Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – October 26, 2009

October 26, 2009 at 10:15 pm

Monday, October 26, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057


Download the free INRIX TRAFFIC! for iPhone or Android today

INRIX, the leading provider of traffic and navigation services, recently introduced a free, ad-free, and highly acclaimed traffic app for iPhone and now for Android. INRIX TRAFFIC! uniquely helps drivers reduce the time they spend in traffic through a better understanding of current AND future traffic conditions. It is the only mobile phone app that combines real-time, “crowd sourced” traffic information from more than 1.3 million vehicles with data from hundreds of public (including DOTs) and private sources to reliably deliver current and expected traffic conditions. Covering more than 160,000 miles of freeways, interstates and highways in 126 cities across the U.S. and Canada, INRIX TRAFFIC! provides drivers with insight into how conditions will evolve over time helping them avoid traffic jams and reach their destination the fastest way possible.

Download at the App Store or Android Market today. More info at www.inrixtraffic.com.

AVIATION

1) Northwest Pilots Were Using Personal Laptops, NTSB Says

Link to article in the Star-Tribune:

http://www.startribune.com/business/65982292.html?elr=KArksD:aDyaEP:kD:aUq9_b9b_jEkP:QUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUs

2) In Airline Industry, Social-Media Marketing Takes Flight

Link to article in the Star-Telegram:

http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/1709786.html

CARTOGRAPHY

3) Google Maps’ Appearance Takes New Direction

Link to blog on CNET News:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13515_3-10382579-26.html

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

4) Florida’s Turnpike to Go Cashless as It Switches to Electronic Tolling

Link to article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-turnpike-sunpass-102609,0,7442287.story

OTHER

5) Dallas Police Ticketed 39 Drivers in 3 Years for Not Speaking English

Link to article in The Dallas Morning News:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/DN-citations_23met.ART.State.Edition2.4bac015.html

6) Augmented Reality to Alter How We See the World

Link to article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/10/26/MNCR1A9B5S.DTL

7) TechPlan Researchers at University of Minnesota Probe Privacy Implications of ITS

Link to article in CTS Research E-News:

http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchENews/2009/09/index.html#techplan

RAILROADS

8) Communication Glitch Leads to Amtrak Ticket Problems

Link to story on WABC-TV:

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=resources/traffic&id=7082718

ROADWAYS

9) Washington Governor Announces Monitoring System for Seattle Viaduct

Link to article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/411509_viaduct24.html

Video Visualizes Viaduct Collapsing

http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/183191.asp

10) Will Smarter Roads Save Us More Money?

Link to blog in The New York Times:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/24/will-smarter-roads-save-us-more-money/

TRANSIT

11) New York MTA Yanks Ads Warning of Germ Dangers on Subways

Link to article in amNew York:

http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/mta-yanks-paid-sick-time-ads-1.1548183

12) Columbus, Georgia Bus Signs Aid the Homeless

Link to article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

http://www.ajc.com/news/columbus-bus-signs-aid-170643.html

13) Electronic Fare Collection Options for Commuter Railroads

Link to report from the Federal Transit Administration:

http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/ElectronicFareCollectionOptionsforCommuterRailroads.pdf

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

14) New Hampshire Offers Real-Time I-93 Traffic Data

Link to article in The Eagle-Tribune:

http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_297214252.html

15) Interim Panel on Road Safety and Traffic Management Set Up in India

Link to article in The Hindu:

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article38285.ece

News Releases

1) Idaho Transportation Department Installs New Highway Cameras in Eastern Idaho

2) Newly Formed US DOT Safety Council to Take Safety Commitment to Next Level

Upcoming Events

ITS Texas Annual Meeting – November 11-13 – Galveston, Texas

http://www.itstexas.org/Meetings/2009meetingoverview.stm

Today in Transportation History

1859 **150th anniversary** – The Royal Charter was wrecked off the coast of Anglesey with the loss of approximately 459 lives.

http://www.royalcharterchurch.org.uk/wreck.html

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© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast