TransportGooru

Friday, March 26, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Using the Phone and E-mail to Disseminate Transportation Information

As many of you know, in addition to editing the TCN and other transportation newsletters, I also lend my voice to a variety of transport projects.  This week I discovered an interesting service that allows you to easily record a message by phone or online and then add it to an e-mail message.  Seeing how transportation agencies and organizations are using everything from e-mail to Twitter accounts to share information, I thought this is an innovative method to engage those you want to reach in a different way.  I’ve included a couple of links to let you hear how it sounds.  The first is a message I recorded over the phone.

Phone message

The second example was done with a professional microphone.  It’s one of the announcements I made for the AirTrain at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Airport announcement

With this you could take advantage of those speakers attached to most computers and truly talk to your customers or constituents.  Using voice is more personal and conveys emotion better than words on a screen ever can.  Please contact me at bernie@bwcommunications.net if you’d like more information.  You can also visit my Web site at www.bwcommunications.net.

AVIATION

1) Air Traffic Controller Honored for Helping Pilot in Danger

Link to story and video on WISC-TV:

http://www.channel3000.com/news/22960687/detail.html

BICYCLES

2) Los Angeles DOT Launches Bicycle Blog

Link to LADOT Bike Blog:

http://ladotbikeblog.wordpress.com/

GPS / NAVIGATION

3) Court Rules Cell Phone GPS Records Not Enough to Dismiss Speeding Ticket

Link to CNET News article:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20001248-38.html

MARITIME

4) Safety Pain Scheme: Increasing Safety Morale

Link to article in Marine News:

http://dwp.marinelink.com/pubs/nwm/MN/201003/

PEDESTRIANS

5) British Columbia Launching Online Map to Show Walking Routes Around Province

Link to article in the Vancouver Sun:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=80b851e2-2b74-4b94-85d5-663862b023c3

ROADWAYS

6) ‘Hell is Real’ Bill Could Cost Kentucky $42 Million a Year in Federal Transportation Money

Legislation would exempt regulation of certain billboards.

Link to article in the Lexington Herald-Leader:

http://www.kentucky.com/2010/03/26/1198054/hell-is-real-bill-could-cost-state.html

TRANSIT

7) Uh Oh, Los Angeles Metro’s Time Schedule Monitors

Some suggestions on what the MTA can do to provide greater access to departure times on their monitors.

Link to blog on Plus Metro:

http://www.plusmetro.com/archive/all/2010/03/25/uh-oh-metros-time-schedule-monitors

News Releases

1) Destination-Specific Content Now Available on US Airways Boarding Passes

2) Ohio DOT District 7 Unveils New Online Technology Available to Motorists

3) British Columbia, Washington State Improve Cross-Border Travel with Expanding Traveler Information Systems

Upcoming Events

Webinars: National Transit Database Rural Reporting – Various Dates

http://www.ntionline.com/CourseInfo.asp?CourseNumber=TRI18-18 (State DOTs and Tribes)

http://www.ntionline.com/CourseInfo.asp?CourseNumber=TRI18-19 (Transit Agency Personnel)

Friday Bonus

Waiting for the Paris Metro? You might be in an IKEA ad.

http://www.fastcompany.com/1583435/waiting-for-the-paris-metro-you-might-be-in-an-ad

Today in Transportation History

1910 **100^th anniversary** Orville Wright made the first engine-powered flight in Alabama in Montgomery.  The site later became Maxwell Air Force Base.

http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1364

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

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, March 25, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Register Now for IBTTA’s Organization Management Workshop – April 18-20, 2010 in Austin, TX

The toll industry is evolving at an astonishing rate. Driven by financial realities, political change, and technological innovations the industry is facing a wide range of challenges and opportunities and is being forced to respond to them at lightning speed. Join IBTTA, April 18-20, 2010 in Austin, TX and keep your organization current on the latest industry trends to Enhance Mobility Through Innovation. Featured presenters include: Tom Vanderbilt, Keynote, Best-Selling Author and Journalist; Clarence Jones and Ellen Jaffe Jones, Winning News Media, Inc.; and Hans Bleiker and Annemarie Bleiker, Institute for Participatory Management & Planning. The hotel reservation cut-off for this meeting is Friday, March 26^th. Click here for registration, hotel and travel information and to view the preliminary agenda. www.IBTTA.org

