Tuesday, March 31, 2009 — ISSN 1529-1057

2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition Preliminary Program Now Available

The preliminary program for ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition is now available. The 2009 Annual Meeting is the highly anticipated three-day learning and networking event which will attract the most diverse transportation audience from across the country in one place. This event will take place at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD – inside the Washington, DC metropolitan area – from June 1-3.  This is a critical time for our industry to demonstrate how ITS technologies can improve safety, mobility, and the environment while optimizing transportation dollars and helping to finance the future of our transportation system. Don’t want to miss this valuable opportunity to find answers to your toughest transportation challenges, meet your legislators on Capitol Hill, see ITS solutions in action and take home ideas for implementation, and learn from your peers.  To view a copy of the program, please click here.  For further information, please visit: www.itsa.org/annualmeeting.html.

AVIATION

1) EU Adopts Air Traffic Management ‘Master Plan’

Link to story on EurActiv:

http://www.euractiv.com/en/transport/eu-adopts-air-traffic-management-master-plan/article-180816

2) American Airlines to Expand In-flight Web Access

Link to AP story:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/American-Airlines-to-expand-apf-14791346.html

3) On NextGen, Everything Clear Except Who Pays for It

Link to column in The Dallas Morning News:

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/03/on-nextgen-everything-clear-ex.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

4) Apple Filing Details Safe Touch-Screen Navigation System

Link to story on AppleInsider:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/03/26/apple_filing_details_safe_touch_screen_navigation_system.html

5) Smart Sat-Nav and Cruise Control Arrives

Link to story on RoadTransport:

http://www.roadtransport.com/Articles/2009/03/31/133295/smart-sat-nav-and-cruise-control-arrives.html

OTHER

6) Georgia Could Require Drivers to Take Test in English

Link to AP story:

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/03/31/met_516494.shtml

7) Interview with Anne Jensen, MEP and Rapporteur on the ITS Action Plan

Link to interview from ERTICO-ITS Europe:

http://www.ertico.com/en/news_and_events/ertico_newsroom/ertico-its_europe_talks_to_anne_jensen

SPACE

8) US Military Vows to Track 800 Satellites by October 1

Link to Reuters story:

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE52U0MR20090331

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) Sydney Terrorism Warning System Reviewed After Power Failure

Link to Bloomberg News story:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=abFrjyqhRykM

10) It’s the Drawing Board for Real ID

Link to story on NextGov:

http://techinsider.nextgov.com/2009/03/its_the_drawing_board_for_real.php

TRANSIT

11) Portland Metro Unveils an Online Planning Tool

Build-a-system tool is designed to involve public in transit corridor development.

Link to story in the Daily Journal of Commerce:

http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2009/03/30/Metro-unveils-an-online-planning-tool-Buildasystem-tool-is-designed-to-involve-public-in-transit-cor

12) South Florida’s Tri-Rail Starts ‘Fund or Fail’ Campaign

Link to story in Metro Magazine:

http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2009/03/Tri-Rail-starts-fund-or-fail-campaign.aspx

Link to further information from Tri-Rail: 

http://www.tri-rail.com/FundOrFail/

13) The Challenge of Using Public Transport: Descriptions by People with Cognitive Functional Limitations

Link to article in the Journal of Transport and Land Use:

https://www.jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/download/97/42

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

14) New Detroit Traffic Management System All Set to Go

Link to story in The Detroit News:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090331/METRO05/903310402/1361/New+traffic+management+system+all+set+to+go

15) Traffic Management System to be Constructed in Western Massachusetts

Link to story in The Republican:

http://www.masslive.com/metrowest/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-18/123848380163740.xml&coll=1

16) California DOT’s New Monitoring Systems to Speed Traffic Flow

Link to story in Traffic Technology Today:

http://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news.php?NewsID=11441

17) Traffic Safety Through Smart Highways

Link to story in Popular Mechanics:

http://www.origin.popularmechanics.com/science/research/4308670.html?page=1

VEHICLES

18) Honda Connects Brain Thoughts with Electronics

Link to AP story:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Honda-connects-brain-thoughts-apf-14792125.html

