New Fuel Efficiency Standard Proposed to Address Climate Change and Energy Security; Proposed new Standard Links Mileage and Gas Emissions

September 15, 2009 at 5:36 pm

(Source: New York Times)

The Obama administration issued proposed rules on Tuesday that impose the first nationwide limits on greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and that require American cars and light truck fleet to meet a fuel efficiency standard of 35.5 miles a gallon by 2016.

The government projects that the regulations will raise car and truck prices by an average of $1,100, but that drivers will save $3,000 over the life of the vehicle in lower fuel bills. Officials also said the new program, which is to take effect in 2012, would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly a billion tons and cut oil consumption by 1.8 billion barrels from 2012 to 2016.

The 1,227-page regulation will go through a 60-day public comment period before it is completed early next year.

The program was first announced by President Obama in May as a way to resolve legal and regulatory conflicts among several federal agencies and a group of states, led by California, that wanted to impose stricter mileage and emissions standards than those set by Congress and a succession of presidents.

Automakers had complained that they faced a thicket of rules that were almost impossible to meet. The Obama compromise was endorsed by the major auto companies, state officials and most environmental advocates.

Mr. Obama, speaking to auto workers at a General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio, on Tuesday, said the rules were good for manufacturers, workers and consumers.

“For too long,” Mr. Obama said, “our auto companies faced uncertain and conflicting fuel economy standards. That made it difficult for you to plan down the road. That’s why, today, we are launching — for the first time in history — a new national standard aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in America. This action will give our auto companies some long-overdue clarity, stability and predictability.”

In addition to providing domestic and foreign auto manufacturers with a single national standard, the proposed rule allows them to continue to build and import all classes of vehicles, from the smallest gas-electric hybrids to large sport utility vehicles. The mileage standard varies by vehicle size, but companies will have to achieve a fleet average of 35.5 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving.

Manufacturers can also claim credits toward the standards by paying fines, by selling so-called flexible-fuel vehicles capable of running on a combination of gasoline and ethanol and by selling more efficient cars in California and other states that planned to adopt its stringent rules.

If all those tactics are fully employed, the standard comes down by 1 to 1.5 m.p.g. by 2016, according to analysts for environmental groups.

The United States Chamber of Commerce and a group of automobile dealers have already indicated their intent to challenge the rules in court, saying the E.P.A. does not have authority to allow California to set its own emissions standards for vehicles. The national program essentially ratifies one approved by California in 2004.

The USDOT Press release offered more details on this new interagency program that aims to address climate change and the nation’s energy security. Here are some interesting excerpts:

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today jointly proposed a rule establishing an historic national program that would improve vehicle fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gases. Their proposal builds upon core principles President Obama announced with automakers, the United Auto Workers, leaders in the environmental community, governors and state officials in May, and would provide coordinated national vehicle fuel efficiency and emissions standards. The proposed program would also conserve billions of barrels of oil, save consumers money at the pump, increase fuel economy, and reduce millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

“American drivers will keep more money in their pockets, put less pollution into the air, and help reduce a dependence on oil that sends billions of dollars out of our economy every year,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “By bringing together a broad coalition of stakeholders — including an unprecedented partnership with American automakers — we have crafted a path forward that is win-win for our health, our environment, and our economy. Through that partnership, we’ve taken the historic step of proposing the nation’s first ever greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles, and moved substantially closer to an efficient, clean energy future.”

“The increases in fuel economy and the reductions in greenhouse gases we are proposing today would bring about a new era in automotive history,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. “These proposed standards would help consumers save money at the gas pump, help the environment, and decrease our dependence on oil – all while ensuring that consumers still have a full range of vehicle choices.”

