Thursday, August 20, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

Countdown to IBTTA’s 77th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, September 13-16, 2009 in Chicago — Register Today!

IBTTA’s 77th Annual Meeting & Exhibition 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. Featured speakers include Stuart Varney, Business and Financial Journalist; Mark Shields, Syndicated Columnist and Political Analyst; Robert Atkinson, President, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and Chairman, National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission; and General (Ret.) Barry McCaffrey, Retired U.S. Army General, News Commentator, and Business Consultant. Register by August 21 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.

AVIATION

1) Wi-Fi on Planes is Growing, if You Can Find the Right Flights

Link to story in Computerworld:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136848/Wi_Fi_on_planes_is_growing_if_you_can_find_the_right_flights_

2) American Airlines Expands In-Flight Internet Access

Link to AP story:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/American-expands-inflight-apf-2798260461.html?x=0&.v=2

Link to news release from American Airlines:

http://aa.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2704

GPS / NAVIGATION

3) The Big Draw of a GPS Run

GPS drawing allows runners and bikers to create art through their travels.

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/fashion/20GPS.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

SAFETY / SECURITY

4) Judge: Defunct Airport Fast Pass Company Can’t Sell Customer Data

Link to IDG News Service story:

http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=37662EF5-1A64-67EA-E4CE3F08FAF4EFCF

5) New Award Will Honor Transportation Safety Contributions

Link to story on AVweb:

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/NewAwardWillHonorTransportationSafetyContributions_201027-1.html

TELEMATICS

6) Taiwan Targets Auto Electronics

Link to story in Automotive DesignLine:

http://www.automotivedesignline.com/news/219400844;jsessionid=QJV050E1K2XJHQE1GHPCKH4ATMY32JVN

TRANSIT

7) UK Government: Smart Ticketing Could Save Cash and Carbon

Link to story in eWeek Europe:

http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/government–smart-ticketing-could-save-cash-and-carbon-1645

8) SEPTA Postpones ‘Smart-Card’ Fares

Link to story in The Philadelphia Inquirer:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20090820_SEPTA_postpones__smart-card__fares.html

9) Home, James – Public Transport Gets Personal

CyberCars2 developing technologies to make road-based automated transport a reality.

Link to story on PhysOrg:

http://www.physorg.com/news169913192.html

10) Minnesota Transit Agency Unveils New Marketing Campaign Aimed at Texters

Link to story in Metro Magazine:

http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2009/08/Minn-transit-agency-unveils-new-marketing-campaign.aspx

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

11) SUNA Traffic Channel Expands to Canberra

Link to story on iTWire:

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/27098/532/

12) Transit, Call Centers, and 511: A Guide for Decision Makers

Link to report from the Transportation Research Board:

http://www.trb.org/Main/Public/Blurbs/Transit_Call_Centers_and_511_A_Guide_for_Decision_162150.aspx

Upcoming Events

Innovations in Pricing of Transportation Systems: Workshop and Conference – May 13-14 – Lake Buena Vista, Florida

http://conferences.dce.ufl.edu/pricing/

Today in Transportation History

1989 **20^th anniversary** – The pleasure cruiser Marchioness and the dredger Bowbelle, collided on the River Thames.  Fifty-one people died.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090816/tuk-20-years-since-marchioness-disaster-6323e80.html

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© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast