Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – July 22, 2009

July 22, 2009 at 10:58 pm

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057


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

The 2nd 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

ROADWAYS

4) Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Archives Highway Plans Online

Link to story in Business First of Louisville:

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2009/07/20/daily4.html

Link to KYTC Projects Archive: http://kytcgis.ky.gov/projectarchive/viewer.htm

5) High-Tech Highway Funding

Link to commentary in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/07/22/high_tech_highway_funding/

TRANSIT

6) DC Metro Discovers Problems in Additional Track Circuits

Link to story in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/21/AR2009072102479.html

7) Practical Measures to Increase Transit Advertising Revenues

Link to report from the Transportation Research Board:

http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=10700

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

8) FHWA Office of Operations Current News Now Available Via RSS

Link to further information from the Federal Highway Administration:

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/news/rss/opsnewsrss.htm

News Releases

1) Nissan’s New Navigation System Emphasizes Safer, Greener Driving

Solicitation

Program Opportunity Notice – Solicitation Seeks to Improve Transportation Corridor Efficiencies – NYSDOT, NYSERDA

http://www.nyserda.org/funding/1554pon.asp

Upcoming Events

ITS Pennsylvania Annual Meeting – August 27-28 – Pittsburgh

http://www.itspennsylvania.com/Portals/0/2009%20ITSPA%20Annual%20Meeting%20Program.pdf

Today in Transportation History

1869 **140th anniversary** – John Augustus Roebling, designer of the Brooklyn Bridge and other suspension bridges, died.

http://en.structurae.de/persons/data/index.cfm?ID=d000030

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

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 ati95berniew@aol.com.

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

Biofuel research should focus on planes and not cars, says British think tank Policy Exchange.

July 22, 2009 at 1:07 am

(Source: BBC)

A crop area the size of the USA would be needed to biofuel all the world’s cars and alternatives, such as electricity, exist for them, it added.

Instead, it said the EU should fund research into using plant-based fuel for aviation to help cut emissions.

Sceptics say some biofuels create more carbon than they save and push up the price of food for the poor.

Most biofuels are derived from crops such as corn, sugarcane and rapeseed.

The UK government, which is funding a £27m research centre to find economically viable alternatives to fossil fuels, says 25% of greenhouse gas emissions come from transport.

The EU also changed its stipulation that 10% of transport fuel had to be from crop-based fuel, instead saying the targets could be met by any renewable source, including fuel cells, hydrogen or solar power.

Policy Exchange has previously said the government should spend its £550m annual biofuel subsidies on halting the destruction of rainforests and peatland, which remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Now the centre-right think tank says the EU should switch policy to subsidising development of biofuels for aviation because planes cannot run on other sources of energy.

Airlines including Virgin Atlantic have trialled flights using up to 20% biofuel to power the engines, although climate change campaigners say use of the fuel is not sustainable.

Policy Exchange claims using biofuels is the only way in the foreseeable future to meet people’s desire to travel without escalating emissions of greenhouse gases.

Airlines should be mandated to blend biofuel with kerosene in increasing quantities from 2020, it believes.

Click here to read the entire article.

Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – July 21, 2009

July 21, 2009 at 11:20 pm

Tuesday, July 21, 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.orgRegister today!

AVIATION

1) UK Airports Deploy New Technology to Monitor Passenger Movement

System anonymously tracks cell phone signals as passengers move through terminals.

Link to story on Airport Technology:

http://www.airport-technology.com/news/news60000.html?WT.mc_id=DN_News

2) Airport Maps iPhone App: Does It Really Help You Navigate Your Way Around North American Airports?

Link to review on Examiner:

http://www.examiner.com/x-14813-iPhone-Apps-Examiner~y2009m7d20-Airport-Maps-iPhone-app-does-it-really-help-you-navigate-your-way-around-North-American-airports

3) The Race to Provide Wi-Fi While Flying

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/business/21road.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

4) EZ Tags Pull Double Duty as Traffic Monitors

Link to story in the Houston Chronicle:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6537163.html

PARKING

5) Are Even Higher Meter Prices in Your Future? Report Says They Should be

Report recommends higher rush hour parking rates, technology improvements to ease San Francisco’s pervasive parking problems.