AVIATION

1) Stealth Indianapolis Airport Study Tracked Phones

Link to article in The Indianapolis Star:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100325/BUSINESS/3250337/1003/BUSINESS/Stealth-09-Indy-airport-study-tracked-phones

2) NASA Researcher Revolutionizes Air Traffic Management

Link to India Blooms News Service article:

http://www.indiablooms.com/EnvironmentDetailsPage/environmentDetails250310c.php

CAMERAS

3) Los Angeles Police: Red-Light Camera Report was Flawed

Link to story and video on KABC-TV:

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7347347

GPS / NAVIGATION

4) Navigating the Future of GPS Devices

Link to column on CNET News:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31499_3-10470210-253.html

PARKING

5) Wireless Technology to Make Parking Spaces ‘Smart’ in Los Angeles and San Francisco

Link to article on PublicCEO:

http://www.publicceo.com/index.php/local-governments/151-local-governments-publicceo-exclusive/1317-wireless-technology-to-make-parking-spaces-smart-in-la-and-sf

RAILROADS

6) High-Speed Rail is a Public Relations Orphan

Link to blog in BizTimes:

http://www.biztimes.com/blogs/milwaukee-biz-blog/2010/3/25/high-speed-rail-is-a-pr-orphan

ROADWAYS

7) Germany’s Free Democrat’s: ‘Foolish’ Traffic Sign Changes Must End

Link to article on The Local:
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100325-26109.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) FCC Seeks Input on Common Alerting Protocol-Related Emergency Alert System Rule Changes

Protocol will allow geo-specific warnings to be sent to multiple platforms, including highway signs.

Link to article in Radio World:

http://www.rwonline.com/article/97268

TELEMATICS

9) UPS Invests $1 Billion in Technology to Cut Costs

Link to IDG News Service article:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/192434/ups_invests_1_billion_in_technology_to_cut_costs.html

10) Can Telematics Reinvent Auto Insurance?

Link to article in Telematics Update:

http://social.telematicsupdate.com/industry-insight/can-telematics-reinvent-auto-insurance

TRANSIT

11) Pittsburgh Makes Transit Data Available to Developers

Link to article in TheTransitWire:

http://www.thetransitwire.com/2010/03/25/pittsburgh-makes-transit-data-available-to-developers/

VEHICLES

12) Pimp Your Ride: Keep Yourself Entertained with These In-Car Gadgets

Link to story and video on STV Living:

http://living.stv.tv/home-garden/gadgets/165714-pimp-your-ride-keep-yourself-entertained-with-these-in-car-gadgets/

News Releases

1) Missouri DOT Weather Sensors a Winter Success

2) Navteq Selects WeatherBug Information to Compliment Industry-Leading Navteq Traffic Solution

Upcoming Events

TRB Webinar: Managing and Marketing Small Airports – April 6

http://www.trb.org/Calendar/Blurbs/TRB_Webinar_Managing_and_Marketing_Small_Airports_162977.aspx

Today in Transportation History

1910 **100^th anniversary** US President William Howard Taft sends Congress a report from the Liberian Commission, which includes a recommendation that the US establish a coaling station in Liberia for US ships.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=68497

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

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, March 24, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Register Now for IBTTA’s Organization Management Workshop – April 18-20, 2010 in Austin, TX

The toll industry is evolving at an astonishing rate. Driven by financial realities, political change, and technological innovations the industry is facing a wide range of challenges and opportunities and is being forced to respond to them at lightning speed. Join IBTTA, April 18-20, 2010 in Austin, TX and keep your organization current on the latest industry trends to Enhance Mobility Through Innovation. Featured presenters include: Tom Vanderbilt, Keynote, Best-Selling Author and Journalist; Clarence Jones and Ellen Jaffe Jones, Winning News Media, Inc.; and Hans Bleiker and Annemarie Bleiker, Institute for Participatory Management & Planning. The hotel reservation cut-off for this meeting is Friday, March 26^th. Click here for registration, hotel and travel information and to view the preliminary agenda. www.IBTTA.org

CAMERAS

1) Yellow-Lights Shorter at Chicago Red-Light Camera Intersections

Link to article on Chicago Breaking News:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/03/yellow-lights-shorter-at-chicago-red-light-camera-intersections.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

2) GPS Data from New York City Cabs Provides Detailed Picture of Traffic

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/nyregion/24traffic.html

RAILROADS

3) Penn Station Baltimore Announcer Replaced by Digital Voice

Link to story and video on WJZ-TV:

http://wjz.com/watercooler/digital.voice.penn.2.1583739.html

4) In Memoriam: Norfolk Southern Logo, ‘Thoroughbred’ Brand Architect H. Pier Clifford

Link to article in Progressive Railroading:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=22843

SPACE

5) Mars Rover Gets Smarter with Age …and Software

Link to CNET News article:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-10470421-76.html

VEHICLES

6) EU Shows Off ‘Talking Car’ Technology

Link to article on just-auto:

http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103786&lk=dm

7) GM’s Car of the Future

Electric-powered vehicle uses GPS and vehicle-to-vehicle communications to determine best route.

Link to article in Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/23/general-motors-future-business-autos-gm-cars.html

8) Mobility 2.0 Live at Cooperative Mobility Showcase 2010

Link to article and video from ERTICO-ITS Europe:

http://www.ertico.com/en/news/press/showcase.htm

News Releases

1) Indiana DOT Deploys Proxim Wireless for Statewide Intelligent Transportation System

2) FCC Reminds Telecommunications Service Providers of Importance of Implementing Advisory Committee 9-1-1 and Enhanced 9-1-1 Services Best Practices

3) Canada’s Skymeter Corporation Scoops the Main Prize in the Coveted Intertraffic Innovation Awards

Solicitation

–  Invitation to Negotiate – Video Aggregation Subsystem Phase II – Florida Department of Transportation

http://vbs.dms.state.fl.us/vbs/ad.view_ad?advertisement_key_num=86018

Upcoming Events

TRB Webinar: New Managed Lane Provisions in the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) – April 1

http://www.trb.org/Calendar/Blurbs/TRB_Webinar_New_Managed_Lane_Provisions_in_the_200_163053.aspx

Today in Transportation History

1910 **110^th anniversary** – Ground was formally broken for construction of a subway tunnel connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.

http://www.nycsubway.org/articles/nytimes-1900-tunnelbegun.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

(Sources: Wired; RTTNews, Associated Press, The Detroit News GM Press Release)

General Motors always dreams big, no matter how much money they have in their bank account.  Now that Uncle Sam’s treasury is backing up the financial future,  GM continues its tradition of dreaming big and the latest outcome of this is a future where people navigate crowded cities in big Segways that look kinda like a Dyson vacuum cleaner and can drive you home when you’ve had one too many after a long day at work. . Seriously.

Today, GM unveiled a trio of electric “urban mobility vehicles,” built with help from the über-geeks at Segway, today in Shanghai. They’re called Electric Networked Vehicles (EN-V) and they’re designed for cities bursting at the seams with traffic.  The EN-V, pronounced “envy,” is GM’s latest effort to burnish its credentials as a future-focused, environmentally friendly company and shed its image as the bastion of the gas guzzling Hummer. The automaker is in the process of winding down Hummer after a deal collapsed to sell it to a Chinese heavy equipment maker. The helmet-shaped two-seater vehiclesunveiled today in Shanghai will be now showcased at world expo 2010 to be held in Shanghai starting May 1 through October 31. The pavilion will be shared by GM with its Chinese partner SAIC Motor Corp.  There will be three models on display in Shanghai:

• Red – Jiao, or Pride – Created by designers at GM Europe, the vehicle was influenced by bullet trains and Chinese opera masks.
• Black – Miao, or Magic –  Sculpted by designers at GM’s Advanced Design Studio in California and influenced by the consumer electronics industry’s sleek, masculine looks.
• Blue –  Xiao, or Laugh –  Created by GM Holden’s designers in Australia, who took a more lighthearted approach to the vehicle’s “gumball blue” paint and nautical design.

Shanghai is the perfect place to show the funky runabouts because China is the largest automobile market on the planet. A lot of thought is going into figuring out how all those people buying all those cars will get around. Sixty percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2030 and there will be 2 billion cars on the road. Automakers are looking for ways to build cars that pollute less and take up less space.

