Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Register Now for IBTTA’s Upcoming Summit: The Future of Tolling – Going Mainstream

Through ORT and Interoperability, May 23-25, 2010 in Boston, MA




Join the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association in Boston for the fourth Summit in a series of workshops focused on the hot topics of ORT and Interoperability. This Summit will bring together transportation experts who will focus on lessons learned, case studies, business rules and future decision-making about all-electronic toll collection, interoperability, violation enforcement, and implications for vehicle miles traveled charging. Breakout sessions are divided into four main categories – On the Road and in the Car; Technology and Backroom Issues; Road Pricing and Financial Issues and In the Public and Policy Forum. IBTTA is exploring opportunities to involve university students and faculty from the Boston area in research connected with the main topics of this Summit. Click here for registration, hotel and travel information and to view the preliminary agenda.www.IBTTA.org

AVIATION

1) PUFF, Just Like that US Air Force Predicts Volcanic Cloud Path

Link to article on Nextgov:

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100419_1592.php

CAMERAS

2) UK Speed Camera Can Track Cars for Miles

Link to article in The Sun:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2939119/Satellite-speed-camera-can-track-cars-for-miles.html

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

3) Troubling New Toll System in Japan

Link to editorial in The Japan Times:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ed20100421a1.html

MARITIME

4) Tracking of Ships Near Great Barrier Reef to be Extended

Link to article in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/7609104/Tracking-of-ships-near-Great-Barrier-Reef-to-be-extended.html

OTHER

5) Louisiana House Directs State Not to Share Driver’s License Info for National ID Card

Link to article in The Times-Picayune:

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/04/use_of_drivers_license_informa.html

RAILROADS

6) CN Warning System Failed in Fatal Illinois Crossing Collision

Link to article in the Daily Herald:

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=374494&src=3

ROADWAYS

7) Next Up: A Smarter Streetlight

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/next-up-a-smarter-streetlight/

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) Biometrics Make Headway with Distance Identification

Link to UPI article:

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2010/04/19/Biometrics-make-headway-with-distance-identification/UPI-60901271706525/

9) California to Track 911 Calls Statewide Through Centralized System

Link to article in Government Technology:

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/754469

TRANSIT

10) Red X’s Mark Atlanta Start to Transit Cut Protests

Link to AP article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042002116.html

11) Virginia’s Hampton Roads Transit to Receive Online Performance Tracking Tool

Link to article in the Daily Press:

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_hrt-dashboard_0420apr20,0,5506323.story

12) Los Angeles Metro: Promoting Mass Transit

Agency is marketing its services as if it were a private company.

Link to article and video on Vimeo:

http://vimeo.com/7984623

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

13) Garmin Takes Real-Time Traffic to Germany

Link to article in the Kansas City Business Journal:

http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2010/04/19/daily12.html

News Releases

1) Sync AppLink to Launch on 2011 Fiesta, Making Ford First to Deliver Voice Control of Smartphone Apps

2) Twin Cities’ Metro Transit Unveils New Web Site

3) FAA Accepts FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure Outage Review Panel Recommendations

4) Hitachi Automotive and Airbiquity Partner to Provide Global Connected Services for Electric Vehicles

5) China TransInfo Announces Official Launch of Information and Control System for the World Expo in Shanghai

Upcoming Events

IntelliDrive for Transit 101 Workshop – May 4 – Houston

http://www.itsa.org/itsa/files/pdf/Flyer.pdf

Today in Transportation History    

1980 **30^th anniversary** The Mariel boatlift was launched from Cuba to Florida.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21421.html

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© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net