Link to story in the SFAppeal:

http://sfappeal.com/alley/2009/07/are-even-higher-meter-prices-in-your-future-report-says-they-should-be.php

SAFETY / SECURITY

6) US Withheld Data Showing Cell Phone Driving Risks

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/technology/21distracted.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all


7) The Color of Safety

An expert symposium, cosponsored by FHWA, looked at the use of color in conveying safety messages.

Link to story in Public Roads:

http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/09julaug/02.htm

TELEMATICS

8) New OnStar Tech Keeps Stolen Vehicles from Starting

Link to review from CNET News:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10291032-48.html

TRANSIT

9) Maryland Transit Authority Reins in Audio Surveillance Proposal

Link to story in The Baltimore Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/commuting/bal-md.mta21jul21,0,7383941.story

VEHICLES

10) Before Creating the Car, Ford Designs the Driver

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/automobiles/19design.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

News Releases

1) Inrix Delivers Real-Time Traffic Flow Services for Europe

2) In-Vehicle Text-by-Voice Application Introduced by ATX to Automotive Market

3) Port of Long Beach, California to Test Emergency Public Address System

Job Posting

Supervisory, Engineering Psychologist, Operations Research Analyst, or Industrial Engineer – Volpe National Transportation Systems Center – Cambridge, Massachusetts

http://jobview.usajobs.gov/getjob.aspx?jobid=82315153

Upcoming Events

15th Annual Central Europe/North America Airport Issues Conference – October 18-20 – Dubrovnik, Croatia

http://events.aaae.org/sites/091003/

Today in Transportation History

1919 **90th anniversary** – The dirigible Wingfoot Air Express caught fire and crashed into a building in Chicago. Thirteen people died, including ten on the ground.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Wingfoot-Air-Express—The-First-Airship-Disaster&id=1014840

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

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

Commuters Go Head to Head in Battle of the Bikes – Cycling commuters naturally fall into bike ‘tribes’. But in a door-to-desk race, who takes the gong?

July 20, 2009 at 1:54 pm

Commuters Go Head to Head in Battle of the Bikes

I’m beginning to love The Guardian’s bike related blog posts. Only yesterday they got me musing over the rights and wrongs of cycling drunk, and they’ve also explored work-appropriate bike clothing. It’s just nice to see bike articles that aren’t all about the Tour de France or the latest developments in lycra, but rather issues that the rest of us cyclists have to face daily. Their latest contribution to the debate is an exploration of riding styles for commuting – do fixed gear riders really get to work faster than mountain bikers or those of us on granny bikes? Read on for a (pseudo) scientific experiment…

OK, so Matt Sparkes’ experiment of which ‘bike tribe’ is fastest is hardly the stuff of scientific break throughs – after all, setting up a race between one rider on a racer, one on a fixed gear bike, one on a mountain bike, and one on a ‘granny bike dawdler’ is, as he himself admits, “as scientific as a climate change sceptic”, but it does raise an interesting debate.

Glance around during rush hour and you’ll spot all manner of bike riders: dawdlers in suits and dresses, racers in revealing Lycra and simplicity-craving single speeders. These are just some of the cycling “tribes” that can be identified by simple clues such as their choice of bike, wardrobe and riding style.  Just like Galápagos finches, they have evolved to fill different niches based on their needs. How far is the commute, what needs to be carried and are there showers at work? And of course, fashion plays a large part, too.

Unlike natural selection, though, we have a choice over which species to become. But have I made the best choice, or are my wheels just stuck in a rut? I decided to find out by mocking up an average commute and holding a “tribal commuter race”, to see who could get from door to desk quickest.

The contestants: road-bike racer; fixed-gear rider, mountain biker, hybrid commuter and granny-bike dawdler.

As soon as they set off it was clear who was going to arrive first. Fixed-gear rider sprinted away at the head of a fast pack, with road-bike racer in close and streamlined pursuit. Not far behind was hybrid commuter – slowed slightly by his panniers and upright seating position, but keen to compete.

Separated by a widening gap was mountain biker, whose bouncy suspension and wide, knobbly tires were a significant disadvantage. Granny-bike dawdler, equipped with baguette-carrying wicker basket, brought up the rear – but didn’t seem to mind one bit.

The slower tribes made up some time when road-bike racer’s skinny, slick tyres succumbed to some gravel in a shortcut through a park. Palms bloodied and confidence shaken, he failed to recover his initial advantage. Fixed-gear rider seized this opportunity to extend the lead, hopping red lights as he went.

A few miles later and everyone crossed the finish line in varying states of disarray. Fixed-gear rider was first, but sweaty enough to star in a Lynx commercial; hybrid commuter next and only slightly less moist. Last place on the podium went to road-bike racer, who was in need of a shower and a trip to the office first aid box before starting his working day.

Just a handful of minutes behind came mountain biker, who may have won had the course involved any sudden descents through woodland, but on the day arrived late and panting. Mere moments later came a grinning granny-bike dawdler, pulling up at the finish line slowly, but as fresh as a daisy.

Click here to read the entire article.

(Source: TreeHuggerGuardian, UK; Image Courtesy: Guardian –  Cyclists wearing different outfits in London Photograph: Graham Turner/ Antonio Olmos/Guardian/ Observer)

Tata Delivers Worlds Cheapest Car! Mumbai resident becomes the first owner of Tata Nano

July 18, 2009 at 1:55 pm

(Source: USATodayThe Hindu)

The much-awaited Nano hit the roads on Friday with Mumbai resident Ashok Raghunath Vichare becoming the first owner of the world’s cheapest car from the stable of the Tatas.

“I hope that the Tata Nano will bring motoring pleasure to those who will be buying their first car as also those who currently own a car but want a modern, contemporary and emission-friendly city car,” Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata said after handing over the key of the first Nano to Mr. Vichare here. Tata, a Cornell University-trained architect, decided to develop Nano when he saw an entire Indian family riding on a scooter. Bloomberg says almost seven motorcycles are sold for every car in India, a nation of 1.1 billion people. Car sales in India may triple to 3 million units annually by 2015, according to a government forecast.

Mr. Vichare has bought a Tata Nano LX (lunar silver), the top-end model.

With Tata handing over the top-end model to Mr. Vichare, the delivery process of the first one lakh cars have started, which would be completed by March next year.

Vichare went for the more upscale LX version. It is his first car.The cheapest Nano retails for 123,360 rupees — or $2,531. Splurgers can spend up to $3,536 to pack the car with such luxury as cupholders and air conditioning, Bloomberg News reports.

Nano is expected to come to the U.S. in a couple years, owner Tata Motors has indicated. Don’t expect to see one on the freeway: at 624 cubic centimeters, the engine is smaller than those found on many motorcycles. Safety in crash? Not as bad as you’d expect, if early crash test results in Europe hold up. Tata already has a huge backlog of orders for Nano:

Tata, which owns Jaguar and Land Rover after buying them from Ford, has 206,703 orders. That’s more than double its initial sales plan. The company chose the first 100,000 customers through a lottery. It will take a year of production to catch up to the backlog.

Nano was commercially launched on March 23 this year. It has received 2.06 lakh bookings. Tata Motors has already selected over 1.55 lakh customers for delivering the car, of which the first one lakh cars are price-protected.

The company would roll out the Nanos from its Pantnagar facility, which has an annual capacity of 50,000 units. The car would also be produced from the company’s Sanand unit in Gujarat once its goes on stream.

Click here to read the entire article.

Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – July 17, 2009

July 18, 2009 at 1:08 pm

Friday, July 17, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057


RAILROADS

1) Key BC Rail E-Mails May Have Been Deleted in May

Government messages sought in corruption case.

Link to CBC News story:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/07/16/bc-bc-rail-emails.html

ROADWAYS

2) Missouri Road Signs to Become Fluorescent

Link to AP story:

http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2009/07/17/news_state/167state32modot.txt

Link to news release from the Missouri Department of Transportation:

http://www.modot.org/newsandinfo/District0News.shtml?action=displaySSI&newsId=34341

3) $155,000 Sign Welcomes Motorists to Orange County, California

Link to story in The Orange County Register:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/freeway-county-buena-2495618-project-orange

SAFETY / SECURITY

4) Transportation’s Real Mover

Coolly, Deborah Hersman is National Transportation Safety Board’s very face of safety.

