Monday, March 8, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Join us at ITS America’s 20th Annual Meeting & Exposition (May 3-5, 2010, Houston, Texas).

Take a fresh look at emerging projects, products and services that demonstrate how technology innovations are connecting communities and transforming transportation, while fostering job creation and economic growth.

• Early registration rates extended through March 15!  Click here for hotel reservations.
• One more week — through March 15 — to enter the Student Essay Competition for cash prizes and recognition at the May 3 awards ceremony in Houston!
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland will join RITA Administrator Peter Appel on the dais for the May 4 USDOT Plenary.
• Take a walk on the virtual side.  Check out more than 100 exhibitors.  Click on their names; see what’s in store for you in May! Exhibit space is still available.
• Listen, look, stop.  For the first time ever, ITS America Forums feature exhibit hall theater briefings on safety, sustainability, personal mobility, commercial operations and cross-cutting issues, followed by topic-specific, guided tours of the exhibit hall.
• Sponsorship opportunities are available.

AVIATION

1) Piedmont Denies ‘Deal’ to Uncover Whistle-Blowers

Link to article in The Buffalo News:

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/03/07/979524/piedmont-denies-deal-to-uncover.html

2) American Airlines Expands Help for Fliers

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2010-03-08-airportcheckin08_ST_N.htm

3) Marketing Guidebook for Small Airports

Link to further information from the Transportation Research Board:

http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/Marketing_Guidebook_for_Small_Airports_163059.aspx

CAMERAS

4) Salisbury, North Carolina Officials Tout Fiber as Public Safety Tool

Link to article in the Salisbury Post:

http://www.salisburypost.com/News/030710-Fiber

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

5) Union Organizing in the 21^st Century

A look at an organizing drive at the E-ZPass customer service center in Staten Island, New York.

Link to story and audio on WNYC Radio:

http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/151335

GPS / NAVIGATION

6) GPS Guiding Blind Man on Appalachian Trail

Link to Scripps Howard News Service article:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/2087391,CST-NWS-hike07.article

7) GPS Eyed in Drive to Nail Meter-Cheater New York City Cabbies

Link to article in the New York Post:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/gps_eyed_in_drive_to_nail_meter_qo7ERzVdXcybmlE74mtKGO

8) Strategy Analytics: ‘We do Still Think There is a Role for PNDs… if They Get Connected’

Link to article and video on GPS Business News:

http://www.gpsbusinessnews.com/Strategy-Analytics-We-Do-Still-Think-There-Is-a-Role-for-PNDs-If-They-Get-Connected_a2098.html

OTHER

9) London Cabbies May Receive Quiet Training

Link to UPI article:

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2010/03/06/London-cabbies-may-receive-quiet-training/UPI-41061267896968/

10) More Information Key to Overhaul of District Department of Transportation’s Web Site

Link to article in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/06/AR2010030602151.html

11) Where Ya Headed? Chicago Cab Smart Screens Know

Link to column in Chicago Now:

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/redeye/2010/03/by-christina-salterredeyeif-youve-noticed.html

12) Movies to be Screened on School Buses in North Wales to Combat Anti-social Behavior

Link to article on Coach Broker News:

http://news.coachbroker.co.uk/movies-to-be-screened-on-school-buses-to-combat-anti-social-behaviour-192700/

13) New ITS Strategic Plan Envisions Unprecedented Mobility and Safety

Link to commentary by RITA Administrator Peter Appel:

http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/03/guest-blogger-dot-research-and-innovative-technology-administrator-peter-appel-new-its-strategic-pla.html

RAILROADS

14) Amtrak Wi-Fi Going National

RFQ posted for wireless Internet on all its trains.

Link to article on dailywireless.org:

http://www.dailywireless.org/2010/03/05/amtrak-wifi-going-national/

SAFETY / SECURITY

15) California Highway Patrol Improves on 911 Call Responses

Link to article in The Sacramento Bee:

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/07/2588217/chp-improves-on-911-call-responses.html

16) Word to Youth: Texting, Driving Don’t Mix

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2010-03-07-teendriving_N.htm

TELEMATICS

17) Ford Adds Security and Other Features to Sync System

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/ford-adds-security-and-other-features-to-sync-system

Link to news release from Ford:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Ford-Offers-Security-Features-prnews-3715998945.html?x=0&.v=1

TRANSIT

18) For Massachusetts Commuter Rail Passengers, Bad Communications Derail Confidence

Link to article in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/03/07/for_passengers_bad_communications_derail_confidence/

19) Experimental Clocks Tell New York Straphangers if the Wait May Soon be Over

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/nyregion/08clocks.html

20) DC Metrorail Highlights Car Numbers

Link to column in The Washington Post:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2010/03/metrorail_highlights_car_numbe.html

VEHICLES

21) Florida License Plates May Become Profitable Ad Space

Link to AP article:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9E8KKBO1.htm

22) Could Ultra-Smart Cars Leave Light Rail in the Dust?

Link to commentary in The Denver Post:

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_14515504

WEATHER

23) Software, Blind Spot Cited in Botched Nova Scotia Storm Forecast

Link to CP article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iO4UyNy2RX_fJdHIsvRPBsWE76eA

News Releases

1) Federal Communications Commission to Hold a Colloquium on Public Safety and Homeland Security Portion of the National Broadband Plan

2) US DOT Fines US Airways for Violation of Price Advertising Rules

Upcoming Events

National Association of County Engineers 2010 Conference – April 25-29 – Fort Worth, Texas

http://www.naco.org/NACETemplate.cfm?Section=NACE_Events&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=32173

Today in Transportation History

1910 **100^th anniversary** Raymonde de Laroche became the first woman to obtain a pilot’s license.

http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/women_aviators/raymonde_delaroche.htm

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