TransportGooru

Monday, April 19, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood to Host Surface Transportation Reauthorization Meeting during ITS America Annual Meeting & Expo in Houston

ITS America has a last-minute addition to the Annual Meeting program that you won’t want to miss! Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will convene a U.S. DOT Surface Transportation Reauthorization Outreach Meeting to solicit the views of key stakeholders on ways to improve the delivery of surface transportation programs.  The meeting is scheduled from 12:30 – 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, immediately following ITS America’s Closing Plenary featuring keynote presentations by Secretary LaHood and Sam Palmisano, Chairman and CEO of IBM.

Another great reason to attend ITS America’s 20th Annual Meeting and Exposition, May 3-5 in Houston!

AVIATION

1) NORAD General Warns That Wind Turbines Pose National Security Threat, but He’s Breezy on Details

Link to article in the Colorado Springs Independent:

http://www.csindy.com/colorado/dang-that-wind/Content?oid=1679562

2) Air Traffic Ban Boosts Video Conferencing – Cisco

Link to Reuters article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE63I15Y20100419

3) Volcano-Stranded Travelers Turn to Social Media

Link to blog on GigaOM:

http://gigaom.com/2010/04/17/volcano-stranded-travellers-turn-to-social-media/

BICYCLES

4) B-cycle Bike-Sharing Program Makes Denver a Roll Model

Link to article in The Denver Post:

http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_14839372

CAMERAS

5) Tennessee Lawmakers Reach Compromise on Legislation to Place Restrictions on Traffic Cameras

Link to AP article:

http://www.whnt.com/news/sns-ap-tn-xgr–trafficcameras,0,5473019.story

GPS / NAVIGATION

6) Cell Phone Satnav Use Surging in Europe

Link to Reuters article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63F1AH20100416

7) Disney World Bus Accidents: GPS Units on Buses is Distracting, Critics Say

‘Magic in Motion’ allows vehicles to be tracked and re-routed in real-time.

Link to article in the Orlando Sentinel:

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-04-16/business/os-disney-world-bus-accidents-20100416_1_bus-driver-fort-wilderness-campground

8) GPS a Go-Go for Hoboken Community Shuttle Bus

Link to article on Planetizen:

http://www.planetizen.com/node/43852

MARITIME

9) New Marine Atlantic Commercial Vehicle Ferry Reservation System has Issues

Link to article in Today’s Trucking News:

http://www.todaystrucking.com/news.cfm?intDocID=23781

OTHER

10) April Edition of Traffic Technology International Online

Link to magazine:

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e5728f6e#/e5728f6e/1

ROADWAYS

11) Massachusetts Highway Division Chief has Thousands of Lane Miles on Her Mind Each Day

Link to article in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/18/highway_division_chief_has_thousands_of_lane_miles_on_her_mind_each_day/

TRANSIT

12) As Cellular Service Expands in Subways, Thefts Rise

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/us/17cellphones.html

13) New York City and Philadelphia Transit Goes Real-Time

Link to blog in InformationWeek:

http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2010/04/nyc_and_philade.html

14) Toronto Transit May Opt for ‘Open’ Electronic Fare Payment System

Link to article on IT Business:

http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=57224

15) Smooth Sailing so Far for MyZone Tickets in Sydney

New system allows passage on a range of transport with one ticket.

Link to Australian Broadcasting Corporation story:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/19/2876660.htm

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

16) CVIS Report on the Cooperative Mobility Showcase 2010

Link to article from ERTICO:

http://www.ertico.com/en/news/ertico_newsroom/cvis_report_on_the_cooperative_mobiliy_showcase_2010.htm

17) New Jersey Traffic Info Improving, but Not Enough

Link to editorial in the Asbury Park Press:

http://www.app.com/article/20100418/OPINION01/4180328/Traffic-info-improving–but-not-enough

VEHICLES

18) VW Car Driven by iPhone Control

Link to video on MarketWatch:

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/external/video/cbsm/SIG=131o5o4q7/*http%3A//www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/yho/%7B600700BD%2D4119%2D4FF7%2D9CF9%2D28A85AE3A6AA%7D

19) Rush to Cash in on Transit Trucks Tracking Devices in Kenya

Move is designed to curb illegal trade.

