Funniest Road Rage Ever and It was Caught on Camera [video]

September 2, 2014 at 8:00 pm

via Sploid (Gizmodo)

We have all seen a ton of dash cam videos from Russia but nothing like this.  ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS and one of the craziest  things ever caught on camera on a Russian road. Moral of the story: When in Russia, never get out of your car to fight anyone on the road. But if you feel so compelled better not mess with a dude who wears a Sponge Bob costume.

Job(s) Alert: Transportation Specialists, Economists, or Statisticians (multiple openings) – BTS @ U.S. Department of Transportation @ Washington, DC

August 27, 2014 at 7:23 pm
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) seeks multiple Transportation Specialists, Economists, or Statisticians to join our team. OST-R coordinates the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) research programs and is charged with advancing rigorous analysis and the deployment of cross-cutting technologies to improve our Nation’s transportation system.
We are seeking talented professionals willing to learn and work with experienced colleagues to support informed decision making by developing objective, comprehensive information on the extent and use of the transportation system, how well the system performs, and the effects of the system on society and the environment. The ideal candidates are familiar with transportation topics and have experience collecting, processing, and analyzing data related to the transportation system and its use, economic factors, or impacts on society and the environment.
The incumbents will be responsible for the development, collection, enhancement, and analysis of data on the volumes, patterns, and multimodal movement of goods and/or people. Principal duties will include contributing to various statistical compilations and data dissemination activities, and the development of analytical and statistical reports.
The opening period for these announcements is Monday, August 25, 2014 to Friday, September 5, 2014.
Merit Promotion: 

Job Alert: Policy Lead, Transportation – Secure America’s Future Energy (SAFE) @ Washington, DC

August 25, 2014 at 6:48 pm

via YPTransportation.org

SAFE is looking to hire someone to lead their transportation initiatives. This position will cover all of their work on advanced transportation technologies and alternative fuels, automotive efficiency, and emerging innovations like autonomous vehicles. The job consists of research and analysis on industry trends, public policy development, some outreach, and support of their deployment community projects in Orlando and Northern Colorado. The job description is here: SAFE – Policy Lead Transportation.

SAFE is looking for a proactive person with strong writing and analytical skills. They are thinking young and hungry, but are open to all types. It really is a critical hire for the organization.

Infograph: How can you bring Vision Zero to life?

August 20, 2014 at 5:01 pm

via PTV

Did you know that for every 1km/h reduction in average speed, there is a 2% reduction in the number of crashes? With the growing population of humans and vehicles globally, the safety of road users is becoming more and more important.  The 2013 World Health Organization (WHO) report indicates that worldwide the total number of road traffic deaths is ~1.24 million per year. Only 28 countries, covering 7% of the world’s population, have comprehensive road safety laws on five key risk factors: drinking and driving, speeding, and failing to use motorcycle helmets, seat-belts, and child restraints.  What’s more scary is the fact that this number is going to rise sharply – 1.9 million fatalities /year by 2020 if we don’t take any action.

So,  how do we achieve a better safety record for the rest of the 93% global population?  How do we build communities where every one can access the transportation infrastructure safely? One of the easiest ways to reduce the number of crashes is by reducing the speed of vehicles, which can have immediate and direct impact on the number of crashes according to this infograph from PTV.  If you want to learn more about road safety, download PTV’s free white paper and register to participate in webinars on this topic in early September. 

Image Courtesy: PTV Group Traffic Inside

 

Job Alert: Project Assistant/Researchers – Clean Air Network @ Kathmandu, Nepal & Hong Kong Polytechnic University @ Hong Kong

August 12, 2014 at 11:54 pm

The Clean Air Asia India Office calls for applications from young, dynamic candidates as Project Assistant/Researchers to be based in Nepal (Clean Air Network Nepal) and Hong Kong (Hong Kong Polytechnic University) under the Fredkorpset Norway South- South exchange program. The duration is for twelve months starting from 1st November 2014.

Please see enclosed Terms of Reference or refer to link http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/opportunities.

Eligibility Requirements

  • A university (bachelor) or a masters degree in a course related to transport, environment fields, mass communication or social science e.g. environmental engineering, environmental sciences, urban planning, transport,*
  • Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in a comparable position on transport and/or climate change project management and networking.*
  • Strong interest in research and data analysis.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with excellent oral and written communication skills, proficient in English, with good interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team
  • Age requirement: 22-35 years old
  • Open to Indian Nationals only

Requirements for both the position are different. Please refer to the attached ToRs before applying.

Quoting reference application Research/ Project Assistant-Hong Kong or Research/ Project Assistant-Nepal on subject line, applicants should email their application letter and current CV (as Word attachments) to Ms. Gianina Panopio, center@cleanairasia.org, by27 August 2014.