Here are some interesting nuggets gleaned from the above sources:

• To that end, the two-seater concepts are about one-sixth the size of a conventional car.
• They’re made of lightweight materials like carbon fiber and weigh just 1,000 pounds apiece. GM says you can squeeze five of them into a single parking space.
• The 1.5 meter by 1.5 meter (about 5 foot by 5 foot) EN-V appears to build on GM’s earlier work with Segway Inc. in developing the Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility (PUMA) concept vehicle. It will use the same types of battery cells as the Segway and the same battery supplier, Valence Technology Inc.
• The propulsion technique employed in the prototype was, however, introduced earlier by GM on its Hy-wire concept, introduced at the Paris Motor Show 2006.  The forward-thinking concepts build upon we saw last year in New York.
• Powered by Lithium-ion batteries and enriched with capabilities like dramatically smaller turning radius, the zero-emission vehicle is designed to travel at least 40 kilometers on a single charge.
• GM notes that the operating costs are one-fifth to one-sixth the price of a conventional motor vehicle and one-third to one-fourth the operating cost of a passenger car.
• The EN-Vs are super-connected. They’ll use GPS, distance-sensing technology and vehicle-to-vehicle communications to ease congestion and reduce the risk of accidents. GM says the vehicles can “sense” what’s around them and react quickly to obstacles or changes in driving conditions.
• There’s a motor in each wheel and a lithium-ion battery. It’s got “dynamic stabilization technology” so it can balance on two wheels, and GM says it can “literally turn on a dime.” It also says the vehicles have a range of 25 miles and a top speed of 25 mph, which it says is more than adequate for daily city driving.
• There will be an estimated 1.2 billion vehicles worldwide in 2030. That’s up from 844 million three years ago, according to the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association.
• People living in major cities will have a more difficult time commuting because in 20 years, 60 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas, according to GM.
• In major cities, 30 percent of fuel is wasted while drivers hunt for parking spots, which adds to the cost associated with operating vehicles.

Click here for some interesting pictures and a detailed scoop.  If you are interested in reading more about the concept and have the time to enjoy some cool videos that demonstrate the technology and vision, click here.

Related articles by Zemanta

• GM Previews EN-V Mobility Concepts Ahead Of 2010 Shanghai World Expo (thecarconnection.com)
• GM Pod Car Looks Like a 2-Wheeled Vacuum (wired.com)
• GM’s EN-V concept car: auto redo for green future (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• GM’s two-seater EN-V concept makes ‘urban mobility’ hip again (engadget.com)
• They’re Also Known As…: (brothersjuddblog.com)
• GM Unveils EN-V Concept Vehicle (ubergizmo.com)
• GM unveils three futuristic, urban EN-V concepts (autoblog.com)
• GM EN-V Concept Car Could Fit Into An Apartment (huffingtonpost.com)
• Is it a bike, is it a car? GM debuts electric mini-vehicle concept car (businessgreen.com)
• GM floats autonomous two-seater city car idea (news.cnet.com)

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Register Now for IBTTA’s Organization Management Workshop – April 18-20, 2010 in Austin, TX

The toll industry is evolving at an astonishing rate. Driven by financial realities, political change, and technological innovations the industry is facing a wide range of challenges and opportunities and is being forced to respond to them at lightning speed. Join IBTTA, April 18-20, 2010 in Austin, TX and keep your organization current on the latest industry trends to Enhance Mobility Through Innovation. Featured presenters include: Tom Vanderbilt, Keynote, Best-Selling Author and Journalist; Clarence Jones and Ellen Jaffe Jones, Winning News Media, Inc.; and Hans Bleiker and Annemarie Bleiker, Institute for Participatory Management & Planning. The hotel reservation cut-off for this meeting is Friday, March 26^th. Click here for registration, hotel and travel information and to view the preliminary agenda. www.IBTTA.org

AVIATION

1) A Vote to Replace Radar

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/us/23brfs-AVOTETOREPLA_BRF.html

2) Airport Device Follows Fliers’ Phones

TSA could use technology to track time spent in security lines.

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2010-03-23-cellphones_N.htm

3) Air-Traffic Controllers Earn Praise for a Calm Assist

Link to column in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/22/AR2010032203512.html

4) e-Media: A Look at Web-Based Customer Service and Marketing Solutions

Link to article in Airport Business:

http://www.airportbusiness.com/print/Airport-Business-Magazine/e—Media–A-look-at-Web-based-customer-service-and-marketing-solutions-/1$34757

5) In-Air Advertising Soars with Branded Snack Bags on Delta

In-airport advertising also growing.

