Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, July 27, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, July 27, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

Traffic Technologies Inc., an established toll system and ITS consulting firm providing technical, operational, and financial consulting to the toll industry, is seeking a West Coast based Senior Toll System Consultant. The

position requires comprehensive knowledge of toll systems and demonstrated ability in the application of industry best practices to the development of systems and services required for toll transaction acquisition and processing, and all aspects of toll system analysis and development.

• Bachelor’s degree (Masters preferred) in an Engineering curriculum

• 7+ years of demonstrated experience in the toll industry.

• US Citizen or Green Card

See more details at http://www.t-t-i.com/careers_20090727.html

Send resumes and cover letter in confidence to: resume@t-t-i.com

AVIATION

1) Airlines Face Dilemma of Passenger In-flight Wi-Fi Connectivity

Link to story in Aviation Week:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/aw072709p3.xml&headline=Airlines%20Face%20Dilemma%20of%20Passenger%20Inflight%20Wi-Fi%20Connectivity

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

2) News Update on the Dutch Road Pricing Project

Link to story from ERTICO – ITS Europe:

http://www.ertico.com/en/news/ertico_newsroom/news_update_on_the_dutch_road_pricing_project.htm

OTHER

3) New Transportation Communications Options Online

People are demanding to remain connected and entertained while in transit and companies are expanding offerings to keep customers wired in.

Link to story in the Fort Worth Business Press:

http://www.fwbusinesspress.com/display.php?id=10691

4) 27 Months Late, Suspect Gets Apology from Maryland Transportation Authority

Link to story in The Baltimore Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bal-md.spicka23jul23,0,4647601.story

PARKING

5) Simple Solutions and Complex Technology at the World Parking Symposium

Link to story on Planetizen:

http://www.planetizen.com/node/39867

ROADWAYS

6) Did Wisconsin Driver Die Due to LED Signals?

Link to story in The Beacon News:

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1685175,driver-death-led-signals-questioned_au072609.article

7) UNLV’s Master of Traffic

Professor, with his students, applies expertise in math, electrical engineering and robotics to smooth the way from Point A to Point B.

Link to story in the Las Vegas Sun:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jul/26/unlvs-master-traffic/

8) Speed Trap? There’s an App

Link to story and video on KNSD-TV:

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/traffic_autos/transit/Speed_Trap__There_s_an_App_San_Diego.html

9) LED Billboard Signs Grow in Popularity, but Safety May be an Issue

Link to story in American City & County:

http://americancityandcounty.com/pubwks/traffic_parking/led-billboards-safety-20090727/

SAFETY / SECURITY

10) Yawn Alert for Weary Drivers

Link to story on ScienceDaily:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727102042.htm

11) Emergency Communications: Vulnerabilities Remain and Limited Collaboration and Monitoring Hamper Federal Efforts

Link to Government Accountability Office report:

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09604.pdf

TRANSIT

12) New York Senator Targets Mass Transit Operator’s Text Messages Nationwide

Link to story in Newsday:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/schumer-targets-mass-transit-operators-text-messages-1.1328424

13) Ohio’s COTA Considers Real-Time Info System

Link to story in The Columbus Dispatch:

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/07/26/COTA_in_real-time.ART_ART_07-26-09_B1_FLEJ77I.html?sid=101

14) Good Signs Would be Cheaper

SEPTA is considering renaming its regional rail lines to make the system easier to understand.

Link to commentary in The Philadelphia Inquirer:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20090727_Good_signs_would_be_cheaper.html

VEHICLES

15) Automakers Promoting Unsafe Driving Through New Technologies

Link to commentary in The Oakland Press:

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/07/27/business/doc4a68daf4d4c49674270829.txt

News Releases

1) GMAC Insurance Offers Pay-As-You-Go Insurance Consumer Privacy Protection

2) Wireless Automotive Connectivity Technologies, Led by Bluetooth, Make Cars Intelligent and Safer, Fuelling Uptake of Connectivity Technologies in Europe, Says Frost & Sullivan

3) Michigan DOT Commended for Use of Twitter During I-75 Emergency

Upcoming Events

2009 Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference – November 11-13 - Sydney

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/2009_conference.html

Today in Transportation History

1949 **60^th anniversary** - The initial flight of the de Havilland Comet, the first commercial jetliner, took place.

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/chasingthesun/planes/comet.html

=========================================================================The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

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TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Friday, July 24, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) EU Ombudsman Urges Air Passenger Language Provision

Link to story on EurActiv:

http://www.euractiv.com/en/culture/ombudsman-urges-air-passenger-language-provision/article-184356

GPS / NAVIGATION

2) Nissan Car Monitors GPS for Road Dangers Ahead

Link to IDG News Service story:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9135881/Nissan_car_monitors_GPS_for_road_dangers_ahead

SAFETY / SECURITY

3) US Transportation Security Administration Deploys New Screening Pilot Technology on Connecticut-Long Island Ferry

Link to UPI story:

http://www.upi.com/Security_Industry/2009/07/24/TSA-deploys-new-screening-tech-for-pilot/UPI-18341248450159/

4) Cash-Strapped States Raid 911 Funds

Link to AP story:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iHDteg76KJLCUu-wFV8VBrOpIJFQD99KB2T80

TRANSIT

5) Circuit at DC Metro Crash Site Began Malfunctioning in Late ’07, NTSB Says

Link to story and video in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/23/AR2009072301575.html

6) DC Metro Response Undermines Rider Confidence

Agency is focused on engineering in response to crisis but vastly underestimating the amount of information they need to share with the public.

