Bernie Wagenblast’s Transportation Communications Newsletter – Feb 17, 2009

February 18, 2009 at 1:37 am

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Tuesday, February 17, 2009 — ISSN 1529-1057

Register Today for IBTTA’s Toll Road Summit of Australia, New Zealand & the Asia Pacific Rim, March 15-18, 2009 in Sydney, Australia

If you are interested in public-private partnerships, innovations in customer service and next generation technologies, you need to attend this meeting! Join IBTTA and ITS Australia in Sydney, Australia and learn about the explosive growth of tolling in Australia, New Zealand and the countries in the Asia Pacific Rim. Learn about toll concessions and operations, including the political, regulatory, public affairs and customer service aspects of startup and mature facilities, and lessons learned from successive implementation of all electronic toll collection. Visit IBTTA’s website to view the preliminary agenda, make your travel arrangements and register today

AVIATION

1) Abu Dhabi Air Traffic Center Opens in June

Link to story in The National:

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090217/BUSINESS/740809544/1005

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

2) Shanghai‘s High-Tech E-Toll System Stuck in First Gear

Link to story in the Shanghai Daily:

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2009/200902/20090218/article_391425.htm

OTHER

3) US Transportation Department Now on US Government Science Site

Link to story in The Oak Ridger:

http://www.oakridger.com/news/x426328318/U-S-Transportation-Department-now-in-Science-gov

RAILROADS

4) Metra to Add ‘2nd Train’ Warnings

Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-metra-14feb14,0,2563912.story

ROADWAYS

5) Massachusetts May Consider a Mileage Charge

Tentative plan would use GPS chips to charge motorists a quarter-cent for every mile behind the wheel.

Link to AP story:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jSFVVWawIJRrWzFM1ICyVaVAy93wD96D9QHO0

6) ‘Motorcycle Detection System’ on UK Roads by Easter

Link to story in Motorcycle News:

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2009/February/16-22/feb1609-new-surveillance-system/?R=EPI-106287

7) Smart Roads. Smart Bridges. Smart Grids.

If we are going to spend billions of dollars to fix our ailing infrastructure, let’s make sure we do it right. Here are the technologies to make that happen.

Link to article and video in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123447510631779255.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) Garden Grove, California to Put Amber Alert Signs on City Streets

Link to story in The Orange County Register:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/signs-grove-traffic-2310737-garden-amber

TELEMATICS

9) Fiat Drives Home the Eco Message

Eco:drive computer application is said to reduce fuel costs and reduce a driver’s carbon footprint.

Link to story on Fleet News:

http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/story/Fleet-technology-Fiat-drives-home-the-eco-message/49447

TRANSIT