Under the proposed program, which covers model years 2012 through 2016, automobile manufacturers would be able to build a single, light-duty national fleet that satisfies all federal requirements as well as the standards of California and other states. The proposed program includes miles per gallon requirements under NHTSA’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards (CAFE) program and the first-ever national emissions standards under EPA’s greenhouse gas program. The collaboration of federal agencies for this proposal also allows for clearer rules for all automakers, instead of three standards (DOT, EPA, and a state standard).

Specifically, the program would:

• Increase fuel economy by approximately five percent every year

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 950 million metric tons

• Save the average car buyer more than $3000 in fuel costs

• Conserve 1.8 billion barrels of oil

Click here to read the entire article.  Here here to access the USDOT press release on tihs topic.

FHWA’s Transportation and Climate Change Newsletter – August 2009

September 14, 2009 at 5:19 pm

(Source: FHWA Office of Planning, Environment and Realty)

Recent Events

Integration of Climate Change Considerations in Statewide and Regional Transportation Planning Report Released. DOT’s Climate Change Center, with support from FHWA’s Office of Planning, Environment and Realty, recently released this report which provides analysis, observations, and lessons learned from three case studies on climate change in transportation planning, and summarizes the proceedings from two panels of state and regional experts. The case studies and panel summaries focus on how participating states and MPOs are considering climate change in the following aspects of transportation planning: vision and long range planning; forecasts, data and performance measures; public involvement; collaboration with partners; and project selection. The report can be found on the DOT Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse site at: http://climate.dot.gov/state-local/integration/planning_process.html.

USACE Releases Sea Level Rise Guidance. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued guidance on incorporating sea level rise into their civil works projects. Per the guidance, potential sea level change must be taken into account for all projects within the extent of tidal influence. Appendix C to the guidance is a step-by-step guide on how to account for sea level changes. The guidance, Circular 1165-2-211, is available here: http://140.194.76.129/publications/eng-circulars/ec1165-2-211/ec1165-2-211.pdf.

State and Local News

CA Draft Adaptation Strategy Released for Public Comment. This public review draft presents research on the potential effects of climate change in California out to 2100. It also assesses potential impacts and adaptation strategies for seven different sectors, including transportation and energy infrastructure. Adaptation strategies listed include: development of a climate vulnerability plan to assess the vulnerabilities and adaptation options for California’s transportation facilities, assessment of the adequacy of current design and engineering standards in the face of future climate change effects, and vulnerability assessments for new transportation projects.
http://www.climatechange.ca.gov/adaptation/

Michigan Governor Calls for Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions. On July 29, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm signed an Executive Order laying out a goal for the State of a 20 percent reduction in GHGs from 2005 levels by 2020 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050. Consistent with the State’s Climate Action Plan, the Executive Order directs the Michigan DOT to “continue to implement and expand on Congestion Mitigation programs to reduce vehicular congestion in major urban areas, including, to the maximum extent feasible, expanding the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems, identifying and improving key bottlenecks, constructing modern roundabouts where justified by traffic volumes and safety needs, and promoting the development of intermodal freight terminals.” The E.O. also calls for the DOT and the Department of Management and Budget to jointly develop an idle-reduction program for the state vehicle fleet. The E.O. is available here: http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-36898-219081–,00.html.

NYSDOT Report Explores Roadway Energy Efficiency and Carbon Capture. The New York State DOT and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority have released a report on roadway lighting, vegetation, and their interaction which includes a focus on energy efficiency and carbon capture. The report is available at: https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/LightingVegetation-C-08-03-10628.pdf

Announcements

TRB and AASHTO Webinar: U.S. Transportation System Scenarios to 2050 in a World Addressing Climate Change. This webinar, to be held September 10, looks at regional transportation scenarios that aim to reduce transportation emissions and prevent weather-related infrastructure degradation. There is no fee for TRB sponsors (such as FHWA and state DOTs), but you must register at least 24 hours in advance to participate. To register or for more information, click here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/977805225.