Link to article in Business Daily:

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Rush%20to%20cash%20in%20on%20transit%20trucks%20tracking%20devices/-/539444/902488/-/r9r4oaz/-/

20) Key Fobs to Keep You Connected to Your Car

Link to article in M2M:

http://www.m2mmag.com/news/articles/article.aspx?ID=8339

21) euroFOT – Italian Test Site News

Link to article from ERTICO:

http://www.ertico.com/en/news/ertico_newsroom/eurofot_-_italian_test_site_news.htm

News Releases

1) State DOTs Begin Campaign to Halt Work Zone Deaths

2) New Web Site Makes It Easier than Ever to Explore North Carolina’s Scenic Byways

3) Iridium and Quake Global Partner to Enhance New Generation of Intelligent Satellite Transceivers

4) So this is Hollywood: Video as a Tool for Environmental Change

5) NTSB to Hold a Public Forum on Professionalism in Aviation

6) Saab to Continue to Offer OnStar Hardware and Services to Customers

7) Getmapping Launch ‘WMS’ Web Mapping Service

Upcoming Events

Challenge Bibendum – Convention on Sustainable Mobility – May 30-June 3 – Rio de Janeiro

http://www.challengebibendum.com

Today in Transportation History

1995 **15^th anniversary** A truck bomb exploded outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.

http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/

=====================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/tcnl/subscribe

If you have any difficulties please contact me at i95berniew@aol.com.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Friday, April 16, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood to Host Surface Transportation Reauthorization Meeting during ITS America Annual Meeting & Expo in Houston

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has decided to convene a U.S. DOT Surface Transportation Reauthorization Outreach Meeting to solicit the views of key stakeholders on ways to improve the delivery of surface transportation programs.  The meeting is scheduled from 12:30 – 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, immediately following ITS America’s Closing Plenary featuring keynote presentations by Secretary LaHood and Sam Palmisano, Chairman and CEO of IBM.  It is part of a series of sessions across the country designed to bring together Federal, state and local officials, as well as transportation providers, users, and other stakeholders, to discuss the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization. Another great reason to come to Houston for ITS America’s 20th Annual Meeting and Exposition!

AVIATION

1) FAA, IBM Set Sights on Real-Time Network Security

Link to article in Government Computer News:

http://gcn.com/articles/2010/04/19/update1-ibm-faa-real-time-security.aspx

RAILROADS

2) Local Officials Say They’re in the Dark on Dangerous Freight Rail Traffic

Link to article from The Center for Public Integrity:

http://www.publicintegrity.org/data_mine/entry/2037/

3) Latest Issue of Signal Newsletter of the European Rail Traffic Management System

Link to newsletter:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/rail/interoperability/ertms/doc/017_signal_2010_04_en.pdf

SAFETY / SECURITY

4) Traffic Safety Data: State Data System Quality Varies and Limited Resources and Coordination Can Inhibit Further Progress

Link to report from the US Government Accountability Office:

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10454.pdf

TRANSIT

5) Toronto Mayor Uses Subway PA to Fight for Transit City

Link to article in the Toronto Star:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/795683–miller-uses-subway-pa-to-fight-for-transit-city

6) Miami-Dade Transit to Remove ‘Offensive’ Islamic Bus Ads

Link to article in The Miami Herald:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/16/1581903/miami-dade-transit-says-it-will.html

VEHICLES

7) Ford to Unveil Navigation Device Aimed at Conserving Fuel

Link to article and video in The Wall Street Journal:

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/04/15/ford-to-unveil-navigation-device-aimed-at-conserving-fuel/

News Releases

1) IBM Helps City of Stockholm Predict Better Commuting Options

2) Norfolk Southern Goes Social: The Thoroughbred is on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr

3) April 20 Abstract Submission Deadline for Transportation and Development Institute Congress on Integrated Transportation and Development

4) Travelers Marketing is Recognized as the Boston Region’s 11^th Fastest Growing Company

Upcoming Events

ITS Massachusetts Annual Meeting – April 29 – Boston

http://www.itsmassachusetts.org/downloads/2010PrelimaryProgram.pdf

Friday Bonus

Mysterious street signs

http://www.comcast.net/video/mysterious-street-signs/1466225130/Comcast/1464368180/

Today in Transportation History

1935 **75^th anniversary** The first Pan American Airways flight from the continental US to Hawaii left Alameda, California.

http://www.hawaii-post.com/2005-17APR.html

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/tcnl/subscribe

If you have any difficulties please contact me at i95berniew@aol.com.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Thursday, April 15, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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IC3 From GEWI – It’s A Whole New Ballgame!

TIC3 from GEWI is the latest generation of the globally popular traffic data processing software. TIC3 is a whole new approach to collecting, storing, creating, monitoring, viewing and distributing traffic (and other) data. TIC3’s revolutionary new architecture allows for quick and easy configuration for any data type and data format. With new technologies being created for generating traffic data including RFID, GPS, camera-generated speed data, Bluetooth and more, it’s critical that your system can accept these new data types.  TIC is a highly configurable commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software platform proven in over 100 commercial and government projects operating worldwide.  COTS means TIC can be deployed more quickly and affordably than build-your-own solutions.   See TIC3 in GEWI’s booth #333 at ITS America in Houston May 3-5th, or to discuss your requirements, contact jim.oneill@gewi.com.

