Transportation Communications Newsletter

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Thursday, September 24, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

Countdown to IBTTA and ITS America’s Joint Conference on Sustainable Transportation and Facility Maintenance — October 4-6, 2009 in St. Louis, MO

Register now for this groundbreaking joint conference, Sustainability, Social Responsibility, Energy Conservation and Fall Maintenance, October 4-6, 2009 at the Hilton Hotel in St. Louis. Agenda highlights include: Congressman (MO-3rd) Russ Carnahan; the “Four Legs” of Sustainable Transportation presented by John Charles, President & CEO, Cascade Policy Institute and his expert panel, including Allen Biehler, President of AASHTO and Michael Replogle, Global Policy Director of ITDP; Dennis Archer, Chairman, Dickinson Wright, PLLC, and Former Mayor of Detroit will discuss the role of the federal government in promoting sustainable transportation policies for metropolitan areas; views of the FHWA and the US DOT ITS Joint Program Office on operational strategies, policies and supporting ITS Technologies and their impacts on climate change; 21^st Century Roadway Maintenance and more. Organization Sponsors: AASHTO, The Bipartisan Policy Center, Missouri Valley Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers and the National Association of Environmental Professionals; Meeting Host: The Missouri Department of Transportation. Visit IBTTA’s website for more information.

AVIATION

1) French Air Controllers Endanger Passengers: Report

Link to AFP article:

http://news.my.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3603431

Link to story in Le Figaro:

http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2009/09/24/01016-20090924ARTFIG00461-aiguilleurs-du-ciel-la-dgac-a-remis-son-rapport-a-bussereau-.php (in French)

2) Speaker: Image is Biz Jets’ Challenge

Link to article in The Wichita Eagle:

http://www.kansas.com/business/industries/story/983556.html

CARTOGRAPHY

3) Google Maps of the Great Indoors?

Micello is mapping large indoor public spaces such as airports.

Link to article in Network World:

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/092309-demo-micello.html?fsrc=netflash-rss

Link to news release from Micello:

http://www.micello.com/files/Micello_Press_Release_Demofall09.pdf

SAFETY / SECURITY

4) US Government Weighs Cell Phone Ban for Bus, Truck Drivers

Link to AP article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5itUAWM_VRdpVFDqKHsVZgZnpvX_AD9ATHPRG0

5) Automakers Back Texting Ban

Link to article in The Detroit News:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090924/AUTO01/909240427/1148/Automakers-back-texting-ban

6) Terror Probe: Why is the Threat Level Still Yellow?

Link to article in The Christian Science Monitor:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0924/p02s09-usgn.html

TRANSIT

7) Los Angeles MTA Fare System Runs Into Roadblocks

Link to article in the Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-transit24-2009sep24,0,2912313.story

8) New York City Comptroller: MTA Information ‘Off Track’

Link to article in The Epoch Times:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/22919/

9) MBTA Ad Aims to Reduce Fire Risk

Link to article in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/09/24/mbta_ad_aims_to_reduce_fire_risk/

10) Boston T to Test Red, Orange Lines’ Crash Prevention System

Link to article in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/09/24/t_to_test_red_orange_lines_crash_prevention_system/

11) DC Metro’s NextBus Still Working Out Kinks

Link to article in The Examiner:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Metro_s-NextBus-still-working-out-kinks-8284672-60719372.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

12) Transportation Departments Burn Rubber on Twitter

Link to article in Government Technology:

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/726973

13) The Case for Open New York MTA Data: Transparency, Savings, and Easier Riding

Link to commentary in Streetsblog:

http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/09/23/the-case-for-open-mta-data-transparency-savings-and-easier-riding/

VEHICLES

14) Vehicles in Philippines Required to Install Microchips Starting in October

Link to article in BusinessWorld:

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW092409/content.php?id=073

News Releases

1) Intelligent Vehicles Tested Across European Roads

2) CN Announces Enhanced Calculator to Estimate Greenhouse Gas-Emissions for Multi-modal Shipments