Link to news release from Honda Motor Company:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Honda-ATR-and-Shimadzu-bw-14790917.html

News Releases

1) TEN-T 2009 Call for Proposals – Nearly €1 Billion Available in Trans-European Transport Network Funding

2) Tripping with Mr. Solomon – Houston Metro Uses YouTube to Promote Airport Service

3) TransCore Proves Alternative Equipment Choice for IAG-Protocol Reader

4) City of Seattle Launches Construction Coordination Web Site

Upcoming Events

2^nd Middle East Parking Symposium – November 9-11 – Abu Dhabi

http://www.parking-me.com/

Today in Transportation History

1774 **235^th anniversary** – The Boston Port Act took effect, closing the Boston Port to all ships.  The action was a response to the Boston Tea Party.

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/boston_port_act.asp

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

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

((Source: Jalopnik)

(Source: Financial Times)

Published with the support of The European Commission, United Nations, ERTICO and The OECD, The Intelligent Transport briefing was introduced by Eva Molnar Director for Transport UNECE, Antonio Tajani Vice President and Commissioner for Transport, European Commission, Denise Plumpton, The UK Highways Agency, German Minister for Transportation Wolfgang Tiefensee and French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau.

 The briefing was inserted into and distributed by The Financial Times in March 2009 throughout all European and Scandinavian territories. Government agencies within Europe will account for another 20,000 copiesThe Financial Times with its exceptional business coverage and focus continues to dominate the market for the delivery of c-level executives and decision makers at the highest level and as such provides the perfect home for this briefing. Building intelligence into our vehicles and infrastructures can make a positive long term contribution to resolving the problems society and business face in terms of congestion, reliability, safety security and the environment.  

In the European Union alone, 20 per cent of GDP is generated by the transport sector. This equates to 1,900 billion euros, 16 million jobs, or nine per cent of all EU employment. How do we improve safety and security, and how do we minimise the negative environmental impact of many transport systems? These are not easy questions, but all answers depend not least on putting greater intelligence into our infrastructures and transport systems, in turn helping users make more intelligent choices about their journeys.

Containing more than 30 case studies The 36 page briefing provides a comprehensive source of advice and guidance for board level executives, senior management and Government executives explaining  deployments in a variety of modes and with varying applications. It features real-life examples, case studies and frameworks that demonstrate the successful deployment of solutions and trials across Europe and carefully analyses capabilities, possibilities and particularly advantages.

Click here to read more or read/download the PDF file here.  (Image below is the ITS Briefing Supplement’s  cover)

(Source: TOLLROADSnews.com)

Japanese tollroads have put into effect discounted tolls under a huge subsidy program from the central government. The discounts came into effect on bridges March 22 and on most expressways March 28. The discounted tolls were a centerpiece of an economic ‘stimulus package’ prime minister Taro Aso announced last October.

The traffic stimulus measure is touted as helping revive highway travel which is down about 4%, and to revive associated spending on gasoline and diesel fuels, car service, hotels, new cars and electronics. However it is also obviously influenced by lobbying and PM Aso’s desire for public acclaim. 

The measure announced as lasting two years and Y500b ($5b) has been set aside in a supplementary Japanese Government budget, but the subsidy program may end up costing a whole lot more. Meanwhile airline and rail interests complain the measure will take customers away from them.

The most spectacular discounts come on the interurban ticket or trip-based toll system run by the three regional expressway companies. Here a maximum toll of Y1000 ($10) is now in effect weekends and holidays for vehicles equipped with a transponder. This greatly encourages long trips by car.

Shinkansen or ‘bullet train’ bookings are expected to drop away.

Tokyo to northern Honshu, for example, a distance of over 400 miles (700km) normally costs about Y14k ($140) for a car but will be tolled the new maximum Y1000 toll or $10 at weekends. There are also major savings on a popular interurban run between Tokyo and Nagoya of 325km (200 miles) on the Tomei Expressway. It usually costs Y7100 ($71) in tolls so there’s a saving of Y6100 ($61) or 86%.