CAMERAS

1) $500 for Running a Red Light? Blame the Camera

Link to story and audio report on NPR’s All Things Considered:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125990368

RAILROADS

2) CSX Hikes Crash Avoidance Costs to $1.2 Billion

Link to article in The Journal of Commerce:

http://www.joc.com/rail-intermodal/csx-hikes-crash-avoidance-costs-12-billion

3) UK Rail Passengers to Get TV Service

Link to article in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/7588377/Rail-passengers-to-get-TV-service.html

ROADWAYS

4) F3 Traffic Fiasco Report ‘Will be Made Public’

Link to Australian Broadcasting Corp. story:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/15/2873333.htm

5) Adaptive Traffic Control Systems: Domestic and Foreign State of Practice

Link to document from the Transportation Research Board:

http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/Adaptive_Traffic_Control_Systems_Domestic_and_Fore_163323.aspx

SAFETY / SECURITY

6) Wireless in the Wilderness Brings Risks, Rewards

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-04-14-wireless-state-national-parks_N.htm

TRANSIT

7) The Route to Smart Transit

Explore Web sites, mobile applications, open data, and APIs for public transportation.

Link to article from IBM:

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/j-transit/

News Releases

1) 2010 TRB Environment and Energy Research Conference Early Registration Deadline Extended Until April 30

2) Toshiba’s New 200GB 2.5-inch HDD for Automotive Applications has Industry Largest Storage Capacity

Upcoming Events

SISTER Project Final Workshop – May 26-27 – Brussels

http://www.sister-project.org/en/news/sister_project_final_workshop.htm

Today in Transportation History

1910 **100^th anniversary** Japanese ‘Submarine No. 6’ sank in Hiroshima Bay with the loss of all aboard.

http://tinyurl.com/y5z3ccs

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/tcnl/subscribe

If you have any difficulties please contact me at i95berniew@aol.com.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Come see the best of ITS at the ITS America Annual Meeting & Expo, May 3-5 in Houston!

• New speakers just added! Polly Trottenberg, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy at U.S. DOT, Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee join an impressive group at the podium.
• Browse nearly 150 booths led by ITS industry experts in the 150,000 square-foot exhibit hall.
• Catch a high-tech demo between sessions. We’ll have an 18-wheel truck rollover response – complete with police helicopter, fire and rescue and live video, and a Bus Rapid Transit demo featuring a “lane assist” guidance system.

AVIATION

1) Device Spurs Questions in Polish Crash

Plane was equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System.

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-04-13-fog-plane-crash-poland_N.htm

2) Lights, Cameras, Airports

A behind the scenes look at the filming of Up in the Air.

Link to article in Airport Improvement:

http://www.airportimprovement.com/content/story.php?article=00160

3) Articles in Future Airport

–  Eye Spy – An increasing number of airports are adopting biometric security techniques.

http://viewer.zmags.co.uk/publication/8c5cc239#/8c5cc239/30

–  A Critical Approach – A look at the new centralized IT and telecommunications infrastructure at Athens Airport

http://viewer.zmags.co.uk/publication/8c5cc239#/8c5cc239/23

–  Future ATC – A supplement on how the latest ATC technologies make for a more efficient industry

http://viewer.zmags.co.uk/publication/8c5cc239#/8c5cc239/35

OTHER

4) April Issue of Florida DOT’s SunGuide Disseminator Online

Link to newsletter:

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/trafficoperations/Newsletters/2010/2010-004-Apr.pdf

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

5) Florida Stimulus Spending: DVDs, Buses and More

Portion of federal dollars used for video promoting state’s ‘scenic highways.’

Link to commentary and video on WOKV Radio:

http://wokv.com/blogs/reporters_notebook/2010/04/florida-stimulus-spending-dvds.html

RAILROADS

6) Amtrak Uses AAAE’s Passenger Advisory System to Communicate Security and Border-Crossing Information to Passengers

Link to article on AviationNews:

http://www.aviationnews.net/?do=headline&news_ID=178288

ROADWAYS

7) New Washington State Freeway Signs Will Razzle, Dazzle, and Save You Time

Link to story and video on KOMO-TV:

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/90795879.html

8) UK Motoring Group Calls for Road Signs to Have Bigger Lettering for Older Drivers

Link to article in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7586105/Motoring-group-calls-for-road-signs-to-have-bigger-lettering-for-older-drivers.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) US Senators Look to Amsterdam for Airport Explosives-Detection Technology

Link to article in Federal Computer Week:

http://fcw.com/articles/2010/04/14/web-auto-detection-tech-airport-screening.aspx

TRANSIT

10) Los Angeles Metro Talks Transit Safety with Students from the Braille Institute

Link to article and video in The Source:

http://thesource.metro.net/2010/04/13/metro-talks-transit-safety-with-students-from-the-braille-institute/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

11) Escape the Jam

Real-time traffic information may soon help South African drivers.