3) Interactive Trip Planner Gets Users to Bay Area Park Sites via Public Transportation

4) Washington State DOT Launches ‘Ask the Traffic Team’ Site

5) Ford Motor Company Educates Teens on the Dangers of Distracted Driving

6) The eSafety Awards: Rewarding Excellence in the Deployment of Intelligent Vehicle Safety Systems

7) State-of-the-Art Digital Communications Network Installed in White Plains, New York

Upcoming Events

2009 ITS Forum – October 20 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

https://www.123signup.com/event?id=jcffp

Today in Transportation History

1929 **80^th anniversary** - Jimmy Doolittle became the first pilot to takeoff, fly and land using only instruments.

http://www.oldbeacon.com/beacon/blind_flight-1.htm

1959 **50^th anniversary** - The Atlas C Able rocket exploded on the launch pad during static testing at Cape Canaveral.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Atlas_C_Able.JPG

======================================================================

The Transportation 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 at i95berniew@aol.com.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) Europe Orders Checks on More Airbus Speed Sensors

Link to Reuters article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSWEA199720090923

2) FAA System Helps Controllers Track Planes Out of Radar’s Reach in Colorado Mountains

Link to AP article:

http://www.kjct8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11178299

GPS / NAVIGATION

3) Navteq Q&A: The Road Ahead

Link to interview in Mobile Entertainment:

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/features/200/Navteq-QA-The-road-ahead

OTHER

4) Tracking Stimulus Dollars: Dot-Com vs. Dot-Gov

Link to story and audio report on NPR’s Morning Edition:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112893572&ps=cprs

SAFETY / SECURITY

5) Idle Chatter Clogs Wireless System for Chennai Traffic Police

Link to article in The Times of India:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/chennai/Idle-chatter-clogs-wireless-system-of-traffic-police/articleshow/5045113.cms

6) Utah Tackles Texting and Driving Problem Head-On

Link to story and audio on NPR’s All Things Considered:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113035255

7) Emergency Evacuation: Get a Road of This

New technique monitors Bluetooth signals from commuter cell phones to derive travel times, road speeds and vehicle movements.

Link to article in Law Enforcement Technology:

http://www.officer.com/print/Law-Enforcement-Technology/Emergency-Evacuation--Get-a-road-of-this/1$48418

TRANSIT

8) National Transportation Safety Board Urges Transit Agencies to Address ‘Safety Glitches’

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-09-22-ntsb_N.htm

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

9) To Help Slow Traffic, San Francisco Planners Pick Beige

Link to article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/22/BARQ19QUGI.DTL

10) Speeding Up Interstate 15

Utah DOT to begin construction of electronic monitoring system.

Link to article in the Standard-Examiner:

http://www.standard.net/topics/news/2009/09/23/speeding-interstate-15

VEHICLES

11) The Deadly Silence of the Electric Car

Automakers propose adding some artificial vroom to alert pedestrians.

Link to article in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/22/AR2009092204290.html

News Releases

1) New Study Reveals Benefits of the Parking Guidance System at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa

2) Volvo Cars Takes on Safety Challenges Involving Electric Cars

3) I-95 Corridor Coalition Launches I-95 Corridor Travel Information Time Web Site

4) DC Metro Already Taking Steps to Improve Track Circuit Reliability

5) BART Tests On-Demand Info by SMS Text Messaging

6) Intelligent Vehicle Safety Systems Awards Presented

7) Boeing Completes Ground Tests to Prepare for 1^st GPS IIF Satellite Launch

8) New IBM Research Reveals Critical Gap for Managing Congestion Problems in Cities Worldwide

9) IBM Brings 50% Reduction in Waiting Time to the Morning Commute in Sweden's Capital

10) Michigan DOT Asks for Public’s Feedback on Mi Drive Traffic Web Site

11) ITS America, IBM, Spencer Trask & Partners Announce the Winner in Challenge for Traffic Congestion Solutions