Link to profile in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071604222.html

TELEMATICS

5) Two Ways to Profit from the New Wave of Motoring Technology

Link to story in MoneyWeek:

http://www.moneyweek.com/investment-advice/share-tips-two-ways-to-profit-from-the-new-wave-of-motoring-technology-14961.aspx

TRANSIT

6) DC Metro is Meeting with Vendors about Train Control Backup

Link to story in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/07/14/ST2009071403568.html?sid=ST2009071403568

7) Citizen Journalists on Prowl for Train and Bus Operators Asleep at Wheel

Link to Fox News story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,533460,00.html

8) TriMet’s Open Source Heaven: The Five Best Transit-Rider Apps

Link to story in The Oregonian:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2009/07/open_source_heaven_the_5_best.html

Link to TriMet App Center: http://trimet.org/apps/

News Releases

1) Sydney Metro Airports Launch Filming Studios – Designed to show the possibilities of airports as filming locations

2) National Transportation Atlas Database Released

Upcoming Events

Talking Freight – Highway Networks and Their Relationship to Freight – August 19

https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.aspx?webConfID=17162

Friday Bonus

This brings distracted driving to a whole new level.

http://www.saveborrowspend.co.uk/articles/news/2391-trucker-showers-whilst-driving

Today in Transportation History

1934 **75th anniversary** – The Federal Communications Commission issued Order No. 1 which created three divisions; Broadcasting, Telegraph and Telephone.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/assemble?docno=340717

=========================================================================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.

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

Event Alert: Intelligent Transportation Systems in the Airport Environment — August 4-5, 2009 @ Salt Lake City, Utah

July 17, 2009 at 12:39 am

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

Airport land side management has increasingly become a focus for airport managers and transportation management center mangers alike.  More and more, airport managers are turning to Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to provide solutions to the challenges they face, such as managing parking, commercial vehicle movement, incident management, security and much more.  This conference is co-sponsored by the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) and will showcase the top industry leaders in the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) industry who are currently providing solutions for airport landside management.  The conference will also feature airport personnel sharing real-world results, lessons learned, success stories bad reasons why they have chosen ITS products and services as their airport land side management solution.

Details of Sessions:

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Keynote Address: Michael Huerta, President, MPH Consulting “Transportation Challenges Presented by the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT” – confirmed

Session 1:

“ITS Options in Airport Ground Traffic Management and Revenue Generation”

Moderator: Gary Duncan, Chief Technology Officer for Econolite (EGI) – confirmed

Panelists:

1. Dave Kinnecom, Utah DOT – confirmed

2. FAA –confirmed participation, speaker TBD

3. Stan Doepke, Eagle Integrated – confirmed

This session will focus on the challenges that airport landside managers face in effectively managing and tracking traffic flow in and out of the airport environment.  Discussion topics will include freeway and arterial signage, real time travel information, and other traffic management tools.  In addition to managing the traffic flow, airport managers have significant fiscal responsibility and this session will address those responsibilities and provide real examples of using dwell times, trip charges and airport usage fees from taxis and shuttles to provide a revenue stream for airport operations.

Session 2:

ITS Options in Airport Ground Incident Management

Moderator: Irv Rosenblum, Telegra – confirmed

Panelists:

1. Dan Lukasik, Delcan – confirmed

2.Dave Korzep, Salt Lake City Department of Airports –confirmed

3. Ron Sherwood, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – confirmed

This session will focus on the use of technologies to help airports managers address security issues related to curbside management of transportation taxis, limousines and buses. Additionally, panelists will address management of vehicle accidents on airport property, management of pedestrian flow, park and wait lots, and other security challenges.

Session 3:

ITS Solutions to Airport Parking Conundrums

Moderator: Mike Drow, Standard Parking – confirmed

Panelists:

1. Rick Warner, President of ParkingCarma – confirmed

2. Michael Howarth, Intelligent Devices – confirmed

3. Neal Heaton, BWI – confirmed

4. Jon Tarleton, Quixote – confirmed

Passenger parking is the largest source of revenue for most airports and proper management is of increasing importance.  The session will focus on ITS products and services and how they relate to “Parking Guidance Systems,” “Parking Reservation Systems,” and “Vehicle Locator Systems.”  Intelligent Transportation System technologies are now being used in some locations to take the guess work out of finding open parking lots and spaces, pick up points and drop off points for specific airlines. Discover some of the leading edge technology implementations that are working at airports today.