Link to column in The Washington Post:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2009/07/metro_creating_morale_problem.html?hpid=topnews

VEHICLES

7) Virtual Co-driver Means Safer Trucks

Link to story on Transport News Network:

http://www.tnn.co.uk/Manufacturers/plonearticle.2009-07-24.2284464932

News Releases

1) BART Includes Train Lengths on Real-Time Arrival Sites

Job Postings

- Transportation Specialist, GS-2101-13/14 EG – Federal Highway Administration – Washington, DC

http://tinyurl.com/nqp25k

Upcoming Events

GIS in Transit Conference – November 16-18 – St. Petersburg, Florida

http://www.urisa.org/gis_transit

Friday Bonus

Here’s the 21^st Century version of Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal.

http://manhattanairport.org/

Today in Transportation History

1969 **40^th anniversary** - Apollo 11 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.

http://space.about.com/library/video/blvidapollo11_reclip02.htm

=========================================================================TheTransportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

To unsubscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast ati95berniew@aol.com.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Thursday, July 23, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057
Join IBTTA in Chicago for the Transformation of Transportation!

IBTTA's 77th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, September 13-16, 2009, in Chicago, Illinois, is the most significant gathering of toll industry professionals in the world. Attend this meeting and interact with the most influential experts and decision makers from around the globe and discuss ideas and solutions about transportation financing strategies, the future of tolling and paying for mobility, AET and Interoperability, new ideas for the new economy and sustainable transportation. Register by August 14 and receive a $100 discount off your registration fee. This meeting is hosted by the Illinois Tollway and will be held at the Hyatt Regency. For information on registration, hotel reservations, exhibiting or sponsorship, visit IBTTA's website at www.ibtta.org. Register today!

AVIATION

1) Bomb Testing Lab Strengthens Aviation Security
Link to CNN story:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/07/22/suitcase.bombs/

2) Mobile Gadgets Threaten In-Flight Entertainment
Link to Reuters story:
http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSTRE56L5OJ20090722

OTHER

3) Intelligent Transport Raises Privacy Concerns in EU
Link to story on EurActiv:
http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/intelligent-transport-raises-privacy-concerns/article-184309

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

4) US Department of Homeland Security Launches YouTube Channel
Link to story in Federal Computer Week:
http://fcw.com/articles/2009/07/23/dhs-launches-youtube-channel.aspx
Link to DHS YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/ushomelandsecurity

RAILROADS

5) Federal Railroad Administration Sets Hearing on Positive Train Control Rule
Link to story in Occupational Health & Safety:
http://ohsonline.com/articles/2009/07/23/agency-sets-hearing-on-positive-train-control-rule.aspx

ROADWAYS

6) Wireless Tech Signals a Way to Safer Roads in Colorado
Link to story in The Denver Post:
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_12894548

SAFETY / SECURITY

7) US DOT Chief ‘Deeply Concerned’ About Dangers of Cell Phone Use While Driving
Link to story in Computerworld:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9135847/DOT_chief_deeply_concerned_about_dangers_of_cell_phone_use_while_driving

8) Australian Police Twitter to Target Drink Drivers
Link to AFP story:
http://news.id.msn.com/topstories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3475928

TRANSIT

9) Video Game Group Files Federal Lawsuit Against Chicago Transit Authority Over Ad Ban
Link to AP story:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-videogameads,0,6943492.story
Link to news release from the Entertainment Software Association:
http://www.theesa.com/newsroom/release_detail.asp?releaseID=70

10) Long Island Rail Road Campaign Aims to Stop ‘Suicide by Train’
Link to story in Newsday:
http://prod.newsday.com/long-island/lirr-campaign-aims-to-stop-suicide-by-train-1.1320081

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

11) Radio Broadcast by Islamabad Police to Keep Traffic in Order
Link to story in Dawn:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/sci-tech/16-radio-broadcast-by-police-to-keep-traffic-in-order-hs-12

News Releases
1) Wi-Fi While You Fly with US Airways
2) AA Traffic Information to Help Keep New Zealanders Moving

Upcoming Events
8^th Chilean Congress and 3^rd Ibero-American Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems – November 11-13 – Santiago, Chile
http://www.itschile.cl/congreso_chileno_2009/eng/index.html

Today in Transportation History
1999 **10^th anniversary** - The pilot of an All Nippon Airways flight was killed during a hijacking.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/401680.stm

=========================================================================TheTransportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.
To subscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast ati95berniew@aol.com.
© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

Join ITS America and AAAE at the Intersection of Intelligent Transportation Systems and Aviation!

The 2^nd Annual Use of Intelligent Transportation Systems in Airport Environments Conference, August 4-5, 2009, Salt Lake City, Utah will feature high-level industry personnel in the Intelligent Transport Systems industry who are currently providing solutions for airport landside management. The agenda will also include airport personnel sharing real world results, lessons learned, and success stories with using ITS products and services. Registration discounts are available to members of ITS America and AAAE. To view the final program and to register, visit http://www.itsa.org/itsairports.html.

CAMERAS

1) Nearly 20% of New York City Red-Light Cameras Stolen

Link to story in the New York Post:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07222009/news/regionalnews/brooklyn/spy_camera_snatch_shot_180660.htm

OTHER

2) Costly Weather Satellites May Get More Funds

Link to story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-07-21-satellite_N.htm

RAILROADS

3) Latest Issue of Signal, the Newsletter of ERTMS

Link to newsletter:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/rail/interoperability/ertms/doc/013_signal_2009_07_en.pdf