Link to article on TechCentral:

http://www.techcentral.co.za/escape-the-jam/13877/

VEHICLES

12) Surfing the Web in the Car

Link to article in Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/13/web-browsing-wifi-technology-security-10-autos.html

13) BlackBerrys and iPhones Want to Cozy Up to Cars

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/iphones-and-blackberries-want-to-cozy-up-to-cars

14) Chip Maker Touts Automotive Safety Record

Link to article from Automotive News:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20002260-48.html

News Releases

1) American Airlines Enhances Online Flight Check-In, Adds Option for International Travelers

Upcoming Events

International Conference on Safety and Mobility of Vulnerable Road Users: Pedestrians, Motorcyclists, and Bicyclists – May 30-June 2 – Jerusalem

http://vulnerableroadusers.d-u.co.il/

Today in Transportation History

1910 **100^th anniversary** The Sperry Gyroscope Company was incorporated.  It eventually became part of today’s Unisys.

http://invention.smithsonian.org/resources/MIND_Repository_Details.aspx?rep_id=1370

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/tcnl/subscribe

If you have any difficulties please contact me at i95berniew@aol.com.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Tuesday, April 13, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Register Now for IBTTA’s Upcoming Summit: The Future of Tolling – Going Mainstream Through ORT and Interoperability, May 23-25, 2010 in Boston, MA

Join the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association in Boston for the fourth Summit in a series of workshops focused on the hot topics of ORT and Interoperability. This Summit will bring together transportation experts who will focus on lessons learned, case studies, business rules and future decision-making about all-electronic toll collection, interoperability, violation enforcement, and implications for vehicle miles traveled charging. Breakout sessions are divided into four main categories – On the Road and in the Car; Technology and Backroom Issues; Road Pricing and Financial Issues and In the Public and Policy Forum. IBTTA is exploring opportunities to involve university students and faculty from the Boston area in research connected with the main topics of this Summit. Click here for registration, hotel and travel information and to view the preliminary agenda.www.IBTTA.org

AVIATION

1) International Pilots’ Group Wary of Israel’s Anti-hijacking System

Link to article in Haaretz:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1161370.html

CAMERAS

2) Bill to Ban Traffic Cameras in Louisiana Scuttled; but Hope Not Gone, Says Rep

Link to story and video on WWL-TV:

http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/Bill-to-ban-traffic-cameras-scuttled-but-hope-not-gone-says-rep-90651019.html

OTHER

3) New Jersey Police Recordings Highlight Gaps in Victim Identifications, Family Notifications Rules

Link to column and audio in The Star-Ledger:

http://blog.nj.com/njv_bob_braun/2010/04/nj_police_recordings_highlight.html

4) Latest Edition of Transport Business International Online

Link to magazine:

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=mypagesuite&pnum=&refresh=n19LRi0513pF&EID=921f4033-733d-4e36-b0cd-4d5262a2ad38

PEDESTRIANS

5) Deciphering the Movement of Pedestrians in a Crowd

Link to article on ScienceDaily:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100413072044.htm

Link to article in PLoS ONE:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010047

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

6) Utah DOT Wants Public Informed About Construction Projects in Works

Link to article in the Deseret News:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700024069/UDOT-wants-public-informed-about-Utah-construction-projects-in-works.html

RAILROADS

7) Amtrak Launches Podcast for Sunset Limited

Link to AP article:

http://www.wdam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12299968

ROADWAYS

8) Highway Sign in Wisconsin Warns of Dangerous Intersection

Sign is one of only two in the US.

Link to story on KUWS Radio:

http://www.businessnorth.com/kuws.asp?RID=3374

9) U-turn Ends German Row Over Traffic Signs

Link to DPA article:

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/318487,u-turn-ends-german-row-over-traffic-signs.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

10) Pulitzers for Distracted Driving

Link to blog in The New York Times:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/pulitzers-for-distracted-driving/?nl=automobiles&emc=wheelsema2

11) Getting the Word Out Through Notifications, Alerts and Warnings

Link to article in Emergency Management:

http://www.emergencymgmt.com/safety/Notifications-Alerts-Warnings.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

12) A Better Traffic Information System in Massachusetts – for Free

Link to article in the Telegram & Gazette:

http://www.telegram.com/article/20100413/NEWS/4130352/1002/BUSINESS

VEHICLES

13) Better In-Car Integration Coming to the iPhone with OS 4.0?