Session 4:

“Importance of ITS Standards in ITS Implementation at Airports”

Moderator: Casey Crabtree, Daktronics – confirmed

Panelists:

1. Rod MacKenzie, ITS America – confirmed

2. Bob Rausch, TransCore –confirmed

3. Marshall Elizer, Gresham Smith & Partners – confirmed

4. Tom Wunk, Sheidt & Bachmann – confirmed

ITS standards define an architecture of interrelated systems that work together to deliver advanced transportation technology and services across different agencies, modes and users. Most standards arevoluntary, consensus-based, and open, meaning that their use is not mandated by law,  they are consensus-based (meaning that a published standard has attained general agreement through cooperation and compromise in a process that is inclusive of all interested parties), and they are not proprietary and are available for anyone to use. The use of standards for airport ITS encourages growth of these services by minimizing development costs, increasing compatibility and interoperability, and increasing buyer and seller confidence in products. A standards-based approach to airport ITS integration helps to facilitate the exchange of transportation data as well as more easily accommodate future equipment replacements, systems upgrades, and system expansions. This session will explore standards available to ITS applications in the airport environment and how they are being used in airport ITS systems development today.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Session 5:

“Airport Management Roundtable”

Moderator: Mark Ozenick, Thomas Group – confirmed

Panelists:

1. Ron Sherwood, Atlanta – confirmed

2. Dave Korzep, SLC – confirmed

3. William Flowers, DFW – confirmed

4. Neal Heaton, BWI – confirmed

This exciting round table discussion will feature key airport executives discussing topics from the previous day as well as other important issues facing them and their thoughts about how technology has or might help them address these issues.  Real world examples from those who have been there!

Technical Tour of Utah Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center “ITS Implementation”

Registration

To register as an attendee, you may contact Lori Vintilescu at loriv@itsa.org or register online.
Registration Rates
(Includes one welcome reception, two continental breakfasts, one lunch, coffee and refreshment breaks, and all handouts.)
  • ITS America / AAAE Members: $525
  • Non-members: $575
Hotel
Rooms are being held at the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center, 220 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, phone (801) 961-8700. All attendees will receive a special rate of $179 single/double. Reservations must be made by Monday, July 13, 2009 in order to guarantee this rate. Reservations made after this date can only be honored on a space and rate available basis. To make your hotel reservations, call the hotel directly at 801-961-8700 or toll free at 866-961-8700 and identify yourself as part of the “Intelligent Transportation Society of America” group. All reservations must be canceled by 6 p.m. on the day of arrival to avoid a cancellation fee of one night room and tax charged to the credit card.
Transportation
Airline reservations—American Airlines has been selected as the official air carrier for this meeting. Attendees can receive 10% off American’s full coach fares or 5% off all other published fares. Rules and restrictions apply. To take advantage of American’s special fares, call American Airlines directly at 800-433-1790 from 6 a.m.-1 a.m. eastern time daily and refer to star file #A5989AB.
Ground Transportation
The Salt Lake City Marriott City Center is about 7 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). A taxi fare from SLC to the hotel is estimated at $25 each way. Express Shuttle, (800) 397-0773, provides individual and group transportation service from SLC to the hotel for $8 each way. Avis Rent-A-Car System, Inc. is the official rental car company for this meeting. To make reservations or for further information, call 800-331-1600 and reference J097316.
Contacts
Please contact Lori Vintilescu, ITS America, at loriv@itsa.org or 202-484-4847 for more information on registration, sponsorship or exhibitor information. If you are interested in participating as a speaker or committee member contact Jennifer Klass, A.A.E., AAAE at jennifer.klass@aaae.org or 703-824-0500 ext. 225.

Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – July 16, 2009

July 16, 2009 at 10:24 pm

Thursday, July 16, 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.orgRegister today!


