TransportGooru

Please RSVP to transprt@us.ibm.com

When: Thursday, February 25, 2010

Time: 9:00 – 11:45 a.m.

Where: The Rayburn House Office Building, Room B-318, Washington, DC 20005

The rising trends of globalization, urbanization and exponential population growth are applying pressure on our already stressed transportation networks. Leaders of public and commercial transportation systems face daunting challenges including predicting demand, optimizing capacity, improving the traveler’s experience, and maximizing efficiency – all while reducing environmental impact and continuing to assure safety and security. Fortunately, new approaches and technologies are delivering solutions to meet these challenges.

The need for progress is clear. There are now more than 475 urban areas with more than 1 million people residing in them. That’s an increase of 573% from 1950 when there were only 83. That translates into more than half the world’s population now living in urban areas. Transportation congestion continues to grow, wasting time and money while creating more pollution. Most of the developed world’s transportation infrastructures were designed decades ago and reflect the available technology, population and requirements at that time. Simply, the infrastructure responsible for moving the world’s people and things is inadequate.

Meanwhile, transportation investment remains a hot topic in Washington due to federal stimulus funding and new surface transportation legislation that Congress is working to pass.

Please join IBM on Thursday, February 25, 2010, for an exclusive forum in Washington D.C. which will bring together policy makers, transportation companies, metro planners and academics to discuss the future of transportation and how new innovations and investments can bring about speedier and greener passenger travel.

Hosted at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington D.C., the forum will examine society’s need for updated transportation infrastructures– using technology to predict travel times, manage capacity and promote safer transport. Prominent transportation leaders from government and industry will discuss powerful strategies and solutions to dramatically improve our transportation systems.

Participants will include Congressman Earl Blumenaur from Oregon, Dr. Robert Bertini, Deputy Administrator, US DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Janet Kavinocky from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Judge Quentin Kopp, former Chairman of California High Speed Rail Authority, and other distinguished guests.

We value your perspectives and insights on this important topic and look forward to your participation in this collaborative event. Further details will be provided upon your response.

RSVP: transprt@us.ibm.com

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• IBM opens center in Washington (ecombizcenter.blogspot.com)

When:  Wednesday 24 February 2010; 6:00-7:30 PM

Where:  Capitol Visitor Center Room SVC-20 , E Capitol St NE & 1st St NE, Washington, DC

Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT) is pleased to announce the February 2010 Leadership Seminar on Transportation Policy featuring leading industry figures in shaping the nation’s surface transportation vision.  This panel discussion will feature representatives from three major recent efforts that examine the current state of the transportation system and offer policy recommendations moving forward based on a series of testimonies and rigorous research.

In addition, panelists will offer their thoughts on professional development and leadership skills necessary to make a difference in the arena of national decision-making.

Featured Panelists:

Jack Schenendorf, Of Counsel, Covington and Burling – Representing the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission

Jack Schenendorf’s practice concentrates on transportation and legislation with a particular focus on legislative strategy, legislative procedure, and the federal budget process. He was recently appointed by Speaker Hastert to the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, where he serves as Vice-Chairman. For nearly 25 years, Mr. Schenendorf served on the staff of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was Chief of Staff from 1995 to 2001. In BNA’s Daily Report for Executives, Mr. Schenendorf was described “as one of the most powerful staffers on the Hill, [who] has played a large role in crafting every piece of major transportation legislation in the past decade.” Prior to joining the firm in 2001, Mr. Schenendorf served on the Bush/Cheney Transition where he was Chief of the Transition Policy Team for the U.S. Department of Transportation and was responsible for reviewing all transportation policies and issues for the incoming Administration.

Kathy Ruffalo, President, Ruffalo and Associates LLC – Representing the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission

President of Ruffalo and Associates, LLC – a government affairs consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Ms. Ruffalo has 20 years of experience in the public policy arena at both federal and state levels of government. From 1989 to 1999, she served as a senior advisor to the United States Environment and Public Works Committee – for then Chairman Senator Max Baucus – with the primary responsibility for developing, drafting and negotiating federal transportation policy. From 1999 to 2004, she was a senior policy advisor to Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne. In 2004, she was recruited to return to Capitol Hill where she was a key drafter and negotiator of SAFETEA-LU. She is a 1989 graduate of Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences.