Link to blog in The Car Connection:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1044206_better-in-car-integration-coming-to-the-iphone-with-os-4-0

14) Lane Departure Warning Systems for the Rest of Us

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/lane-departure-warning-systems-for-the-rest-of-us/

News Releases

1) FAA Expands Air Education Program

2) Kentucky.gov Launches iPhone and iPad Apps for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

3) MTA New York City Transit Expands Subway Countdown Clocks to Numbered Lines in Brooklyn

4) McCarran Airport Taps Social Media Sites to Reach Growing Number of Tech-Savvy Customers

5) Rhode Island DOT Web Site and Social Media Channel Information to Public During 2010 Flood

6) ACS to Provide Intelligent Transportation System for the Memphis Area Transit Authority

Upcoming Events

International Road Federation World Road Meeting 2010 – May 25-28 – Lisbon

http://www.irfnews.org/news-events/event-detail/irf-world-road-meeting-2010/

Today in Transportation History

1860 **150^th anniversary** The first westbound Pony Express delivery arrived in Sacramento, California.

http://www.americanwest.com/trails/pages/ponyexp1.htm

1970 **40^th anniversary** An oxygen tank aboard Apollo 13 ruptured while en route to the Moon.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apollo-13/apollo-13.html

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/tcnl/subscribe

If you have any difficulties please contact me at i95berniew@aol.com.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Wednesday, June 9, 2010 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EDT

In December 2009, an international scan was conducted to identify new ideas and practical, workable models for integrating variable road pricing approaches into state, local, and regional policies, programs, and practices.  Scan team members interacted with host city and country experts from Stockholm, Sweden, London, England, Singapore, Germany, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. Specifically, the scan team explored the political, institutional, and technical factors that contributed to the successful implementation of road pricing and, in some cases, to their rejection.

Panelists will present the findings of the scan and will address the potential for road pricing to be a part of a sustainable twenty-first century transportation system.  The scan was conducted under the auspices of the International Technology Scanning Program, which is conducted by the Federal Highway Administration in cooperation with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program.

Session presenters:

• Robert Arnold, Federal Highway Administration
• Vance Smith, Georgia Department of Transportation
• Patrick DeCorla-Souza, Federal Highway Administration

Moderated by: John Doan, SRF Consulting  (Questions may be posed any time during the Webinar, and are answered at the end of the session).

Registration: Participants must register 24 hours in advance. There is no fee for Chairs of TRB Standing Committees, Sections, or Groups.  There is also no fee for employees of TRB Sponsors: http://bit.ly/9tduwj. TRB Sponsors: Please use your work email to register for the session. Others must pay $99 per site.

There may be situations where a webinar may need to be rescheduled due to unforeseen events.  If a webinar needs to be rescheduled, TRB will contact you via email to provide information about rescheduling the session.

Problems signing in? Contact Reggie Gillum at rgillum@nas.edu or 202-334-2382.

Click here to register.

(Sources: Consumer Reports, Detroit Free Press, Wall Street Journal & CNN Money)

Consumer Reports magazine dealt Toyota Motor Corp. a blow Tuesday issuing a rare “don’t buy” recommendation for the 2010 Lexus GX 460 sport-utility vehicle.

Four of the magazine’s auto engineers found a safety risk during their standard emergency-handling tests.  The specific problem, according to the magazine’s testers, involved the slow reaction of the vehicle’s electronic stability control system when a driver takes it through a turn while quickly lifting his or her foot off the accelerator. Consumer Reports explained the problem in detail on its website as follows:

In real-world driving, lift-off oversteer could occur when a driver enters a highway’s exit ramp or drives through a sweeping turn and encounters an unexpected obstacle or suddenly finds that the turn is too tight for the vehicle’s speed. A natural impulse is to quickly lift off the accelerator pedal. If that were to happen in the GX, the rear could slide around far enough that a wheel could strike a curb or slide off the pavement.

Either of those scenarios can cause a vehicle to roll over. And because the GX is a tall SUV with a high center of gravity, our concern for rollover safety is heightened.

Like almost all current SUVs, the GX has standard ESC. That system is designed to prevent a vehicle from sliding out in a turn and has generally worked very effectively in the vehicles we’ve tested. It does that by applying individual brakes and cutting engine power to help keep the vehicle on its intended path. But the GX’s system doesn’t intervene quickly enough to stop the slide, and the rear end swings around too far.

“All four of Consumer Reports’ auto engineers who conducted the test experienced the problem in an exercise used to evaluate what’s called lift oversteer,” the magazine said in a statement.

The special designation given to the GX 460 by Consumer Reports — “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” — is rarely given by the magazine. The last time it was used was in 2001, on the Mitsubishi Montero Limited.

“We’re concerned with the results,” said Toyota in a statement, adding that the company will try to duplicated Consumer Reports’ test “to determine if appropriate steps need to taken.”

About 5,000 GX 460s have been sold in the roughly three months the model has been on sale, the magazine said. It advises current owners of this vehicle to approach exit ramps with caution, and to call Toyota demanding a fix for the problem.

