Transportation Communications Newsletter: Monday, October 24, 2011

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, October 24, 2011 – ISSN 1529-1057

Traffax BluFAX deployed for real time monitoring of major commuter corridors in the Washington, DC Region

Traffax Realtime traffic monitoring technology has been installed in Maryland to provide travel times along the heavily traveled I-270 and its parallel arterial route 355. BluFAX augments existing monitoring technologies to bring integrated corridor monitoring and management to a new level in the nation’s most congested region.

This is part one of a two-part project that will cover over 100 miles of freeway and arterial roadways that form major commuter corridors in Maryland and Northern Virginia. BluFAX unsurpassed ability to provide accurate data on freeways and arterial roadways provides a complete real-time picture of traffic within complex corridors, and the means to assess the impact of traffic diversion onto arterials following freeway incidents.

Contact Traffax Inc. for more details at 240-447-8612 or visit www.traffaxinc.com

AVIATION

1) Air Technology Put to the Test at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's NextGen Center

Link to article in The Daytona Beach News-Journal:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/10/23/air-technology-put-to-test-at-embry-riddle-aeronautical-universitys-nextgen-center.html

CAMERAS

2) Planned Installation of Video Cameras in Moscow Police Vehicles Welcomed

Cameras face inward to record discussions between officers and motorists.

Link to article in The Moscow Times:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/road-cameras-bring-fines-and-trust/446180.html

OTHER

3) ERTICO: Toward a 'Fully Integrated and Sustainable Transport System'

Link to article on Telematics Update:

http://analysis.telematicsupdate.com/other/ertico-toward-fully-integrated-and-sustainable-transport-system

4) ITS World Congress Showcases Game-Changing, Job-Creating Technologies

Link to US DOT's Fast Lane blog:

http://fastlane.dot.gov/2011/10/its-world-congress.html

5) ITS and Locational Privacy: Suggestions for Peaceful Coexistence

Link to report from the Center for Transportation Studies:

http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/reportdetail.html?id=2070

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

6) What Will Illinois' Regional Transportation Authority Get for $45,000 Public Relations Contract?

Link to article in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-rta-pr-contract-20111024,0,6604268.story

SAFETY / SECURITY

7) Does the New iPhone Siri Make Texting While Driving Legit?

Link to article on Stateline:

http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=608456

8) Technology, Laws and Sharing Experiences Help to Combat Texting and Driving

Link to article in The Courier-Journal:

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20111023/NEWS01/310240008/Technology-laws-sharing-experiences-help-combat-texting-driving

TRANSIT

9) Napa County, California Transit Agency Rolls Out 'Where's My Bus?' Technology

Link to article in the Napa Valley Register:

http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/napa-county-transit-agency-rolls-out-where-s-my-bus/article_281505ca-fc69-11e0-bc6d-001cc4c002e0.html

10) Rail Advocates Fault Metro-North for Keeping Mum on Riders' Rights Idea

Link to article in The News-Times:

http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Rail-advocates-fault-Metro-North-for-keeping-mum-2231906.php

11) New York MTA Eyeing April '13 for Citywide BusTime Rollout

Link to blog on 2^nd Ave. Sagas:

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2011/10/24/mta-targeting-april-2013-for-city-wide-bustime-rollout/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

12) Cameras Monitor Major Muscle Shoals, Alabama Intersections, Bridges

Link to article in the Times Daily:

http://www.timesdaily.com/stories/Cameras-monitor-major-Shoals-intersections-bridges,183554

VEHICLES

13) Bill Ford Sees Smart Transportation Systems as Answer to Challenges

Link to article in the Financial Times:

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/44b0368e-fd84-11e0-a9db-00144feabdc0.html

(free registration required)

14) Radar Detectors Will be Able to Warn Others of Speed Traps

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/story/2011-10-24/radar-detector-crowd-sourcing/50888878/1

Link to further information from Escort Inc.: http://www.escortradar.com/escort%2Dlive/

15) With BMW Connected Ride, Motorcyclists Will Never Ride Alone

Link to article in Wired:

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/10/with-bmw-connectedride-bikers-will-never-ride-alone/

Link to video: http://vimeo.com/30374607

News Releases

1) Connecting Europe Facility: Commission Adopts Plan for €50 Billion Boost to European Networks

2) Houston TranStar Sweeps National Awards

3) Accident App to Reduce Motorist Stress and Combat Fraud

4) New York MTA Survey Shows Appreciation for Countdown Clocks, Increased Service Information

5) Public Safety Agencies to Benefit from AT&T and Harris Corporation Alliance to Deliver Next-Generation LTE Solutions

6) Alberta Adding Road Signs for Urgent Care Facilities

7) American Traffic Solutions Introduces CrossingGuard School Bus Stop Arm Violation Enforcement System

Solicitations

- Call for Presentations – AASHTO GIS for Transportation Symposium

http://www.gis-t.org/abstracts.php?year=2012

- Request for Applications – Multistate Corridor Operations and Management Program – Federal Highway Administration

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-10-21/html/2011-27249.htm

Upcoming Events

Content & Apps for Automotive USA – November 29-30 – San Diego

http://www.telematicsupdate.com/content

Today in Transportation History

October 22, 1986 **25^th anniversary** Jane Dornacker, a helicopter traffic reporter for WNBC Radio in New York, died when her helicopter crashed into the Hudson River. Her pilot, Bill Pate, was severely injured.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F10%2F23%2FPKM81LAH04.DTL

1861 **150^th anniversary** The first transcontinental telegraph line was formally opened.

http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/150-years-ago-a-primitive-Internet-united-the-USA-2232335.php

1911 **100^th anniversary** Orville Wright set a record for gliding by being aloft nine minutes and forty seconds during a 50-mile per hour gale in Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina.

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=FB0715FE395517738DDDAC0A94D8415B818DF1D3

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