Monday, August 15, 2011

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, August 15, 2011 – ISSN 1529-1057

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CAMERAS

1) Video Surveillance Uses by Rail Transit Agencies

Link to report from the Transportation Research Board:

http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/Video_Surveillance_Uses_by_Rail_Transit_Agencies_165822.aspx

OTHER

2) Lawmakers Push Cooperation by Tampa Bay Transportation Agencies

Link to article in The Tampa Tribune:

http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2011/aug/14/lawmakers-push-cooperation-by-transportation-agenc-ar-250501/

3) New Illinois Law Requires Posting of Truck Route Information Online

Link to article in Heavy Duty Trucking:

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=74416

PARKING

4) Parking? Yes, There's an App for That

Link to article in the San Jose Mercury News:

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_18671794

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

5) Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Toll Hike Comes with Public Relations Blitz

Link to article in The Star-Ledger:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/port_authority_toll_hike_comes.html

6) Kathmandu Traffic Cops Court Public Through Facebook

Link to Himalayan News Service article:

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Traffic+cops+court+public+through+Facebook+&NewsID=299235

7) Muskegon, Michigan Transit Agency Demands $300 to Reveal CEO's Salary

Link to commentary from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy:

http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/15536

RAILROADS

8) Where's the Amtrak Display Map at New York's Penn Station?

Link to story on WNYC Radio:

http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2011/aug/15/wheres-amtrak-display-map-penn-station/

ROADWAYS

9) Utah DOT Testing New Reflective Beads to Improve Lines on Highways

Link to story and video on KSL-TV:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=16786652

SAFETY / SECURITY

10) Pittsburgh Wary of Remote Override of Traffic Signals Because of Street Layout

Link to article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_751511.html

11) Washington State Patrol Will Spend $40 Million on Radio Upgrade to Meet Standard

Link to article in The News Tribune:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/08/14/1782779/state-patrol-will-spend-40m-on.html

12) Twitter, Facebook Need to Take a Backseat to Automotive Emergency Response Priorities

Link to blog from Strategy Analytics:

http://blogs.strategyanalytics.com/AMCS/post/2011/08/15/Yellow-Dots-and-QR-codes-will-yield-to-cloud-based-delivery-of-emergency-contact-and-personal-health-data.aspx

TRANSIT

13) BART Website Hacked, Customer Info Leaked

Link to article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/14/MNIC1KNC1U.DTL&tsp=1

Link to further information from BART:

http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2011/news20110814a.aspx

14) BART Explains Cell Phone Disruption; ACLU Pans Action

Link to article in the Contra Costa Times:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_18672544

Link to statement from BART:

http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2011/news20110812.aspx

15) Children with Autism, Connecting via Transit

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/nyregion/children-with-autism-connecting-via-bus-and-train.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

16) Apps and Tech Together: 'Smart' Highways and Smartphones Smoothing Your Commute

Link to article in the Sun Sentinel:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/traffic/fl-traffic-technology-20110810-26,0,7927570.story

17) Manila to Institute Bus Tagging Scheme to Ease Traffic

Link to ABS-CBN News story:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/08/15/11/bus-tagging-scheme-ease-traffic-%E2%80%93-mmda

18) Forum: Trafficop, ITS Needed for Better Traffic Management in Pune

Link to article in The Times of India:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-13/pune/29883739_1_trafficop-intelligent-traffic-system-traffic-management

19) Ontario Ministry of Transportation First in Canada to Use Bluetooth for Travel Time Monitoring

Link to article in RoadTalk:

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/transtek/roadtalk/rt17-3/RT17-3.pdf#pagemode=bookmarks&page=4 (page 4)

20) The Myth, the Legend: A Look Inside WTOP's Traffic Center

Link to story and video on WTOP Radio:

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2497723

21) Reporter Tries Driving for a Week Without Traffic Info

Link to column in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

http://www.ajc.com/news/mark-arum-gridlock-guy-1107977.html

VEHICLES

22) An Extra Set of Eyes

Carriers that use trailer management systems find new ways to cut costs, manage risk.

Link to article in Commercial Carrier Journal:

http://www.ccjdigital.com/an-extra-set/

23) Training on Demand

New technologies add virtual driving instructors.

Link to article in Commercial Carrier Journal:

http://www.ccjdigital.com/technology-17/

News Releases

1) British Columbia Adds 30 New Cameras to DriveBC Website

2) AAA Club Partners Selects Hughes Telematics to Offer Connected Vehicle Services

3) Saab Completes Acquisition of Sensis

Upcoming Events

Talking Operations Webcast: Forming Interagency Agreements for Regional Transportation Operations – August 16

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/news/news_detail.asp?ID=750

Today in Transportation History

1281 **730^th anniversary** The Mongol fleet was destroyed by a storm in Hakata Bay while attempting to invade Japan during the Battle of Kōan.

http://www.hurricanescience.org/history/storms/pre1900s/1281/

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