Link to article on MediaBuyerPlanner:

http://www.mediabuyerplanner.com/entry/49787/in-air-advertising-soars-with-branded-snack-bags-on-delta/

CARTOGRAPHY

6) Fury as Google Puts the SAS’s Secret Base on Street View in ‘Very Serious Security Breach’

Link to article in the Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259162/Google-Street-View-shows-secret-SAS-base-major-security-breach.html

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

7) Cash Tolls on Miami-Dade Expressways Will Soon be Electronic

Link to article in The Miami Herald:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/23/1542836/cash-tolls-on-miami-dade-expressways.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

8) Three New GLONASS Satellites Activated

Link to article in GPS World:

http://www.gpsworld.com/gnss-system/glonass/news/glonass-up-date-and-out-state-9710

MARITIME

9) Washington State Ferry Riders Can Use HERO Line to Report Line Cutters

Link to article in The Seattle Times:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011417623_ferrylinecuts23m.html

OTHER

10) Flinc Will Turn Your Car Into a Taxi (Fare Included)

Link to CNET News blog:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20000919-248.html

PARKING

11) The Future of… Parking

Link to video on ZDNet:

http://news.zdnet.com/2422-19177_22-398998.html

ROADWAYS

12) Florida Road System to Warn of Panthers

Link to article in The News-Press:

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100323/NEWS0125/100322081/1075/Florida-road-system-to-warn-of-panthers

SAFETY / SECURITY

13) More Cities Ban Digital Billboards

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-22-visual-soup_N.htm

14) Cell Restriction Included in Proposed Commercial Motor Vehicle Texting Ban

Link to article in Land Line:

http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2010/Mar10/032210/032210-01.htm

15) Drones May be Sent Soon to Help with US-Mexico Border Security, DHS Secretary Says

Link to article in The Dallas Morning News:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-border_20tex.ART.State.Edition1.4c56cec.html

TELEMATICS

16) Motolingo Brings Telematics to Clunkers

Link to CNET News column:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20000948-250.html

TRANSIT

17) An Easier Way to Use Bus Tracker

DePaul University puts tracking information on public displays around campuses.

Link to article in the Chicago Sun-Times:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/2115280,CST-NWS-ride22.article

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

18) Pune Municipal Corporation’s Intelligent Transport System Draws Flak

Link to Express News Service article:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/PMC-s-intelligent-transport-system-draws-flak/594325

19) Bangalore’s Traffic Nightmare

Technology may help commuters.

Link to article and video on GlobalPost:

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/india/100318/bangalore-technology-traffic

20) RAC Traffic Review

Link to review on Know Your Mobile:

http://www.knowyourmobile.com/smartphones/smartphoneapps/androidapplications/446219/rac_traffic_review.html

21) Hey Los Angeles Metro, How About Some Accurate Information?

Link to blog on KTLA-TV:

http://blogs.ktla.com/news_custom_eric/2010/03/hey-metro-how-about-some-accurate-information.html

VEHICLES

22) Former General Electric CEO Jack Welch on Toyota’s PR Disaster

Link to CNBC video:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=289004&cl=18766423&src=finance&ch=4043681

News Releases

1) Federal Railroad Administration Launches a New, Innovative Train Simulator to Improve Research Efforts

2) NTSB Chairman Highlights Runway Safety and Human Fatigue in Address to Air Traffic Controllers

3) Indiana DOT Partners with Broadcasters to Make Traffic Video Available

4) Thousands in UK Tune In to Non-Stop Travel News on Their Mobile Phone

5) University of Alabama at Birmingham Testing Software Program to Improve Safety Among Older Drivers

6) ZoomSafer Enables Drivers to Send and Receive Voice-Powered Texts and E-mails

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Experience from Others: How to Successfully Apply the ITS Knowledge Resources for Decision Making – April 15

http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/s100415_knowledge.asp

Today in Transportation History

1965 **45^th anniversary** Gemini-3, the first two-person NASA space flight, was launched.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/gemini/gemini-3/gemini-3.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

Date: April 15, 2010

Time: 1:00–2:30 PM ET

Cost: All T3s are free of charge

PDH: 1.5. — Webinar participants are responsible for determining eligibility of these PDHs within their profession.

Register On-line
Contact the T3 Administrator

T3 Webinars are brought to you by the ITS Professional Capacity Building Program (ITS PCB) at the U.S. Department of Transportation‘s (USDOT) ITS Joint Program Office, Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Reference in this webinar to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by U.S. Department of Transportation.