AVIATION

1) Clay Lacy Aviation to Install Wireless Internet on Private Jets

Link to story in Private Jet Daily:

http://www.privatejetdaily.com/index.php/20090714526/Latest/Clay-Lacy-Aviation-to-install-wireless-internet-on-private-jets.html

2) Free Wi-Fi Coming to Atlanta Airport, but Not Yet

Link to story in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

http://www.ajc.com/business/free-91956.html

3) FAA and the National Weather Service are Considering Plans to Consolidate Weather Service Offices, But Face Significant Challenges

Link to US Government Accountability Office testimony:

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09887t.pdf

MARITIME

4) Port of Los Angeles Sonar Devices Aid Ocean Searches

Link to story in the Daily Breeze:

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_12845460

OTHER

5) Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Planning Group Charter

Link to document from US DOT:

http://www.its.dot.gov/spg/index.htm

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

6) Seattle Transportation Department Unveils New, ‘Open’ Web Site

Link to story in the West Seattle Herald:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2009/07/15/news/transportation-department-unveils-new-open-web-site

Link to site: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/

ROADWAYS

7) Texas Opts Not to Spend Stimulus Funds on Road Signs

Link to story in The Dallas Morning News:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/transportation/stories/DN-signs_16tex.ART.State.Edition1.4c00123.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) US Homeland Security Chief Promotes Cheaper, Secure Driver’s Licenses

Link to AP story:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-07-15-napolitano-drivers-licenses_N.htm

9) Calling ‘How’s My Driving’ Numbers Actually Improves Traffic Safety

Link to story in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin:

http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_12844511

10) Music to Soothe the Savage Driver

CD designed to relax drivers yet help them stay alert.

Link to story in The San Bernardino County Sun:

http://www.sbsun.com/living/ci_12846983

Link to further information and samples:

http://www.innerpeacemusic.com/albumdetail.asp?pid=94

TRANSIT

11) Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority General Manager Says He’s Reachable

Link to story in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/07/16/mbta_general_manager_says_hes_reachable/

News Releases

1) Inrix Announces Historical Traffic Speeds for Europe

2) Maritime Satellite Communication Market to Reach $27 Billion in 2013, Finds Frost & Sullivan

3) Pennsylvania DOT Introduces E-PennDOT Digest

4) FRA Issues NPRM on Technology to Prevent Train Collisions

5) Lockheed Martin Submits Phase B Proposal for Advanced Control Segment of GPS

Job Posting

–  Sales Representative – Citilog – North America

http://www.citilog.com/pdfs/Citilog%20-%20Job%20opportunity%20-%20US%20Sales%20Rep%20-%20Jul2009.pdf

Solicitation

RFP – Customer Service – E-470 Public Highway Authority

http://www.e-470.com/Default.aspx?pn=Requests%20For%20Proposals

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Using the Newly Released Version of the Roadway Safety+ Training Program – August 6

http://www.workzonesafety.org/training/record/9748

Today in Transportation History

1969 **40th anniversary** – Apollo 11 was launched for the first manned mission to the Moon.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5722827024646179220

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

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.

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – July 15, 2009

July 16, 2009 at 10:12 am

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057


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

The 2nd 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 land side 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. For more information, visithttp://www.itsa.org/itsairports.html.

AVIATION

1) Federal Aviation Administration’s Flight Plan Computer Servers to be Updated Soon

Link to story in Flying:

http://www.flyingmag.com/news/1619/faas-flight-plan-computer-servers-to-be-updated-soon.html

2) Funny-Looking Beach Radar Station is Serious Business

Link to story in The Virginian-Pilot:

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/07/funnylooking-beach-radar-station-serious-business

3) Arizona State University Poly Air Traffic Control Program Taking Off

Link to story in The Arizona Republic:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/07/15/20090715mr-simulators0717.html

CAMERAS

4) Red Light Cameras in Schaumburg, Illinois Screech to a Halt

Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-red-light-camerasjul15,0,7535797.story

5) Moves to Protect Speed Camera Operators in South Australia

Link to story in The Advertiser:

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25789585-911,00.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

6) Will GPS Devices Go the Way of the Tape Deck?