On many urban expressways with a single barrier toll on entry the toll is being reduced from Y700 ($7) or Y800 ($8) to Y500 ($5). Under the crude toll-on-entry ramp the toll paid is already a flat rate regardless of distance traveled. 

The government’s aim in paying for the toll discounts is apparently to generate more travel when roads are relatively uncongested. 

The discounts range in size. Some Tokyo metro area tolls are only discounted at night 10pm to 6am, some Sundays and holidays.

On Sundays and holidays, the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway will charge Y500 ($5) on several Tokyo routes, down from the current Y700 ($7). The toll on its Kanagawa ‘lines’ will be cut to Y400 ($4) from Y600 ($6), while on the Saitama line will be reduced to Y300 ($3) from Y400 ($4).

Tolls on the Hanshin Expressway in the Osaka region will be discounted on full weekends and national holidays. Hanshin’s east lines will be Y500 ($5) from the current Y700 ($7), and the west and south lines will be Y350 ($3.50) from Y500 ($5).

In April there will be more discounts in the form of credits for tolls paid on other systems for long journeys through multiple toll companies roads. 

Click here to read the entire article.

(Source:  Howard Wial, The Brookings Institution)

(Source: USDOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics)

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 – Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 27.2 percent lower in January 2009 than in January 2008, dropping to $47.5 billion, the biggest year-to-year percentage decline on record, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (Table 1).  The $47.5 billion in U.S.-NAFTA trade in January 2009 was the lowest monthly amount since January 2004. 

 The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico fell 10.3 percent in January from December (Table 2).  Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline.  About 88 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in January was up 3.9 percent in the five-year period compared to January 2004, and up 31.6 percent over the 10-year period compared to January 1999 (Table 3).  Imports in January were up 26.4 percent compared to January 1999, while exports were up 38.1 percent. 

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Canada

U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade totaled $29.0 billion in January, down 31.1 percent compared to January 2008 (Table 4).  The value of imports carried by truck was 31.3 percent lower in January 2009 compared to January 2008, while the value of exports carried by truck was 27.2 percent lower.

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Mexico

U.S.–Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $18.5 billion in January, down 20.0 percent compared to January 2008 (Table 6).  The value of imports carried by truck was 20.5 percent lower in January 2009 than January 2008 while the value of exports carried by truck was 10.7 percent lower.        

Click here to read the entire report in HTML or click here to download the report in PDF.  A read-only version of the PDF file is provided here:

(Source: Transportation for America)

Transportation for America’s first webinar in a series of them was held earlier this week, and it was a great success. Nearly 100 advocates and supporters signed up for a session on Transportation and Social Equity.

Our transportation system should provide everyone — regardless of age, income, race or disability — with viable transportation options. So there are significant issues with a system that doesn’t extend opportunity to everyone in the same manner.

Judith Bell, president of PolicyLink, led an informative discussion about ways in which transportation policies and programs affect low income, minority, and other often marginalized populations.

Nathaniel Smith, Director of Partnerships for Equitable Development at Emory University and Ron Achelpohl, Assistant Director of Transportation for the Mid-America Regional Council, spoke about local actions in Atlanta and Kansas City respectively to make equity considerations a fundamental part of the transportation planning process. Laura Barrett, National Policy Director for theTransportation Equity Network, discussed advocacy efforts at the national level — particularly around equitable stimulus spending.

Don’t miss the first in a series of policy briefs from Transportation for America available for download now, Transportation and Social Equity: Opportunity Follows Mobility, covers three basic ideas:

1. The current system is failing low income communities
2. Transportation is at the center of opportunity.
3. The nation’s transportation investments can be a powerful force for social and economic equity.

Download it now or view the PDF below and feel free to pass it along to friends and colleagues. And be sure to join Transportation for America to help us tell Congress that our transportation investments should extend opportunity to all Americans — regardless of race, class, or gender.

LA Transportation Blog – Headlines for Tuesday March 31, 2009

Streetsblog – Headlines for Tuesday March 31, 2009

(Source: Fox Business)

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have been under development for more than a decade. While the promise of road-infrastructure based traffic management is still years away, some car manufacturers are moving ahead with autonomous radar-based obstacle detection systems increasing the safety of both drivers and pedestrians.