Value Pricing Pilot Program Seeking Applications. FHWA is seeking applications for transportation pricing studies and implementation projects that do not involve tolling roadways. An objective of the solicitation is to provide incentive grants to expand the number of metropolitan areas that are developing areawide or regionwide approaches to congestion pricing. Eligible strategies include pay-per-mile car insurance and innovative parking pricing strategies such as parking “cash-out” programs, potential win-win strategies that may lead to reductions in VMT and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions. A total of at least $3 million is available for these projects and studies. The application deadline is November 3. For more information, see the August 5 Federal Register notice, available here: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-18699.pdf.

ITS America and IBTTA Hosting Conference on Sustainability, Social Responsibility, and Energy Conservation. ITS America and the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association are co-hosting this conference to be held October 4-6 in St. Louis, MO. For more information and to register, click here. A preliminary agenda is available here: http://www.ibtta.org/Events/eventdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=3853.

Previous Newsletters

If you have any suggestions for inclusion in future issues of Transportation and Climate Change News, or if you would like to receive it directly in the future, please send your suggestions or request to Kathy Daniel at Kathy.Daniel@dot.gov

This is what happens to bicycle thieves…Bad ass gets his ass whipped badly

September 11, 2009 at 7:39 pm

Blessing in disguise! New chapter in transportation opens as global warming softens fabled & frozen Northeast passage! Alternative route to Suez Canal cuts 4500 miles for ships

September 11, 2009 at 7:19 pm

(Source: New York Times; Mail Online; Heavy Lift)

For hundreds of years, mariners have dreamed of an Arctic shortcut that would allow them to speed trade between Asia and the West. Two German ships are poised to complete that transit for the first time, aided by the retreat of Arctic ice that scientists have linked to global warming.

The ships started their voyage in South Korea in late July and will begin the last leg of the trip this week, leaving a Siberian port for Rotterdam in the Netherlands carrying 3,500 tons of construction materials.

Russian ships have long moved goods along the country’s sprawling Arctic coastline. And two tankers, one Finnish and the other Latvian, hauled fuel between Russian ports using the route, which is variously called the Northern Sea Route or the Northeast Passage.

But commercial ships have always been thwarted by the dangerous pack ice, as have those attempting the more famous Northwest Passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific over the top of Canada.   The Northeast Passage has been frozen solid for centuries, but as global warming pushed back the ice, Russia made repeated attempts to get ships through in the last 20 years.

The Bremen-based project and heavy lift shipping company, Beluga Shipping,succeeded in sending two merchant vessels – Beluga Fraternity and Beluga Foresight –  through the formerly impenetrable Northeast Passage from Asia to Europe.

Image Courtesy: New York Times via Mail Online - The fabled Northeast Passage

Both vessels had set sail in July from Ulsan in South Korea, to enter the Northern Sea Route via the inspection point at Vladivostok in order to deliver their project cargoes further into the region than any other merchant vessel had been able to do before. Now, 44 cargo modules with single weights of 200 tons or more have been discharged offshore onto barges using the ship’s onboard cranes for on-transport to Surgut.

The two ships will now head to Rotterdam via Murmansk to unload the remaining 3,500 freight tons of construction parts packed in wooden boxes.

During the passage through the East Siberian Sea, the Sannikov Strait and the Vilkizki Strait, the Beluga vessels followed in a little convoy behind Russian Atomflot-ice breakers 50 Let Pobedy and Rossia. Small icebergs, icefields and iceblocks were safely negotiated.

Lawson W. Brigham, a professor of geography at the University of Fairbanks who led the writing of an international report on Arctic commerce, the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment, confirmed that the passage of the two German ships appeared to be the first true commercial transit of the entire Northeast Passage from Asia to the West.

He credited Beluga for taking on both the summertime Arctic waters, which still pose threats despite the recent sea-ice retreats, and Russian red tape, a maze of permits and regulations.  “This may be as much of a test run for the bureaucracy as for the ice,” said Dr. Brigham, an oceanographer who is a former Coast Guard icebreaker captain.