All applicants should state the reasons for their interest in the position, relevant details of qualifications and experience, and contact details for three referees. Only short listed candidates will be contacted. For further information on the position you may contact Parthaa Bosu,parthaa.bosu@cleanairasia.org

Infograph: Amazing Ways the Self-Driving Technology will Change the World

August 12, 2014 at 5:05 pm

via Visual.ly

Infographs are always a nice way to tell a story visually and this one below gets adopts that visual story telling to explain the complex societal impacts that are in the offing as the auto & tech heavy-weights like Google are vying to bring their self-driving technology to the mass market.. Imagine a world with no crashes, no traffic lights and no parking?  Mind boggling stuff for today’s drivers but that future doesn’t seem too distant anymore.. Though I think  Level 4 automation (i.e.,  completely autonomous) is at least a decade away, anyone would get excited about the prospect of not waiting for a light to turn green (or for that matter to not drivearound in circles looking for parking)…

The Amazing Ways The Google Car Will Change the World

The Amazing Ways The Google Car Will Change the World

Road Rage – Uber and Lyft Fighting a Vicious Battle For Market Dominance

August 12, 2014 at 5:01 pm

via WSJ

The ridesharing battle between Uber and Lyft has taken a fierce turn with the companies recruiting each other’s drivers, offering refunds on commissions and canceling rides to clog the system. At the end of the day, the customers are winning (and some may argue otherwise) and the ones who are losing out in  this battle are the taxi companies. The staid old taxi businesses are left wondering how they can remain relevant. Click here to read the entire article.

And an interesting infograph accompanying the WSJ article that succinctly captures the details of this street fight:

Image Courtesy: WSJ

Horse before the carriage? Auto Makers Seek Approval for Driverless Cars in States as Regulators, Insurers Weigh Liability (video)

August 7, 2014 at 5:01 pm

via WSJ

Today’s Wall Street Journal has an interesting piece that covers the various efforts underway in the world of autonomous vehicles (aka driverless cars i lay people speak) and how manufacturers are working with legislators to introduce their products to the tech-hungry driving public at least in a few states across the  country.. here is a video that accompanies that article.

What caught me by surprise is the sheer volume of activity and how certain people are that they will see autonomous vehicles on the roads in just a few short years.. As much as I would like to believe, full automation (Level 4) is still a decade away and we still have a lot of hurdles on the technology, policy and infrastructure side.  As one of the interviewed researchers points out, there are many concerns that dog this challenge incl. the high cost of laser vision, the risk that radar and camera sensors won’t see properly in bad weather, and complex legal issues raised by giving control to a robot. Let’s hope we overcome these hurdles soon because we, as a society, are paying a heavy price in terms of human lives and hard earned treasure as we continue to drive with manual control (~33K people killed on American roads during 2012).

Click here to read the entire article.

Webinar Alert: Big Trends and Opportunities in Transportation & Infrastructure – August 14, 2014 @ 11AM

August 4, 2014 at 5:15 pm

Click here to register.

Date: Thursday, August 14, 2014
Time: 11:00 AM PT | 2:00 PM ET

Join Governing and ITS America Thursday, Aug. 14 at 2:00 p.m. EST for a state and local government market briefing webinar to learn what and where the biggest transportation infrastructure opportunities are; the outlook for the intelligent infrastructure market — from autonomous vehicles and connected cars to “cities on sensors,” smart traffic, parking and emergency response opportunities; the latest on the federal highway trust fund stopgap measures and what it means for states; and how to keep up with new opportunities as soon as they happen and grow your state and local business

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • What and where the biggest transportation infrastructure opportunities are for companies
  • How new transportation funding models are spurring growth
  • The outlook for the intelligent infrastructure market—from autonomous vehicles and connected cars to “cities on sensors,” smart traffic, parking and emergency response opportunities
  • The latest on the federal highway trust fund stopgap measures and what it means for states
  • How to keep up with new opportunities as soon as they happen and grow your state and local business

This webinar will help you map your state and local strategy for the year ahead, so join us August 14 and bring your questions for our market experts.

SPEAKERS:
Marina Leight
Associate Publisher
Transportation Infrastructure, Governing
Joseph Morris
Director of Market Intelligence
Governing Institute

Scott Belcher
President and CEO
ITS America

For questions or more information, contact:
Anne Dunlap-Kahren
916-932-1488
adunlap-kahren@governing.com

Click here to register for the webinar.

Britain steers towards a “driverless” future – UK to allow driverless cars on public roads in January 2015

July 30, 2014 at 5:30 pm

via BBC

Today the British government has announced that testing of automated cars will be allowed on public roads from January next year. The tests are then intended to run for between 18 to 36 months. What more innovative is the approach they have taken to doing this.  The government has invited cities to compete to host one of three trials, which would start at the same time.  Cities interested in hosting the trials have until early October to declare their interest and the Department for Transport has created a £10m fund to cover their costs (BBC says the sum to be divided between the three winners but not sure what the criteria would be for this split). Quite novel! Good to see the British government pushing the envelope on its road safety agenda using the driverless cars. Hope this nudges other EU countries (and the rest of the world) to get their act together and pave way for the automated vehicles.