(Source: Think Progress)

As Montana’s legislators are debating this week on a series of bills related to Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws, including one that wants to count older DUI offenses against a defendant in sentencing, this gem of an argument was made by a legislator arguing against the bills.  How responsible!

Earlier this week, Republican Rep. Alan Hale took to the floor of the Montana legislature to slam these bills. The legislator — who actually runs a bar in Basin, Montana — declared that the new DUI laws are harming small businesses and destroying a way of life:

HALE: These DUI laws are not doing our small businesses in our state any good at all. They are destroying them. They are destroying a way of life that has been in Montana for years and years.

Editor’s note:  Was he really thinking before uttering these words?  I suspect a DUI (Delivering Under Influence) here.  Come on, Rep. Hale.  You can’t be advocating for your community’s well being only from an economic perspective.

Thursday, March 31, 2011 – ISSN 1529-1057

GPS / NAVIGATION

1) Pentagon, US DOT Slam LightSquared Network Plan

Link to IDG News article

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/223772/us_govt_agencies_slam_lightsquared_network_plan.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

2) Distracted Driving: ‘Deadly Epidemic’ or Storm in a Teacup?

Link to story on MSNBC:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42338592/ns/business-autos/

TELEMATICS

3) Why Telematics is the Answer to Distracted Driving

Link to commentary in Telematics Update:

http://social.telematicsupdate.com/content/why-telematics-answer-distracted-driving

TRANSIT

4) New South Wales E-ticketing to Start with Ferries, Trains

Link to ZDNet Australia article:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/nsw-e-ticketing-to-start-with-ferries-trains-339312307.htm

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

5) Transport Scotland to Build Traffic Control Center

Link to article in the Edinburgh Evening News:

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/Traffic-control-site-en-route.6743512.jp

6) Carnegie Mellon University, Cranberry, Pennsylvania to Team on Traffic Data, Technology

Link to article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11090/1135859-54.stm

VEHICLES

7) NTSB Chief: Technology Could Prevent Bus Accidents

Link to AP article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ie-p9OsxHWO9zGckC7oTis_VW8bw?docId=77a025df0a4b46b8b94cb0e74f3391f5

8) Airbiquity: ‘Connectivity is Quickly Becoming Standard’

An interview about the connected vehicle experience.

Link to interview in Telematics Update:

http://social.telematicsupdate.com/executive-viewpoint/airbiquity-%E2%80%9Cconnectivity-quickly-becoming-standard%E2%80%9D

9) Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Communication System Helps Drivers Navigate Work Zones

Link to article in Research E-News:

http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchENews/2011/03/index.html#workzones

News Releases

1) Inrix Partners with Viasuisse for Next Generation Traffic Information Services

2) Tennessee DOT Unveils New Railroad Crossing Safety Campaign

3) New York MTA Says Novel Forms of Advertising Continue to be Introduced on Transit Systems

4) Comments on Crash Data Guidelines Sought by Governors Highway Safety Association

5) New BNSF Mobile Applications Extend Customer Shipment Management to Smartphones

6) Ford Begins Building One of the World’s First Digital Child Crash Dummies

Upcoming Events

International Transport Forum – May 25-27 – Leipzig, Germany

http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/2011/

Today in Transportation History

1921 **90^th anniversary** The Australian Air Force was formed.

http://www.airforce.gov.au/

1961 **50^th anniversary** The West Cork Railway in Ireland officially closed.

http://www.coppeenheritage.com/local-heritage/west-cork-railway

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© 2011 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net