“Apart from the stress, it is an economically and ecologically beneficial shortcut between Europe and Asia,” Valery Durov, captain of the Beluga Foresight, wrote in response to e-mailed questions about the treacherous stretch. “In such voyages, the advantage of fewer miles can outweigh delays waiting for clear water.”A re-opened Northeast route means huge savings in fuel and time because it cuts 4,500 miles off the established merchant ship journey to Europe from Asia, which takes in the South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

Though the window for sailing the route north of Russia is only a few weeks a year, it trims days to weeks off trips and saves fuel. For example, the voyage from Yokohama, Japan, to Rotterdam via the Northeast Passage is about 4,450 miles shorter than the currently preferred route through the Suez Canal, according to the Russian Ministry of Transport.

It was not until 1914 that a Russian admiral, Boris Vilkitsky, mapped the eponymous strait separating Asia from the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago at the northernmost point of the route, Russian maritime experts say.

The Northwest Passage, a meandering set of channels through Canada’s Arctic, has been increasingly tested as well, but has not so far become a reliable commercial route, with transit limited mainly to military or research craft.

The passage requires a permit because it crosses Russian territorial waters. Aleksandr N. Olshevsky, a retired captain of the Taimyr icebreaker and now director of the Federal Agency for Marine and River Transport, said he and others in the agency were in favor of lowering the fees as a means to increase traffic and generate revenue for maintaining the icebreakers, as well as buoys and other navigational aids.

Clic here to read the entire article.

Event Alert! Transit Oriented Development Panel Discussion – September 15, Washington, DC

September 11, 2009 at 6:11 pm

Transit Oriented Development Panel

Hosted by Womens Transportation Seminar (WTS), Washington DC Chpater

September 15, 2009

This panel will focus on recent and anticipated changes in national and state-level legislation and policies that facilitate stronger transportation-land use coordination in the planning process, with a focus on encouraging transit oriented development.

Featured Speakers:

Amy Inman,  Senior Planner, Department of Rail and Public Transportation

Christopher Patusky, Director, Office of Real Estate, Maryland Department of Transportation

Mariia Zimmerman, Vice President for Policy, Reconnecting America

Serving as Moderator for the Panel:

Susan Borinsky, FTA Associate Administrator for Planning and the Environment


WHEN:

Tuesday, September 15
12:00 Noon

WHERE:

District Chophouse
509 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001

METRO:

Gallery Place/Chinatown (Yellow/Red/Green)

PROGRAM FEES:

$30 WTS Members ; $60 Non-Members; $15 Students

RSVP:

Email RSVP@WTS-DC.com by Thursday, September 10, 2009.  Please indicate “TOD Panel” in the subject line.
Please include full name, company, phone, e-mail, and membership status and note any special needs or dietary restrictions on your RSVP; we will accommodate your request as well as possible.

We urge you to RSVP now and reserve your seat.* Seating is limited, and priority will be given to WTS members.


Please note, if you RSVP late or walk in the day of the program, you are not guaranteed a place and may be asked to wait for availability. Additionally, unless you cancel by the program’s RSVP date, or if you are a ‘no-show’ you will be obligated to pay.
Remit advanced payments payable to “WTS-DC” to: WTS-DC Treasurer, P.O. Box 34097, Washington, DC 20043. Please specify what program/event the payment is for. All RSVPs will receive an email about electronic payment through paypal prior to the event. If you choose not to pay electronically we will accept checks and cash at the door

Europe’s love affair with hyrdogen technology continues; Germany Launches H2 Mobility Initiative to Expand Infrastructure for Refueling Hydrogen Vehicles

September 11, 2009 at 1:22 am

(Source: Green Car Congress)

Daimler AG and leading energy companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Berlin, with the participation of the German Minister of Transport, Wolfgang Tiefensee, to evaluate and expand the setup of a hydrogen infrastructure in Germany to support the series production of fuel cell electric vehicles. In addition to Daimler, partners in the “H2 Mobility” initiative include EnBW, Linde, OMV, Shell, Total, Vattenfall and the NOW GmbH (National Organization Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology). The project is open for other interested partners.