The recommendation comes as Toyota tries recover from a safety crisis that has hurt its reputation as a quality leader amid concerns that its Toyota and Lexus products are prone to sudden acceleration.

Click here to read more.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Consumer Reports calls Lexus GX460 unsafe (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Lexus SUV a rollover risk — Consumer Reports (money.cnn.com)
• Consumer Reports calls Lexus SUV ‘safety risk’ (financialpost.com)
• Preview: 2010 Lexus GX 460 (nationalpost.com)
• Toyota Remains Third in Consumer Reports Brand Ranking (wheels.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Papers Say Toyota Canada Knew of Safety Threat (nytimes.com)
• Consumer Reports: Lexus SUV Unsafe (online.wsj.com)
• Consumer Reports Calls Lexus GX460 Unsafe (abcnews.go.com)
• Consumer Reports calls Lexus GX460 unsafe (sfgate.com)
• Consumer Reports Warns Against 2010 Lexus GX 460 Because Of Rollover Risk (thecarconnection.com)

Monday, April 12, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Come see the best of ITS at the ITS America Annual Meeting & Expo, May 3-5 in Houston!

• New speakers just added! Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee join an impressive group at the podium.
• Browse nearly 150 booths led by ITS industry experts in the 150,000 square-foot exhibit hall.
• Catch a high-tech demo between sessions. We’ll have an 18-wheel truck rollover response – complete with police helicopter, fire and rescue and live video, and a Bus Rapid Transit demo featuring a “lane assist” guidance system.

AVIATION

1) Salt Lake Minor League Baseball Team Credits Plane Banner with Attendance Boost

Link to article in the Salt Lake Tribune:

http://www.sltrib.com/bees/ci_14861668

CAMERAS

2) Florida Math Tutor Uses Numbers to Fight Red-Light Camera Ticket

Link to story and video on WBBH-TV:

http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=12265823

3) Five Louisiana Bills Target Traffic Cams

Link to article in The Advocate:

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/90587519.html

4) Beware Photo Radar Ticket Wording in Arizona

State representative says efforts to identify drivers are designed solely to generate money.

Link to Capitol Media Services article:

http://azdailysun.com/news/local/state-and-regional/article_82960f4d-fb5e-55db-838d-d3b0eaac325f.html

CARTOGRAPHY

5) Volunteers Create New Digital Maps

Link to article in the San Jose Mercury News:

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_14856802

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

6) Are Florida Rental Car Drivers Paying Double the Road Tolls?

State investigating whether companies tell customers their vehicles have automatic toll-paying systems.

Link to article in the Sun Sentinel:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-rental-car-tolls-0409-20100412,0,511504.story

GPS / NAVIGATION

7) Navigator Technology Takes GPS to a New High

Link to article in Space Daily:

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Navigator_Technology_Takes_GPS_To_A_New_High_999.html

OTHER

8) New York City Taxi Chief Wants to Make Cabs More User Friendly

Link to article in the New York Post:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/taxi_chief_touching_vow_to_riders_vtKadUtQ4W0jZqWVI2xEhM

9) Taking It to the Streets: Collecting Travel Time Data, Speed with Bluetooth Technology

Link to article in Texas Transportation Researcher:

http://tti.tamu.edu/publications/researcher/newsletter.htm?vol=46&issue=1&article=3&year=2010

PARKING

10) Parking-Spot Finding in New York Gets Digital Aid

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/nyregion/11critic.html

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

11) Kansas DOT Uses YouTube to Illustrate Road Woes

Link to AP article:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9EUG7NG1.htm

RAILROADS

12) Soon, Tweet or Access E-Mails While Traveling in Trains in India

Link to article in The Economic Times:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/transportation/railways/Soon-tweet-or-access-e-mails-while-travelling-in-trains/articleshow/5783998.cms

ROADWAYS

13) A Historic Sense of Direction

Centuries-old milestones dot the Connecticut landscape.

Link to commentary in the Hartford Courant:

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/hc-plc-leff-historical-mileston.artapr11,0,4264909.story

SAFETY / SECURITY

14) NHTSA to Focus on Pedestrian Safety

Officials say new technology soon will detect walkers, cyclists to prevent fatal accidents.