Webinar Description

The Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has developed online ITS Knowledge Resources for decision making support. The major objectives on these online tools are to:

• Capture ITS costs, benefits and lessons learned from experiences of stakeholders in their planning, deployment, operations, maintenance, and evaluation of ITS.
• Provide all ITS stakeholders with convenient access to costs, benefits and lessons learned knowledge so that they can make informed decisions in their future ITS actions.

The ITS Knowledge resources include the ITS Benefits Database (www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov), the ITS Costs Database (www.itscosts.its.dot.gov), and the ITS Lessons Learned Database (www.itslessons.its.dot.gov). The U.S. DOT’s ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Program is sponsoring a T3 (Talking Technology and Transportation) webinar to show ITS professionals how to use these databases to help stakeholders make better informed decisions.

This webinar will show participants how to use the databases and knowledge resources available through a “live” demonstration that features the websites. Following the demonstration of each of the ITS Benefits, Costs and Lessons Learned databases, participants will engage in interactive exercises where participants will use the knowledge resources to solve test case problems and respond to polling questions.

In addition, presenters will introduce new enhancements to the unit cost database that provide sample project costs. Participants will have an opportunity to provide comments about the new features.

Audience

Anyone involved in planning, implementation, and operation of ITS systems, including Federal, State, and local transportation professionals.

Learning Outcomes

• Ability to use the ITS Knowledge Resources to find information on ITS costs, benefits and lessons learned.
• Understanding how the ITS Knowledge Resources can help stakeholders make informed decisions in planning, deployment, operations, maintenance, and evaluation of ITS.
• Provide comments on the new unit costs enhancements.

Host:

Marcia Pincus, Program Manager, Environment (AERIS) and ITS Evaluation, ITS Joint Program Office

Marcia Pincus is currently the Program Manager, Environment (AERIS) and ITS Evaluation, for the ITS Joint Program Office at USDOT. Marcia joined the ITS JPO six years ago, and has over 15 years experience as an ITS policy analyst and program manager in the public, private, and academic sectors.

Presenters:

Firoz Kabir, Principal, Noblis

Firoz Kabir is a Principal with Noblis in Washington, DC. He has over 24 years of experience in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and transportation engineering. He has been a consultant to public- and private-sector organizations for a wide range of projects that have encompassed regional transportation planning, highway design, ITS architecture, transportation knowledge resource development, and advanced technology implementation planning for traffic and transit systems. He has conducted research for U.S. DOT, the New Jersey DOT, and the Florida DOT in the areas of traffic operations and transportation safety. Firoz holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Mumbai), an MS in Civil Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Johns Hopkins University.

Cheryl Lowrance, Principal Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Engineer, Noblis

Cheryl Lowrance is a Principal Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Engineer with Noblis supporting the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), ITS Joint Program Office. She has 25 years of experience in traffic engineering and traffic management including project management, design and implementation of traffic signals, traffic signal systems, and freeway surveillance systems. Cheryl currently provides leadership for the ITS Program Assessment Knowledge Resources, Benefits and Costs databases. Activities include researching and writing content; leading the development of improvements to the websites; making presentations to industry leaders on the resources available for planning, design, and implementation; and responding to quick task assignments from the client pertaining to benefit and cost inquiries. She has a BS in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Technological University.

Monday, March 22, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Spring’s Sprung:  It’s Time to Make Plans to Attend ITS America’s 2010 Annual Meeting & Exposition, May 3-5, 2010, in Houston, Texas.

• Plan to attend the “meeting before the meeting”:  the Texas State Senate Transportation & Homeland Security Committee will examine key issues at 9:00 a.m. Monday, immediately prior to the Opening Plenary.  The Committee will conduct a hearing focused on congestion and air quality, overweight vehicles, hurricane response and other issues such as transportation finance and traffic safety.
• Reserve a spot for a unique opportunity to tour the security system of the Port of Houston, the port ranking second in the US in total tonnage.  You also won’t want to miss touring Houston’s other innovative ITS-enabled transportation resources including Houston TranStar, a national leader in freeway incident management.
• Choose from among our 50+ educational sessions, and earn “professional development hours.”
• Save time and register online. The Conference hotel is 90% sold out; click here for reservations.
• Exhibit space and sponsorship opportunities are still available.

AVIATION

1) The Future of… Airplane Service

Seatback touch-screens can and will offer a variety of services.

Link to video on ZDNet:

http://news.zdnet.com/2422-19177_22-405374.html

2) The Future of Flight

Editorial calls for airlines to install equipment to allow use of NextGen air traffic control.