The H2 Mobility launch comes one day after leading automakers signed a Letter of Understanding regarding the commercialization and series production of fuel cell electric vehicles from 2015 onward. Noting the importance of a hydrogen infrastructure with sufficient density, the automakers—Daimler, Ford, GM/Opel, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Renault Nissan Alliance, and Toyota—in that LoU strongly supported building up a hydrogen infrastructure in Europe, with Germany as regional starting point, among other global starting points. (Earlier post.)

The H2 Mobility partners noted that significant progress has been made in Germany in recent years with the development of hydrogen based technologies in the mobility sector, marking the country as a potential start-market in the context of a broader European perspective.

The German government is also developing a plan to provide financial incentives starting in 2012 to support the production and sale of 100,000 electric cars annually. The plan envisages around one million electric cars on German roads by 2020. (Earlier post.)

Germany already has a leading position regarding the hydrogen infrastructure in Europe, with initial hydrogen centers having been established in urban agglomerations such as Berlin and Hamburg. Seven of the current thirty hydrogen fueling stations in Germany are integrated into public gas stations. Already five to ten hydrogen fuelling stations can secure a first supply in a major city. The partnership envisions connecting those urban agglomerations with supply corridors on main arteries to establish the essential prerequisites for nationwide development.

A fleet of 40 hydrogen vehicles is part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) in Berlin and Hamburg. The CEP is aiming to demonstrate the suitability for daily use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel for vehicles and to test the infrastructure of hydrogen fuelling stations.

Since 1994, Daimler has invested more than €1 billion (US$1.5 billion) in the development of fuel cells. With more than 100 test vehicles and more than 4.5 million kilometers of test runs in total, Daimler has one of the largest fuel-cell vehicle fleets of passenger cars and buses worldwide.

Click here to read the entire article.

TransportGooru Musings: Germany is not the only European nation that has showed some love for hydrogen vehicles.   Norway is the other frontrunner in the hydrogen fuel economy and has made noteworthy investments (learn about Norway’s initiatives in building a hydrogen refueling infrastructure here).  As more nations are exploring the possibilities of hydrogen fuel vehicles in the future, the United States seem to think the other way.   The funding for hydrogen fuel vehicles has been cut down significantly in past years and that has put the program on life support.

If I wear my “forecaster” hat for a minute, I see in the near future a big jump in the number of electric hybrid vehicles flooding the market.   The long range perspective is a bit more of a mix – both hydrogen and electric vehicles equally mixed.  Now, this short term projection is causing a bit of a concern for some due to the fact that the current battery technology is not the best to sustain our energy needs for uninterrupted transportation. Some of them battery research is evolving  in directions that can eat up some of teh precious mineral reserves.  For example, the Lithium reserves in Bolivia (supposedly the largest in the world) would become the equivalent of today’s oil and the battery manufacturers might inadvertantly create a new monster in their quest for batteries that can hold charger for an extended period of time.  We do not want to create another OPEC that meddles with the price of our minerals market.   I read somewhere that China has already banned the export of some precious minerals which are used in battery reserach and has clearly shown its interest in siphoning off these resources for its domestic markets.  At some point in time we may need an alternative to our current Lithium ion battery tech and the only other tech that is promisingly clean and relatively cheaper is hydrogen.  That said, we can continue to argue about the economics and cost/benefits of H2 Vehicle vs Electric vehicle tech, but such arguments become pointless when we consider the cost of social problems (such as war/fight over natural resources, etc).   To avoid getting trapped into another mono-fuel model (i.e., electric or electric-hybrid, which anyway doesn’t fully fit into his mono-fuel model) like we are locked in now, the Government of United States should continue to invest in developing a viable hydrogen fuel technology that can equally compete with electric or electric-hybrid vehicles in terms of afforadability and efficiency.

Getting Wiser & Greener! Oil rich Saudi Arabia takes a deep interest in rail projects; Makes strategic investments in rail transit and HSR projects

September 9, 2009 at 5:22 pm
(Source: Wired; Arab News; Straits Times)

The Saudi government is building a $1.8 billion monorail to ferry pilgrims among the holy sites of Mecca, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. Once complete, the Saudis estimate 53,000 buses will disappear from the city’s crowded roads, promising a safer, more comfortable pilgrimage. (FYI – For those not in the know, Monorail is a single rail serving as the track for a wheeled or (magnetically) levitating vehicle, has been rapidly paving its way as a modern urban transit system, providing the most-sought-after transportation solutions for a built-up congested city.)

The monorail will be built over the next four years, with the first segment — roughly 35 percent of the project, by one estimate — opening in time for this year’s Hajj between November 25 and 29. Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that all Muslims must complete if they have the means and ability to do so, is the fifth Pillar of Islam and as such attracts a staggering number of pilgrims.

Arab News quotes Dr. Habeeb Zain Al-Abidine, the Deputy Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Secretary-General of the Commission for Development of Makkah, Madinah and the Holy Sites , saying that a feasibility study conducted by an international company had proposed five monorails linking the holy sites.  The project is expected to facilitate the transportation of more than three million pilgrims between the holy sites.  “The feasibility study suggested the second monorail be built two to three years after the construction of the first one,” he said, adding that a single monorail would cost SR4 billion. The first monorail beginning from Mina will transport nearly one million pilgrims including 360,000 Arab pilgrims. The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), the Ministry of Transport and the Higher Commission for the Development of Makkah and Madinah have all reviewed a study of the project and welcome it. The study was prepared by the International Transport Projects Company, which is now contacting Saudi authorities to obtain the appropriate license to implement the project.

The monorail project, which is being implemented by a consortia of companies led by China Railway Company, will be operational with its full capacity during the Haj season of 2011, said the committee, which is chaired by Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif.   This is one of two rail projects the Chinese are building in Saudi Arabia (See below for details on the 2nd project).

The Arab News also says that Makkah monorails will be 8 to 10 meters above the ground to ensure smooth flow of pedestrians and vehicles.  “The monorail project will help withdraw about 53,000 buses and other vehicles being used by pilgrims coming by land from within the Kingdom and neighboring GCC countries,” the report said.

The committee said the monorail would pass by three stations in Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina. The last station in Mina will be on the fourth flour of the Jamarat Bridge.   Controlled access to the monorail is intended to avoid accidents such as the tragedy at Mina in 2006, when more than 350 people died in a stampede after two busloads of pilgrims disembarked at the entrance to the Jamarat Bridge holy site. Trains on four elevated tracks will carry as many as 20,000 pilgrims an hour in an orderly fashion.   The project also includes parking facilities so that pilgrims can park their cars at the entrance of Makkah and then board the monorail.

Wait!  This is not the only rail activity happening in Saudi Arabia.  It is interesting to note how the Saudi Government is making strategic investments in rail projects arond the country.  Back in April, Arab News published an article about the Saudi Government’s plan for expanding the railway network across the country and beyond.  The Kingdom’s railway expansion envisages 3,900 km of new track. In addition to the Landbridge Project linking the Kingdom’s east with its west, two other major new rail projects are moving closer. These include a 450-km high-speed Haramain railway to link Jeddah with Makkah and Madinah.  

Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf announced plans to establish a new railway system linking the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emriates.   “GCC leaders have given preliminary approval for the project. The final decision will depend on its feasibility,” Al-Assaf said.

Talking about Chinese role in building railway infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the other rail project is 275-mile high-speed rail system linking Mecca and Medina through Jeddah to be built by China Railway Engineering.  China’s involvement in both projects  (HSR and Monrail) reportedly was clinched during Chinese Prime Minister Hu Jintao’s visit to Saudi Arabia in February, during which representatives of Chinese Railway Corp. met with Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdulaziz, chairman of the commission for developing the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.  (FYI – The Mecca deal highlighted the growing role of China in Saudi Arabia’s plan to commit 450 billion riyals (S$180 billion) to major infrastructure, education and new cities projects over the next five years.  China is already one of the top buyers of oil from Saudi Arabia, importing 36 million tonnes of Saudi crude last year, according to Chinese figures.)

Mansour Al-Maiman, secretary-general of PIF and chairman of Saudi Railway Company, said the North-South Railway would be ready next year for the transportation of minerals. He said the passenger railway linking Riyadh, Sudair, Qassim and Hail would be floated for tenders within a few days, adding that the work on the project would be completed by 2012.  Once complete, the North-South rail link woulc connect mineral-rich Jalamid belt with smelters in Ras Al-Zour near the eastern industrial city of Jubail.

The North-South Railway is given priority due to its importance to industrial development. It is integral to planned phosphate and bauxite mining projects in the north of the country that will link up with processing and smelters on the Gulf coast.  French defense group Thales and construction giant Saudi Binladin Group were awarded an SR1.7 billion ($453 million) contract to build signaling, ticketing, communications and security systems for the 2,400-km long North-South Railway.

IBTTA & ITS America Joint Conference: Sustainability, Social Responsibility, Energy Conservation and Fall Maintenance — October 4-6, 2009 @ St. Louis, MO

September 8, 2009 at 7:20 pm

09 St. Louis

The Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark

1 South Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102


IBTTA and ITS America Join Forces on Sustainable Transportation and Facility Maintenance


Register today for this groundbreaking joint conference, Sustainability, Social Responsibility, Energy Conservation and Fall Maintenance, October 4-6, 2009 at the Hilton Hotel in St. Louis.

Agenda highlights include:

  • Congressman (MO-3rd) Russ Carnahan;
  • “Four Legs” of Sustainable Transportation presented by John Charles, President & CEO, Cascade Policy Institute and his expert panel, including Allen Biehler, President of AASHTO and Michael Replogle, Global Policy Director of ITDP;
  • Dennis Archer, Chairman, Dickinson Wright, PLLC, and Former Mayor of Detroit will discuss the role of the federal government in promoting sustainable transportation policies for metropolitan areas;
  • Views of the FHWA and the US DOT ITS Joint Program Office on operational strategies, policies and supporting ITS Technologies and their impacts on climate change;
  • 21st Century Roadway Maintenance and more.

Meeting Host: The Missouri Department of Transportation; Organization Sponsors: AASHTO, The Bipartisan Policy Center and the Missouri Valley Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

Supporting Organizations

09 st. louis

09 st. louis

Missouri DOT Logo

09 st. louis

09 ST. Louis

Visit IBTTA’s website for information on registration, hotel reservations, exhibiting or sponsorship.  Show below is the conference agenda.

Advantage “Made in India”! India’s auto exports surges past China’s

September 7, 2009 at 9:40 pm

(Source: Times of India; Bloomberg)

Image Courtesy: Apture

India exported a total of 2,30,000 cars, vans, SUVs and trucks between January and July 2009, a growth of 18% even as China’s exports tumbled 60% in the same period to 1,65,000 units.

The Indian domestic market may be just 19% of China’s — which has overtaken the US to become the world’s largest — but the ‘Made In India’ tag, especially on small cars, has clearly acquired a global cachet, helping auto exports grow even as other countries suffered a slump.

Industry experts pointed out that India scores due to its liberal investment policies and high quality manufacturing which stems from its growing prowess in research and development.

India’s biggest advantage is its edge in small cars and the way companies — including global giants — are using the market for selling, as well as developing, new compact models.

Suzuki Motor Corp.,Hyundai Motor Co., and Nissan Motor Co. are making India a hub for overseas sales of minicars as incentives lift demand for smaller, fuel-efficient autos. Helped by cheaper labor and a surging local market, India this year overtook China in auto exports and is challenging Thailand and South Korea as an alternative production center in Asia.

“There is a worldwide shift toward fuel-efficient, compact cars,” said Jayesh Shroff, who helps manage about $7 billion of assets including carmaker shares at SBI Asset Management Co. in Mumbai. “This offers a huge potential for India and it can emerge as a leader in the small car segment.”

“There is a worldwide shift toward fuel-efficient, compact cars,” said Jayesh Shroff, who helps manage about $7 billion of assets including carmaker shares at SBI Asset Management Co. in Mumbai. “This offers a huge potential for India and it can emerge as a leader in the small car segment.”

In contrast, China’s exports slumped 60 percent to 164,800 between January and July, according to government data. Vehicles produced in Thailand for export declined 43 percent to 263,768, according to the Thai Automotive Club.

Besides the attraction of serving a market where three of four cars bought are compacts, automakers will favor India to set up an export base as China requires companies to form local joint ventures and India doesn’t, said Ashvin Chotai, London- based managing director of Intelligence Automotive Asia Ltd.

Small cars will account for 95 percent of the 690,000 passenger vehicles India will export in 2015, according to Tim Armstrong, Paris-based director of IHS Global Insight Inc. In 2016, India may share the top slot with Japan as the world’s biggest small car producer, building as many as 3 million units.

Indian labor costs are about 10 percent of that in the U.S. and Europe and raw material costs in the nation are lower by 11 percent, according to Puneet Gupta, an analyst at CSM Worldwide Inc., an industry consultant. Developing a car from the design stage in India may take $225 million to $250 million, while in Europe it may be $400 million.

Click here to read more.

Financial Gurus at Mint.com snap an awesome picture of the state of auto industry in the United States

September 6, 2009 at 11:12 am

(Source:  Mint.com via Autoblog)

Ever wondered what’s the state of the american auto industry? Over the past several months we came across several reports of the ailing American autopia, including those with horrific financial reports, Government bailout in billions, mergers and acquisitions that changed the auto industry landscape worldwide, the glorious performance of American automakers during the short lived Cash for Clunkers boost, etc.  Along the way, there were few attempts to depict the ever-changing amoebic state of the auto industry from a 30,000ft level, in an easy to understand format.  But so far (what little I have read), nothing comes close to what the brilliant folks at Mint.com have done.

Image Courtesy: Mint.com - Click the image to see an enlarged version

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and we’d add that the above graph is tantamount to an engaging novella. It charts the massive brand exodus among the Detroit contingent, which looks like a quadruple reverse drawn up on the telestrator by John Madden. If that isn’t sobering enough, the text below shows just how much Detroit automakers have shrunk since 2006. Overall, attrition at Ford, GM and Chrysler accounts for an astonishing 144,600 workers in only three years. No wonder Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the nation. The chart also gives a brief look at the up-and-coming members of the US auto industry, including Tesla, BYD, Tata and Smart, along with a quick blurb about the future of each of the automakers represented.

TranspotGooru Musings:    The only glitch that I spotted in the above graph is the introductory line on the blurb about Chinese Automaker BYD – “Recently bought by Warren Buffet….”  Actually, the company is publicly traded, and its major shareholder is Wang Chuan-Fu who started BYD (the letters are the initials of the company’s Chinese name).  Mr. Buffet’s Bekshire Hathaway has invested $232 Million  thus far and is consider to expand its investment further. Berkshire Hathaway first tried to buy 25% of BYD, but Wang turned down the offer. He wanted to be in business with Buffett – to enhance his brand and open doors in the U.S., he says – but he would not let go of more than 10% of BYD’s stock.