

APTA Fare Collection Workshop – March 28-30 – Miami

http://www.apta.com/mc/2011/Pages/FareCollection.aspx

Today in Transportation History

1960 **50^th anniversary** Rebels attacked a train in the Congo which was transporting children and their mothers home from a holiday. At least twenty passengers were killed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1304803

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

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 at bernie@bwcommunications.net.