Upcoming Events

8^th Annual Maritime Security Expo – October 20-21 – Long Beach, California

http://www.maritimesecurityexpo.com/

Today in Transportation History

1959 **50^th anniversary** - The M/S Princess of Tasmania, Australia’s first roll-on/roll-off ferry, began service.

http://users.nex.net.au/~reidgck/shipping.htm#new-era

======================================================================

The Transportation 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 at i95berniew@aol.com.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Tuesday, September 22, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

GPS / NAVIGATION

1) Garmin Tries to Find Ways Around Smartphone Threat

Link to Dow Jones Newswire article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090921-703769.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

2) Patrol Vessels Make Waves with High-Tech Equipment

Link to article in the Detroit Free Press:

http://www.freep.com/article/20090922/NEWS05/909220309/1001/News/Patrol-vessels-make-waves-with-high-tech-equipment

Link to further information from US Customs and Border Protection:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/may_2009/05122009_4.xml

3) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is Increasing Use of GPS Logs for Hours of Service Audits, Qualcomm Exec Says

Link to article in Transport Topics:

http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=22773

TELEMATICS

4) Ford Brings In-Dash Computers to the Next Level

Link to article from Driving Today:

http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=11176876

TRANSIT

5) Evaluation of Smart Video for Transit Event Detection

Link to report from the Florida Department of Transportation:

http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/77807.pdf

6) Intercoms Coming to New York City Subway Platforms at All Future Station Rehabs

Link to article in the Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/09/22/2009-09-22_intercoms_coming_to_subway_platforms_at_all_future_station_rehabs_5_brighton_lin.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

7) Westwood One’s Metro Traffic Launches Smartphone Service

Link to article in Radio Online:

http://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n19766

Link to news release from Westwood One:

http://images.WestwoodOne.com/images/pdf/pressreleases/PressReleaseTrafficontheGoFINAL9-22-09.pdf

8) Waze Rolls Out Crowdsourced Traffic Data App

Link to CNET News article:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10357196-52.html

Link to further information on Waze: http://www.waze.com

9) Group to ‘Tweet’ G-20 Traffic Updates

Link to story on KDKA-TV:

http://kdka.com/local/g20/twitter.traffic.updates.2.1200100.html

VEHICLES

10) Chrysler to Put Owner’s Manuals on DVD

Link to article in The Detroit News:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090922/AUTO01/909220326/1148/Chrysler-to-put-manuals-on-DVD

11) Ford Promotes Taurus with Microsoft Tags

Link to blog in The Wall Street Journal:

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/09/22/ford-and-microsoft-team-up-to-promote-the-new-taurus/

12) In-Car Tech Sales to Top $9.3 Billion

Link to article in the Detroit Free Press:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909220328

13) Defensive Driving with Cop-Alert Device

Link to article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/22/MN7E19O36G.DTL

News Releases

1) Orange County Transportation Authority Launches Redesigned Web Site

2) TrafficTalk Announces Voice-Based Traffic Information Service at DEMOfall 09

3) Intelligent Transport Systems and Services to Improve Our Daily Lives

4) Cellular M2M Connections to Triple by 2014

5) Houston TranStar Adds Weather Radar to Traffic Map

6) New FAA System Improves Safety in Remote, Non-Radar Regions

Upcoming Events

Satellite and Content Deliver Conference & Expo – October 14-15 – New York

http://www.satconexpo.com/

Today in Transportation History

1909 **100^th anniversary** - Ferdinand Ferber, a French Army captain, became the fourth person and the second pilot to die in a powered aircraft crash.

http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/ferber.html

======================================================================

The Transportation 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 at i95berniew@aol.com.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Monday, September 21, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

Register Now for INRIX’s Free Webinar on the INRIX National Traffic Scorecard Special Report

Covered by CNN and hundreds of other news media, INRIX has just released the INRIX National Traffic Scorecard Mid-Year 2009 Special Report, calling a "bottom in traffic gridlock." Traffic congestion across the country is rising due to signs of economic recovery, initial rollouts of highway construction projects funded by federal stimulus packages, and lower fuel prices.