Link to column in The StarPhoenix:

http://communities.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/blogs/techtime/archive/2009/07/15/will-gps-devices-go-the-way-of-the-tape-deck.aspx

PARKING

7) Texas University’s Transport Services to Use Twitter

Link to story in Metro Magazine:

http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2009/07/Texas-school-s-parking-transport-services-to-use-Twitter.aspx

ROADWAYS

8) New York State Lawmakers: No Need to Spend $900,000 on Stimulus Signs

Link to story and video report on WSYR-TV:

http://www.9wsyr.com/mostpopular/story/Lawmakers-No-need-to-spend-900k-on-stimulus-signs/I-gGrhVrjESg-wbN6ki9LA.cspx

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) Charleston, West Virginia Airport Response System Passes Test

Link to story in the Charleston Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200907140771

10) Emergency Managers and First Responders Use Twitter and Facebook to Update Communities

Link to story in Government Technology:

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/701799

TRANSIT

11) DC Metro Signaling System Continues to Fail

Link to AP story:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-07-14-metro_N.htm

12) BART a National Leader in Real-Time Data Transparency and Development

Link to story on Streetsblog San Francisco:

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/701799

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

13) New Service Helps Keep Commuters Up to Speed on CTA, Metra Delays

Link to story in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-talk-metra-websitejul15,0,7236751.story

14) How New Technologies Will Ease Our Traffic Woes

Link to story in New Scientist:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327176.400-how-new-technologies-will-ease-our-traffic-woes.html

News Releases

1) Urban Mapping Provides Turnkey Solution for Pedestrian Navigation

Upcoming Events

National Association for Pupil Transportation Annual Conference & Trade Show – October 31-November 5 – Louisville, Kentucky

http://www.napt.org/displayconvention.cfm

Today in Transportation History

1934 **75th anniversary** – Continental Airlines flew its first flight as Varney Speed Lines.

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/history/1934-1958.aspx

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

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.

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – July 14, 2009

July 14, 2009 at 8:35 pm

Tuesday, July 14, 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.orgRegister today!

AVIATION

1) Sensis Receives FAA Pilot Contract for Ground Surveillance System

Link to story in The Post-Standard:

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/sensis_receives_faa_pilot_cont.html

2) Fliers Get Advice on Internet Etiquette

Link to story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-07-13-etiquette-flying-internet_N.htm

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

3) RFID Orders Continue to Surge

Link to story in eWeek:

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/RFID-Orders-Continue-to-Surge-634229/

4) Czech Cabinet Closes First Part of Toll Collection System Construction

Link to Czech News Agency story:

http://praguemonitor.com/2009/07/14/cabinet-closes-1st-part-toll-collection-system-construction

ROADWAYS

5) Israel’s Transportation Agency to ‘Hebraize’ Road Signs

Link to Ma’an News Agency story:

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&Do=&ID=39205

SAFETY / SECURITY

6) Task Force Will Reconsider US Color-Coded Warning System

Link to story in The Washington Post:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/07/14/task_force_will_reconsider_col.html

7) Speedbusters: Move Over for Tow Trucks

Link to story and video on WTMJ-TV:

http://www.todaystmj4.com/features/specialassignment/50644377.html

TELEMATICS

8) Telematics Firms Fight for Survival

Link to story in Fleet News:

http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/story/Telematics-firms-fight-for-survival/50694

TRANSIT

9) National Transportation Safety Board Says DC Metro System Lacks ‘Safety Redundancy’

Link to AP story:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-07-13-ntsb_N.htm

10) National Transportation Safety Board: Boston Trolley Crash Could Have Been Prevented

Link to story in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/07/ntsb_holds_hear.html

11) Pittsburgh-Area Port Authority Begins Limited Test of ‘Smart Card’ Collection of Fares

Link to story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_633507.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

12) Traffic Info Startup AirSage Maps Deal with Verizon

Link to story in the Atlanta Business Chronicle:

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/atlantech/2009/07/airsage_inks_deal_with_verizon.html

13) Real-Time Traveler Information Systems

Link to report from the Transportation Research Board:

http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=10633

Upcoming Events

IBEC One-Day Seminar on Road Pricing Seminar – September 20 – Stockholm

www.harmonised-events.com/index.php?url=evenement_vue&id_evenement=22

Today in Transportation History

1959 **50th anniversary** – The first nuclear-powered surface warship in the world was launched.

http://navysite.de/cg/cgn9.htm

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

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.

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast