(Source: Houston.culturemap.com)

Anti-big brother Houstonians rejoiced when a referendum passed last November to take down the city’s network of red light cameras. Nearly six months later, data collected by the camera service provider, Phoenix-based ATS, suggests that citizens’ temporarily cautious attitude towards red lights has already reversed.

ATS analyzed 10 high-traffic intersections in different parts of the city that had seen noticeably decreases in violations when the cameras were installed, but have now suffered unprecedented increases. For example, the westbound intersection of Richmond Avenue and Hillcroft Avenue dipped from 5,628 violations in 2009 to 2,532 in 2010 — only to rocket back up to 3,799 in the first few months of 2011.

Editors Note:  This is yet another study that bolsters the need for installing the enforcement devices at intersections.   Oh well, there is always a counter to this and wait till someone surfaces with a new study showing how the removal of these devices has made life a lot better for poor Houstonians.

(Source: NY Times)

U.S. Doctors Say Biofuels Could Kill Over 192,000 Per Year in Developing Countries

Image courtesy: via NYTimes.com

The food vs. fuel debate has intensified a little more with the ever growing demand for bio-fuels.  Many of the world’s hungriest people are going to bed without a morsel to eat, as more of the conventional food crops such as corn are diverted towards making biofuels that power the vehicle fleets. This above graphic from the NY Times article shows an alarming increase in the way we have change the consumption from food to fuel starting at the dawn of this 21st century.

Each year, an ever larger portion of the world’s crops — cassava and corn, sugar and palm oil — is being diverted for biofuels as developed countries pass laws mandating greater use of nonfossil fuels and as emerging powerhouses like China seek new sources of energy to keep their cars and industries running. Cassava is a relatively new entrant in the biofuel stream.

But with food prices rising sharply in recent months, many experts are calling on countries to scale back their headlong rush into green fuel development, arguing that the combination of ambitious biofuel targets and mediocre harvests of some crucial crops is contributing to high prices, hunger and political instability.

This year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported that its index of food prices was the highest in its more than 20 years of existence. Prices rose 15 percent from October to January alone, potentially “throwing an additional 44 million people in low- and middle-income countries into poverty,” the World Bank said.

On a related note, the following was published on TreeHugger.com:

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) has released a warning that U.S. and European policy to increase the production of biofuels could lead to almost 200,000 deaths in poorer countries. How? Mostly through higher food prices. Most biofuels are made using food crops like corn at this time, and diverting corn to ethanol refineries not only increases the price of corn, but it also encourage farmers to plant more of it, leaving less space for other types of crops, driving up their price too. This is a big deal if you live on $1-2 a day…

Click here to read the entire article.

(Source: TheCityFix.com)

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a 3 percent decrease in road fatalities between 2009 and 2010, which still adds up to 32,788 deaths. According to LaHood, last year’s traffic fatalities fell to the lowest levels since 1949, despite a 0.7 percent increase in the number of miles Americans drove—about 20.5 billion extra miles—and an 11 percent increase in congestion in the country’s 100 biggest metropolitan areas, making the decrease in traffic fatalities especially noteworthy.

Here is the USDOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Press Release:

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the number and rate of traffic fatalities in 2010 fell to the lowest levels since 1949, despite a significant increase in the number of miles Americans drove during the year.“Last year’s drop in traffic fatalities is welcome news and it proves that we can make a difference,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Still, too many of our friends and neighbors are killed in preventable roadway tragedies every day. We will continue doing everything possible to make cars safer, increase seat belt use, put a stop to drunk driving and distracted driving and encourage drivers to put safety first.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) early projections, the number of traffic fatalities fell three percent between 2009 and 2010, from 33,808 to 32,788. Since 2005, fatalities have dropped 25 percent, from a total of 43,510 fatalities in 2005. The same estimates also project that the fatality rate will be the lowest recorded since 1949, with 1.09 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, down from the 1.13 fatality rate for 2009. The decrease in fatalities for 2010 occurred despite an estimated increase of nearly 21 billion miles in national vehicle miles traveled.

A regional breakdown showed the greatest drop in fatalities occurred in the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, where they dropped by 12 percent. Arizona, California and Hawaii had the next steepest decline, nearly 11 percent.

“The decrease in traffic fatalities is a good sign, but we are always working to save lives,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “NHTSA will continue pressing forward on all of our safety initiatives to make sure our roads are as safe as they can possibly be.”

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has taken a comprehensive approach to reducing roadway fatalities by promoting strong traffic safety laws coupled with high-visibility enforcement and through rigorous vehicle safety programs and public awareness campaigns.

In 2009, Secretary LaHood launched a national anti-distracted driving campaign modeled on other successful NHTSA efforts to reduce fatalities, such as its “Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” and “Click It Or Ticket” campaigns to curb drunk driving and increase seat belt use. The U.S. DOT has launched a dedicated website, Distraction.gov, to provide the public with a comprehensive source of information on distracted driving. DOT has also hosted two national summits devoted to the issue, crafted sample legislation which states can use to adopt distracted driving laws, and initiated pilot law enforcement programs in Hartford, Conn., and Syracuse, N.Y.

NHTSA has also taken action to improve vehicle safety. The agency has urged automakers to swiftly and voluntarily report safety defects to keep the driving public safe. NHTSA has also encouraged the development and use of technologies to prevent crashes, such as electronic stability control, forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems. The agency also unveiled an updated 5-star rating system in 2010, which established more rigorous crash-test standards and began providing consumers with improved information about which cars perform best in collisions.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has also been encouraging the use of Safety Edge technology — which reduces drivers’ risk of running off the road by shaping pavement edge — on new road and highway projects. FHWA has also promoted the use of rumble strips and cable median barriers to separate opposing directions of traffic to reduce the incidence of crossover head-on collisions.

To view NHTSA’s latest statistical projections of traffic fatalities in 2010, including regional estimates, click here.

(Source: car-insurance.com via Autoblog)

Click Image to Enlarge

(Source: Marlerhaley via  Killer Infographics & Autoblog Green)

Image Courtesy: Marler Haley, UK

On a related note, it might be worth noting that there is a already a lot of controversy surrounding the official numbers posted by the automakers versus the results from real life driving conditions in Europe.  Here is a peek at the ongoing debate:

Jos Dings, director of Brussels-based Transport & Environment, told Automotive News (sub. req.) that official CO2 emissions results posted by automakers are “less and less a reflection of what we are seeing on the road.” Dings says that the amount of CO2 emitted under controlled test conditions can be up to 50 percent lower than in real-world driving, telling AN that, “We don’t want cuts on paper. We want them in reality.”

Image Courtesy: via Autoblog — CO2 emissions chart

Click here to read more about this ongoing issue.

(Source: Gas 2.0)

One of the biggest hurdles for market penetration for the Electric Vehicles (EV) is the charging times associated with the batteries in the vehicles. Some of these batteries take up to several hours (4hrs to 8hrs) for a full charge , a.k.a Top off, and continues to remain a big challenge for the manufacturers to convince their buyers. Looking at the existing fleet of vehicles in the market, some question the wisdom behind the EV charging investments. If you pulled up at a gas station along the way it takes roughly 5 minutes to “top off” or fill up your gas tak and get back on the road quickly. With the existing EVs in the market placethis is not possible, at least at this moment. That’s where Shai Agassi’s Better Place excelled with a marvellous idea. Why not just swap the batteries like you would do in a household device. And do it as quickly as you buy a burger at a drive through. Combining the two ideas results in what you can call the Battery Swap Station. For those who wondered aloud about the viability of a business model proposed by Project Better Place, the recent deployment of its Battery-Swap station in Israel should be worth taking note.

Image Courtesy: Better Place on Flickr

Batter Swap Infrastructure - Image Courtesy: Better Place on Flickr

Gas 2.0 notes the following:

Project Better Place’s Israeli facility released this video of the battery swapper in action, effectively “topping off” the electric car with a simple swipe of a card in about the same time it would take to top-off a conventional ICE car.  The stations themselves are designed to be modular in construction, and compatible with several different EVs – although they are presumably leaning heavily towards batteries powering Renault/Nissan’s EVs.

The Truth About Cars blog reports that 8 more Better Place battery-swap stations are currently in construction, and the company hopes to eventually have 40 similar stations operational throughout Israel.

Click here to learn more about the project.

Editor’s note: Until the battery technology is refined to the point where charging times are on par with the time it takes for filling up a gas tank in the conventional car, this approach seems prudent and better suited for rapid deployment.  Oh, on a related note – if this model were to be deployed in the US, I presume it would have a slight twist.  The stations will be designed to sell you a burger while you swap the batteries, which means you can see an integrated refueling station for the vehicle and the driver, just like how we have it now in the Gas Stations with convenience store options. Wouldn’t that be ironic to have a Better Place  Charging Station co-located with a burger joint like Burger King or McDonalds? Haha!  Oh,  come on.  I know you not heard many people say that: McDonalds is not a Better Place.

The Research and Innovative Technology Administration is looking for an executive to serve as the Director of the Center of Innovation (COI) Air Traffic Systems and Operations of the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center).  Located in Kendall Square area in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Volpe Center plays a unique role in looking across the transportation enterprise by applying its multi-disciplinary capabilities to anticipate future transportation issues and challenges across all modes of transportation.

Reporting to the Deputy Associate Administrator for Research, Innovation and Technology, the COI Director will lead and oversee the Air Traffic Systems and Operations COI comprised of four technical divisions – Navigation and Surveillance; Operations Risk Assessment and Terminal Systems; Traffic Flow Management; and Communications and Operations.  This COI has a combined technical/scientific federal staff of 85 employees; a 150 project portfolio; and average annual obligations of $80 million, representing one-third of the Center’s portfolio. Through close collaboration with other Volpe Center COI Directors, the COI Director will assist in the development of FAA and other strategic initiatives and new program opportunities, and, as needed, serve as liaison to FAA leaders in working with managers across the Volpe Center.

To succeed in this rewarding and challenging leadership position, the COI Director must have expertise leading applied research and technology projects – ideally as an engineer/scientist- in one or more areas of air traffic operations and systems, including aviation communication, navigation, surveillance (CNS), and air traffic control safety and security.  This individual must also possess exceptional management, planning and communication skills, and be able and willing to contribute as part of a collaborative management team.  While not required, an advanced scientific or technical degree is highly desirable. Travel is required (30-50%).

The vacancy announcement can be found on COI Director, Air Traffic Systems and Operations (attached find a copy of the vacancy announcement).

The Research and Innovation Technology Administration (RITA) is looking for a highly talented Transportation Specialist with a passion for transportation data and analysis to join the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) as the Connected Vehicle Data and Weather Program Manager. This is an opportunity to w

Image via Wikipedia

ork on one of the most exciting multimodal programs at the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT).  Located at the U.S. DOT headquarters in Washington, DC, the ITS-JPO manages, coordinates and supports research programs focused on applying advanced technologies to transform the performance of our Nation’s surface transportation system.

The vacancy announcement closes on Wednesday, March 16, 2011

We are seeking a talented transportation leader who can work with all levels of the ITS-JPO staff, high-ranking officials, and others outside the agency to explore the innovative methods of data collection and use of advanced data applications in the transportation environment.  A self-starter with expert knowledge of data capture and proven program management principles is a must.  Strong coordination and leadership capabilities are needed to be successful in this important role.  A mix of strong creativity combined with institutional and technical knowledge is a must.  Ability to identify strategic program needs and develop objectives based on Administration and U.S. DOT policy, Congressional direction, and knowledge gained through the national ITS program planning process is required.

The ITS-JPO Connected Vehicle Data and Weather Program Manager will manage multimodal programs such as congestion relief, road weather management, and data capture and data management applications to provide technical leadership for state-of-practice and state-of-the-art data collection methods for continuous improvement of our nation’s surface transportation system.

If you know someone interested in this Washington, DC based position that has the experience and proven results in the above requested areas, please encourage them to apply under the attached vacancy announcement.  We are looking for a diverse pool of qualified candidates.

Please keep in mind that the new hiring reforms recently announced by President Obama will shorten the hiring timeline and will eliminate essay-style questions during the initial application submission. Therefore please spread the word about this exciting opportunity and encourage anyone interested to apply quickly.

To review the job qualifications and to apply, please see the vacancy announcement at USAjobs, direct link:

FHWA.JPO-2011-0001 – Open to Current Federal and Former Federal Status Employees: (Federal employees are encouraged to apply under this announcement number to maximize consideration).

FHWA.JPO-2011-0002 – Open to all U.S. Citizens

Please see below for information about a funding opportunity from the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) for research on a variety of transportation topics, including transportation finance. As the director of MTI’s National Transportation Finance Center, Asha Agrawal will be assisting researchers with questions about submitting finance-related proposals. So if you have questions, please feel free to get in touch with Asha at asha.weinstein.agrawal@sjsu.edu.

FYI, I have not included the attachments, since they don’t go through well on email groups like this one, but all the forms are available at http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/RFPForms.html

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Dear Colleagues,

MTI is pleased to announce the release of the 2011-2012 Request for Proposals (RFP). Attached you will find the RFP, the proposal form, and the budget template. These forms may also be downloaded from the MTI web page:http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/RFPForms.html.

As you may know, MTI conducts an open, broad-based process for soliciting and selecting policy research projects. High-quality proposals that best match the results of the needs assessment and the objectives and research emphasis areas of the institute will be selected for funding. MTI supports research projects staffed entirely by San José State University (SJSU) faculty or by SJSU faculty collaborating with researchers from outside the university.

We invite you to submit a proposal in response to this request!  All proposals are due on MONDAY, MAY 16 2011 at 5:00 p.m. PDT.