Monday, April 26, 2010

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, April 26, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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One Week Away from the ITS America Annual Meeting & Expo in Houston! 

There’s still time to register for ITS America’s 20th Annual Meeting and Exposition, May 3 -5! The final program is now available, and includes more than 50 sessions filled with industry experts tackling the hottest transportation issues today. The conference will also feature a 150,000 square-foot exhibit hall featuring the best of ITS technology and products, and high-tech demos, including an 18-wheeler roll-over demonstrating the latest in incident response.

After the Closing Plenary, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will convene a U.S. DOT Surface Transportation Reauthorization Outreach Meeting to solicit the views of key stakeholders on ways to improve the delivery of surface transportation programs.  The meeting is scheduled from 12:30 – 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5. See you in Houston!

AVIATION

1) FAA Wants No Pilot Distractions

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-04-25-pilots_N.htm

Link to news release from the Federal Aviation Administration:

http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=11338

2) Displays on Jets’ Windshields Boost Safety, Study Finds

Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703441404575206573356759514.html

3) Atlantic City Airport Named Test Site for New System that Speeds Important Updates to Pilots

Link to article in The Press of Atlantic City:

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/article_c9c72a98-50a2-11df-85c7-001cc4c03286.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

4) MapQuest Introduces Free GPS App for Apple iPhone

Link to article in The Christian Science Monitor:

http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2010/0426/MapQuest-introduces-free-GPS-app-for-Apple-iPhone

RAILROADS

5) Satellite Navigation, Mobile Phone Network Can Enhance Trains’ Safety

Link to ANI article:

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/04/24/satellitenavigation-mobile-phone-network-can-enhancetra.html

6) Illinois Accident’s Lesson: Don’t Trust Railway Signals

Link to column in the Chicago Tribune:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-25/classified/ct-met-getting-around-0426-20100425_1_amtrak-train-tracks-crossing

ROADWAYS

7) Virginia Considers Banning Cell Phones in Work Zones

Link to article in Roads & Bridges:

http://www.roadsbridges.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=sni&nid=20522

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) 23 EU Countries to Join eCall Initiative, Malta Still Absent

Link to article in The Malta Independent:

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=105110

9) 3-D Technology Helps Emergency Responders Observe Origins of 911 Calls

Link to article in Government Technology:

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/756599?elq=54d933d6ee8c449981070c1dc1d117da

10) In Chicago Cabs, More Cameras Will be Along for Ride

Link to article in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-cab-cameras-20100422,0,1240545.story

SPACE

11) Inside NASA’s World-Class Supercomputer Center

Link to CNET News article:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20003333-52.html

TELEMATICS

12) Telematics Enable Smarter Driver and Auto Dealer Services

Link to article on SPEC:

http://smart-products.tmcnet.com/topics/smart-products/articles/83010-telematics-enable-smarter-driver-auto-dealer-services.htm

TRANSIT

13) ORCA Card Frustrates Some Puget Sound Transit Riders

Link to article on seattlepi:

http://www.seattlepi.com/transportation/418645_GettingThere26.html

14) Caltrain Joins Translink Regional Transit Ticketing System

Link to story and audio report on KCBS Radio:

http://www.kcbs.com/bayareanews/Caltrain-Joins-Translink-System/6886196

15) Cool Transit Apps Come Down the Pike as New York MTA Loosens Restrictions

Link to article in amNew York

http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/cool-transit-apps-come-down-the-pike-as-mta-loosens-restrictions-1.1880694

16) Metra Derails Wi-Fi for Now

Link to article in the Chicago Tribune:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-25/news/ct-met-metra-wifi-20100425_1_commuter-rail-long-island-rail-road-metra-and-amtrak

17) A Dashboard for DC’s Metro

Link to article on Nextgov:

http://techinsider.nextgov.com/2010/04/a_dashboard_for_metro.php

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

18) Smarter Highways – Information the Key to Keep Washington State Moving

Link to article and video in the Issaquah Reporter:

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/iss/news/92098184.html

19) Jakarta Traffic Police Getting Hip to Twitter, Facebook in Bid to Improve Services

Link to article in the Jakarta Globe:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/traffic-police-getting-hip-to-twitter-facebook-in-bid-to-improve-services/371444

20) Canadian Oil Firm Uses Digital Signage to Give Ultra-Local Info to Heavy Vehicle Drivers

Link to article on Screens.tv:

http://www.screens.tv/article/111018/Oil_firm_uses_DOOH_to_give_ultra-local_info_to_drivers.html

VEHICLES

21) New Technology Lets Drivers Steer Car with Their Eyes

Link to AP article:

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/international/europe/view/20100424hands_off_that_steering_wheel

News Releases

1) FAA Controllers in Philadelphia Transition to Next Generation Air Transportation System Technology

2) Air Transport Association Launches Newly Redesigned Web Site

3) FCC Chairman Announces Launch of Spectrum Task Force

4) State Highway Safety Agencies Supporting Oprah’s ‘No Phone Zone’ Day

5) Deadline Extended - IRF Third LARC Call for Papers

Upcoming Events

ITS Canada Annual Conference 2010 – June 13-16 – Ottawa

http://www.itscanada.ca/ottawa2010/confEN.htm

Today in Transportation History    

1860 **150^th anniversary** The steamboat Alfred T. Lacey, once piloted by Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), was destroyed in a fire.

http://www.twainquotes.com/Steamboats/LicensedPilot.html

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© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net