Link to article in The Detroit News:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100410/AUTO01/4100312/1148/NHTSA-to-focus-on-pedestrian-safety

15) Canadian ePassports to Launch in 2012

Link to CBC News story:

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/04/07/canadian-epassports.html

16) Scanners, Sensors are Wrong Way to Secure the Subway

Link to commentary in the Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/04/07/2010-04-07_scanners_sensors_are_wrong_way_to_secure_the_subway.html

TRANSIT

17) Oyster Brand Bought for £1 Million by Transport for London

Link to BBC News story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8615584.stm

18) New Electronic Ticketing System for New South Wales

Link to AAP article:

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/new-electronic-ticketing-system-for-nsw-20100411-s0hk.html

19) San Francisco Bay Area Transit On Board with New Payment Card

Link to story and audio report on KCBS Radio:

http://www.kcbs.com/bayareanews/Bay-Area-Transit-On-Board-With-Clipper/6774144

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

20) New Jersey Turnpike Authority Remakes Web Site with Commuters in Mind

Link to article in the Asbury Park Press:

http://www.app.com/article/20100410/NEWS/4100324/Turnpike-Authority-remakes-Web-site-with-commuters-in-mind

21) Clueless in Charlotte, North Carolina? Not if You Read These Signs

Link to article in The Charlotte Observer:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/04/11/1369699/clueless-in-the-queen-city-not.html

22) Michelin App Delivers Maps, Real-Time Traffic Info

Link to article in Tire Review:

http://www.tirereview.com/Article/72621/michelin_app_delivers_maps_realtime_traffic_info.aspx

VEHICLES

23) Audi to Climb Pikes Peak Without a Driver

Link to AP article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j6SDS8jMxDqLp69_FVqJXo7Aq7MAD9EVFBL01

24) The Future of In-Car Technology

Link to article in Car and Driver:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/10q2/the_future_of_in-car_technology-feature

25) Look to Korea for How Connected Cars Can Save Money, Planet

Link to blog on Earth2Tech:

http://earth2tech.com/2010/04/11/look-to-korea-for-how-connected-cars-can-save-money-planet/

News Releases

1) Multitasking Pedestrians Tempt Tragedy; Operation Lifesaver/MARTA Begin Safety PSA Campaign

2) Car Rear Seat Entertainment Shipments Set to Nearly Double by 2015

3) Intelligent Transportation Systems – A Global Market Perspective

4) American Society of Civil Engineers Launches Revamped Web Site

5) Trafficmaster: Easy to Use International Rescue Now Available on the Blackberry

Upcoming Events

MIT Short Course – Modeling and Simulation of Transportation Networks – August 2-6 – Cambridge, Massachusetts

http://web.mit.edu/professional/short-programs/courses/simulation_transportation.html

Today in Transportation History

1935 **75^th anniversary** The first flight of the Bristol Blenheim, a British light bomber, was made.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history_old/blen1.html

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/tcnl/subscribe

If you have any difficulties please contact me at i95berniew@aol.com.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Friday, April 9, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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AVIATION

1) Glitches May Delay Lockheed US Air-Traffic Upgrade, FAA Says

Link to Bloomberg article:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-09/glitches-may-delay-lockheed-u-s-air-traffic-upgrade-faa-says.html

2) Review: Federal Program Used to Hide Flights From Public

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-04-08-blocked-flights_N.htm

CAMERAS

3) A New Way to Avoid Misbehaving Around Enforcement Cameras

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/08/a-new-way-to-behave-around-enforcement-cameras/

OTHER

4) RIM Buys Software Company that Delivers Internet Services to Cars

Link to CP article:

http://news.therecord.com/Business/article/695995

PARKING

5) Washington, DC Kicks Off Pay-to-Park by Phone

Link to column in The Washington Post:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2010/04/dc_kicks_off_pay-to-park_by_ph.html

ROADWAYS

6) Want to Avoid Red Lights? There’s an App for That

Link to story and audio report on NPR’s Talk of the Nation:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125729969

TELEMATICS

7) Voice Controls in the Car Keep Eyes on the Road

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-04-09-ford09_ST_N.htm

Link to news release from Ford:

http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-virginia-tech-transportation-32381

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

8) The Driving Public Hungers for Better Road Weather Information

Link to article in Telematics Update:

http://social.telematicsupdate.com/executive-viewpoint/driving-public-hungers-better-road-weather-information

VEHICLES

9) Clear Channel to Add News Crawl to the Car Stereo

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/clear-channel-to-add-news-crawl-to-the-car-stereo/

10) iPod Owners Listening in the Car

Link to article in Radio Ink:

http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=1763486&spid=24698

News Releases

1) ITS United Kingdom Makes 2010 Awards for Excellence

2) US DOT, States Plan ‘Transportation for the Nation’ Geospatial Data Initiative

3) ITS Joint Program Office to host IntelliDrive Workshops

4) TrafficLand Digital Helicopter with 3D Traffic Takes TV Reporting to New Heights

Upcoming Events

Short Course on Modern Mobility: What is PRT and Why You Should Care – April 23 – Kansas City, Kansas

http://www.advancedtransit.org/pub/2010/modernmobility.pdf

Friday Bonus

The World’s 18 Strangest Roadways

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/transportation/4338387.html?page=1