By analyzing traffic in the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas, the Scorecard provides the most comprehensive and national scale glimpse into the intractable issues of urban traffic congestion. Additionally, INRIX analyzed information from its vast data warehouse to provide a snapshot of commercial freight traffic concentration. This webinar -- hosted by Rick Schuman, INRIX VP of Public Sector -- will provide an executive summary of the report findings.

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2009 Time: 10:00AM-11:00AM (PDT); 1:00PM-2:00PM (EDT)

AVIATION

1) Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Starts Facebook Page 

Link to article in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: 

http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2009/09/14/daily50.html

2) Charting a New Path for FAA

Link to commentary from FAA CIO in Federal Times:

http://www.federaltimes.com/index.php?S=4284637

MARITIME

3) Pakistan Government to Establish Communication System for Port Security

Link to article in the Daily Times:

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C09%5C21%5Cstory_21-9-2009_pg7_14

OTHER

4) Intelligent Transport Innovations Center Being Built in UK

Link to article in The Engineer:

http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/313238/Transport+innovations+centre.htm

5) Castrol Uses Cameras and Digital Billboards to Talk Directly to Motorists

Link to article in Brand Republic:

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/939651/Castrol-cameras-digital-billboards-talk-directly-motorists/

RAILROADS

6) Lawsuit Threat Got Amtrak to Disclose Bridge Inspection Reports

Link to report in The Philadelphia Inquirer:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20090920_Lawsuit_threat_got_Amtrak_to_disclose.html

ROADWAYS

7) Washington State DOT Report: 'Rumble Strips' on State Highways Cut Accidents by Nearly 60 Percent

Link to article in The Seattle Times:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009895361_webroads18m.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) Transportation Security Administration Privacy Stewardship

Link to report from the US Department of Homeland Security Inspector General:

http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_09-97_Aug09.pdf

TRANSIT

9) DC Metro Turns to Suicide-Prevention Groups for Help 

Link to article in The Washington Post: 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR2009091803429.html

10) Miami-Dade Transit Cards to Introduce No-Cash Fare Payments 

Link to article in The Miami Herald: 

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1239096.html

11) London’s Tube Puts Thames Back on the Map

Link to story on NPR’s Morning Edition:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112954006

12) Transit Advertising in Kenya Slows as Marketers Slash Budgets

Link to article in Business Daily:

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Company%20Industry/-/539550/660956/-/u6m9xaz/-/

13) Seattle Transit Expands Smart Card System

Link to article in Metro Magazine:

http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2009/09/Seattle-transit-expands-smart-card-system.aspx

14) MBTA Updates System Maps, Signage

Link to article in Metro Magazine:

http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2009/09/MBTA-updates-system-maps-signage.aspx

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

15) Real-Time Traffic Reporting, on Time 

Link to article in The New York Times: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/automobiles/20TRAFFIC.html

16) The National Incident Management System – A Workbook for State Department of Transportation Frontline Workers

Link to documents from the Federal Highway Administration:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/security/emergencymgmt/profcapacitybldg/docs/nims/nims_wkbk.htm

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/security/emergencymgmt/profcapacitybldg/docs/nims/sup_instruct.htm

(supervisor instructions)

VEHICLES

17) Building a Safer Car

Your next vehicle might automatically check your pulse, help with steering—and tell you to put down your cell phone.

Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204830304574133422653706800.html

News Releases

1) FAA Approves 1^st US Ground Based Augmentation System

2) Bridge Data Available On New Illinois Department of Transportation Web Site, Public to Get More Access to Bridge Information

Upcoming Events

International CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment 2009 – October 6-9 – San Diego

http://www.wirelessit.com/

Today in Transportation History

1959 **50^th anniversary** - The Ford Falcon was introduced in a closed circuit TV news conference.

http://www.falconregistry.com/history/history_non.cfm

======================================================================

The Transportation 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 at i95berniew@aol.com.

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Monday, September 21, 2009

Monday, September 21, 2009

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