Link to editorial in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/20/AR2010032002738.html

GPS / NAVIGATION

3) GPS-Guided Parachutes Deliver Supplies to Soldiers in Remote Areas

Link to article on Nextgov:

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100318_6585.php

4) Use of Car GPS Units Steering Some Truckers Into Trouble

Link to article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_672795.html

MARITIME

5) UK Opens National Control Center to Tackle Security Risks at Sea

Link to BBC News story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8579649.stm

OTHER

6) California Lawmakers’ Travel Data Secret

Security concerns cited for refusal to disclose destinations or proof trips were for official business.

Link to AP article:

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14693669

7) ‘Augmented Reality’ Travel App Bolsters Smartphone

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-03-22-realitytravel22_ST_N.htm

8) Phone + GPS + Camera = Revolution

Link to article in Governing:

http://www.governing.com/column/phone-gps-camera-revolution

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

9) Take $787 Billion. Now Show Where It’s Going

Advising the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board on how to offer clear data.

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/business/media/22link.html

ROADWAYS

10) The Internet of Cars

Link to article on ICT Results:

http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults/index.cfm?section=news&tpl=article&BrowsingType=Features&ID=91314

TRANSIT

11) Wi-Fi on New Mexico’s Rail Runner Gets Closer

Link to article from the Albuquerque Journal:

http://www.masstransitmag.com/web/online/Top-Transit-News/WiFi-on-Rail-Runner-Gets-Closer/3$11014

12) New York MTA Slows Rollout of Pictographs Due to Budget Crunch

Link to article in the New York Post:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/cash_strapped_mta_signs_off_jCeoFcHniqpB0Hew8QY0PL

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

13) Pennsylvania DOT’s Incident Command Center Uses New Technology to Monitor Roads

Link to article in The Times-Tribune:

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/penndot-s-incident-command-center-uses-new-technology-to-monitor-roads-1.691666?localLinksEnabled=false

14) Road Conditions Tracked, Shared by University of Maryland-Created Network

Link to article in The Baltimore Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.traffic21mar21,0,3231007.story

15) Intelligent Traffic System to be Used in Gurgaon, India During Commonwealth Games

Link to IANS article:

http://sify.com/finance/gurgaon-to-have-intelligent-traffic-system-news-default-kdvq4cbfage.html

16) The Start Date of Intelligent Transport Management System in Baku, Azerbaijan Announced

Link to article on Today.Az:

http://www.today.az/news/business/64568.html

VEHICLES

17) Taking the Driver Out of the Car

Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703580904575131511589391150.html

News Releases

1) EU’s Emergency Support System Project to Conduct Field Test April 28

2) Beat the Traffic Introduces New Traffic Forecasting Feature for iPhone and BlackBerry Apps

Upcoming Events

Women’s Transportation Seminar Annual Conference – May 19-21 – Washington, DC

http://www.wtsinternational.org/SecondaryTemplate.aspx?id=5378

Today in Transportation History

1860 **150^th anniversary** John George Bartholomew, a noted cartographer and geographer, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland.

http://www.johnbartholomew.com/

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

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

To unsubscribe from this group, send email to tcnl+unsubscribegooglegroups.com or reply to this email with the words “REMOVE ME” as the subject.

Friday, March 19, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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The TCN and Social Media

Would you like a daily preview of what’s coming up in the TCN?  Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/brwagenblast and I’ll give you a look at what’s coming up in that day’s edition.  In addition, you can stay connected by becoming a fan of the TCN on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Transportation-Communications-Newsletter/25187272828.  I also welcome personal connections on LinkedIn and Facebook.

AVIATION

1) FAA Defends Big Budget Hike for New Air Traffic Control System

Link to article on Nextgov:

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100318_4899.php

2) NTSB Wants Better Communication After Northwest Airlines Incident

Link to Bloomberg article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hSofDoT5LyX3TkJEaFHEJPNHSALAD9EHACDG0

Link to news release from the NTSB:

http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2010/100318.html

3) Eurocontrol Launches Aircraft Identification Program

Link to article in Avionics:

http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/topstories/Eurocontrol-Launches-Aircraft-Identification-Program_67169.html

4) Pilots Adjusting to Loran’s Demise

Link to article from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association:

http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2010/100318loran.html

CAMERAS

5) Missouri Traffic Enforcement Cameras Raise Constitutional, Authority Issues

Link to article in the Missourian:

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/03/19/traffic-enforcement-cameras-raise-constutional-authority-issues/

6) School Bus Cameras OK’d in New Orleans to Record Other Motorists’ Wrong Moves

Link to article in The Times-Picayune:

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/03/school_bus_cameras_okd_to_reco.html

OTHER

7) Could School Bus Ads Save School Budgets?