Today in Transportation History

1860 **150^th anniversary** – The first known recording of a human voice was made by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville.

http://www.firstsounds.org/

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/tcnl/subscribe

If you have any difficulties please contact me at i95berniew@aol.com.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Thursday, April 8, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Register Now for IBTTA’s Upcoming Summit: The Future of Tolling – Going Mainstream Through ORT and Interoperability, May 23-25, 2010 in Boston, MA

Join the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association in Boston for the fourth Summit in a series of workshops focused on the hot topics of ORT and Interoperability. This Summit will bring together transportation experts who will focus on lessons learned, case studies, business rules and future decision-making about all-electronic toll collection, interoperability, violation enforcement, and implications for vehicle miles traveled charging. Breakout sessions are divided into four main categories – On the Road and in the Car; Technology and Backroom Issues; Road Pricing and Financial Issues and In the Public and Policy Forum. IBTTA is exploring opportunities to involve university students and faculty from the Boston area in research connected with the main topics of this Summit. Click here for registration, hotel and travel information and to view the preliminary agenda.www.IBTTA.org

OTHER

1) Along for the Ride

When a team of Seton Hall alumni joined the launch of Shadow Traffic in 1979, they helped transform the morning commute.

Link to article in Seton Hall:

http://www.shu.edu/news/article/271059

2) FEMA Drafts MOU with Fish and Wildlife Service to Safeguard Migratory Birds from Communications Towers

Link to article in Government Security News:

http://www.gsnmagazine.com/article/20458/fema_drafts_mou_fish_and_wildlife_service_safeguar

RAILROADS

3) Amtrak Bill for Public Records: $6,080

Link to article in The Day:

http://www.theday.com/article/20100408/NWS01/304089467/1044

4) Derailed Locomotive Took Virginia Emergency Dispatchers Minutes to Find

Link to story and video on WVEC-TV:

http://www.wvec.com/news/Wrecked-locomotive-took-minutes-to-find-90035662.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

5) More Enforcement Planned Against Distracted Driving

Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303591204575170232249655828.html

Link to news release from US DOT:

http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2010/dot6210.htm

6) Hurricane Evacuation, Security System Tested

Link to story and video on KRIV-TV:

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/weather/100406-hurricane-evacuation-security-systems-tested

7) TSA OKs More than Just Apple iPad for Screening

Link to article in PCWorld:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/193749/tsa_oks_more_than_just_apple_ipad.html

8) Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 Safety Data Available Monday; Rollout Delayed Until November

Link to article on Truckinginfo:

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=69999

9) Phoning While Driving

Link to articles in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Status Report:

http://www.iihs.org/externaldata/srdata/docs/sr4502.pdf

TRANSIT

10) Feds Deny TriMet’s Request for Quieter Train Horns

Link to article in The Daily News:

http://www.tdn.com/news/state-and-regional/oregon/article_952fa38e-ffc2-5120-a064-68fa7f52d49f.html

11) Seattle Next Train Announcements as Good as They’re Going to Get

Link to blog and video on Seattle Transit Blog:

http://seattletransitblog.com/2010/04/08/next-train-announcements-good-as-theyre-going-to-get/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

12) South Korea and Japan Streets Ahead in Smart Transport

Link to CNN story:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/04/08/urban.smart.transport/

13) Inside Inrix – How Traffic Data is Collected, What It Means for Your Commute

Link to article in Consumer Reports:

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/04/inside-inrixhow-traffic-data-is-collected-what-it-means-to-your-commute.html

14) Going with the Traffic Flow in Alachua County, Florida

Link to article in The Gainesville Sun:

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100408/ARTICLES/4081057/1002

VEHICLES

15) Toyota Execs Debated When to Disclose Accelerator-Pedal Problem

Link to article in the Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-email8-2010apr08,0,218531.story

16) New Industry Group Formed to Promote Use of Satellite Technology for Australian Trucks

Link to article on Transport & Logistics News:

http://tandlnews.com.au/2010/04/08/article/New-industry-voice-for-IAP-providers/SGIUEJHOAS.html

News Releases

1) London Bike Hire Scheme to Use Contactless Smart Cards from Summer Launch

2) New 511 Travel Information Service to Assist Commuters and Motorists in California’s Inland Empire

3) Could EU-Funded CVIS Study Herald the Dawn of a New Transport Era?

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Impact of the New MUTCD on Pedestrians and Bicyclists – April 15

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/529240787

Today in Transportation History

1910 **100^th anniversary** The Los Angeles Motordome, a wooden track built for motor racing, opened in Playa de Rey, California.

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=950CE6D71430E233A25750C0A9629C946196D6CF

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/tcnl/subscribe

If you have any difficulties please contact me at i95berniew@aol.com.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net