Link to AP article:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10145057

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

8) Metra Releases Video of Fatality Hoping It Will Serve as a Reminder of Dangers

Link to story and video on WMAQ-TV:

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/metra-train-video-88310507.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) News from ERTICO-ITS Europe

–  eCall Implementation Plan

http://www.ertico.com/en/news/ertico_newsroom/eu_news_ecall_implementation_platform_02.htm

–  Marco Polo Funding Opportunities

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

10) US Department of Homeland Security’s Progress in Federal Incident Management Planning

Link to report from the DHS Inspector General:

http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIGr_10-58_Feb10.pdf

SPACE

11) Moon2.0: Opening Up Space Exploration

NASA’s using social media to promote space exploration.

Link to article on SmartBlog on Social Media:

http://smartblogs.com/socialmedia/2010/03/18/moon-2-0-opening-up-space-exploration/

TRANSIT

12) Illinois RTA, Seeking Cash, Looks Into Ads on Its Web Site

Link to article in the Chicago Sun-Times:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/2110529,rta-looks-at-web-ads-031810.article

13) When’s the Next Bus Due? There’s an App for that Too

Link to article on TechCrunch Europe:

http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/03/18/whens-the-next-bus-due-theres-an-app-for-that-too/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

14) Aha Radio App Streams News, Traffic, Facebook, and More

Link to review and video on CNET:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10469418-233.html

VEHICLES

15) Roewe 350 Touted as the World’s First Android-Powered Automobile

Link to article on ZDNet:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=13405

News Releases

1) Mikoh Secures Ten-Year Electronic Vehicle Registration System Contract with the Second Largest ASEAN Economy

2) Asian Pacific ITS Key Players and Policy Makers Meet at Regional Workshop on Intelligent Transport Systems

Job Postings

–  Transportation Specialists – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Technology Division – Washington, DC

http://tinyurl.com/yzul7m8

Upcoming Events

Air Transport Association e-Business Forum – May 17-19 – Seattle

http://www.ataebiz.org/forum/

Friday Bonus

Ants keep roads safe – it’s no bull.

http://www.watoday.com.au/national/ants-keep-roads-safe–its-no-bull-20090714-djml.html

Today in Transportation History

1945 **65^th anniversary** The USS Franklin was struck by a Japanese dive-bomber.  The explosions and resulting fires killed 724 crew members aboard the ship.

http://www.ussfranklin.org/main.htm

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

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

Click the IBM banner below to learn more about the opportunity:

Responsibilities:

Individual will provide support to the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) contract with the US Department of Transportation. Typical activities will include technical oversight of standards development and deployment activities, reviewing literature to identify promising ITS technologies, reviewing new standards to determine their completeness, evaluating standards deployment outreach tools, reviewing project specifications and design documents to determine their conformance to ITS standards, reviewing standards based test documentation, and reviewing project documentation for vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communications projects for conformance to ITS Standards.

Requirements:

BS in a related technical area (Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Information Systems, etc.) MS preferred. 5+ years experience with developing concept of operations, system requirements specifications, or business processes; strong analytical ability required; excellent oral and written communication skills required; and experience with transportation systems desirable. An understanding of, and familiarity with, the following is desirable:

• Standards development process and the use of standards
• Wireless networks for vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communication
• International standards
• Information/communications system design and development
• Vehicle-based electronics systems

Employer Profile: Noblis is a nonprofit science, technology and strategy organization that helps clients solve complex systems, process and infrastructure problems in ways that benefit the public.  We bring the best of scientific thought and engineering know-how to find solutions that are practical, efficient and effective.  You will find Noblis at work in many fields, including national and homeland security; transportation; healthcare; criminal justice; energy and the environment; oceans, atmosphere and space; and public safety.

Noblis is consistently recognized as a “Great Place to Work” and “One of the Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work For”by Washingtonian Magazine, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Great Places to Work Institute, and AARP.  Noblis was also named to the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” list by the Ethisphere Institute at the Forbes, Ethisphere Joint Conference

Click here to apply for the above position and/or to view other  job opportunities at Noblis.  Good luck!