Emil Frankel, Director of Transportation Policy – Representing the Bipartisan Policy Center’s National Transportation Policy Project

Emil H. Frankel is an independent consultant on transportation policy and public management issues. He serves as Director of Transportation Policy for the Bipartisan Policy Center. Mr. Frankel was Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy of the United States Department of Transportation from 2002 to 2005. Appointed by President George W. Bush, Mr. Frankel played a key role in the coordination and development of the Administration’s proposal to reauthorize the Federal highway, transit, and highway safety programs. From 1991 to 1995, he was Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Between state and Federal service, Mr. Frankel was Of Counsel to Day, Berry & Howard in the law firm’s Stamford, Connecticut, office. During that time he was also a Management Fellow of Yale University’s School of Management and a Senior Fellow at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, engaged in teaching and research on issues of transportation, energy and environmental policy and public management. Also at the Yale School of Management and Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Mr. Frankel will be a visiting lecturer in Spring 2008. From 1999 to 2001 he was a Selectman of the Town or Weston, Connecticut. Mr. Frankel received his Bachelor’s Degree from Wesleyan University and his LL.B. from Harvard Law School, and was a Fulbright Scholar at Manchester University in the United Kingdom. From 1981 to 1997 he was a member of the Board of Trustees of Wesleyan University, where he is now a Trustee Emeritus.

RSVP: Due to security restrictions, a list of names for non-Congressional staff must be submitted to the Capitol Visitor Center prior to the event.  Please send your RSVP to ypt@transportation.org with “YPT Seminar” as the subject by COB Monday 22 February 2010.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Unspeakable Truths: Is Transforming Transportation A Key To Solving America’s Economic Crisis?

In his fourth book in four years, Professor Joseph M. Giglio argues that our thinking about Transforming Transportation in America must evolve to reflect how the Financial Meltdown and Economic Crisis have changed our world.

To help understand why, his book begins by reviewing how the Current Economic Crisis came about and what impact it’s likely to have on life in America. He provides clear, detailed explanations of the Great Financial Meltdown of 2008, the whys and wherefores of subjects like Oil Price Volatility, the Crazy World of Financial Derivatives, and the Housing and Mortgage Mess. Plus the down-and-dirty realities of Markets in the 21^st Century. Finally, he explores some of the things we’ll have to do to Make It Big in the much changed world of the 21^stCentury, such as transforming our Transportation Systems into Serious Economic Growth Generators. The book is available on Amazon and from the publisher, the Hudson Institute.

AVIATION

1) Los Angeles Airport Commission Approves More Runway Safety Lights

Link to article in the Daily Breeze:

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_14413965

Link to news release from Los Angeles World Airports:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/full-installation-of-runway-safety-warning-system-slated-for-los-angeles-international-airport-84534217.html

2) Britons Found Intercepting ATC-Pilot Conversation near New Delhi Airport

Link to article in The Economic Times:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Britons-found-intercepting-ATC-pilot-conversation/articleshow/5582320.cms

CAMERAS

3) Intense Backlash Against Arizona Speed Cameras

Link to story and audio report on NPR’s Morning Edition:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123501023

GPS / NAVIGATION

4) Ski Resorts Use GPS to Let Skiers Track Runs, Vertical Drop

Link to ABC News story and video:

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/ski-resorts-gps-skiers-track-runs-vertical-drop/story?id=9854190

MARITIME

5) US Coast Guard Deploys Improved Alert System

Link to article in Signal:

http://www.afcea.org/signal/articles/templates/signal_connections.asp?articleid=2217&zoneid=220

OTHER

6) Report on Public Authorities Platform Meeting on February 4

Link to article on ERTICO – ITS Europe:

http://www.ertico.com/en/news/ertico_newsroom/public_authorities_platform_meeting_4_february_2010.htm

RAILROADS

7) Belgian Train Crash: EU Pleads Not Guilty

Link to article on EurActiv:

http://www.euractiv.com/en/transport/train-crash-eu-pleads-not-guilty-news-260048

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) Oregon’s Proposed Emergency Radio Network Hits Static

Link to article in The Oregonian:

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/02/oregons_proposed_emergency_rad.html

TELEMATICS

9) OnStar CIO’s Career Success is No Accident

Link to article in Computerworld:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9157618/OnStar_CIO_s_Career_Success_Is_No_Accident

TRANSIT

10) Cell Phones in Public Transportation

Link to article in Mass Transit:

http://www.masstransitmag.com/web/online/Online-Exclusives/Cell-Phones-in-Public-Transportation/5$10692

11) Groundbreaking Travel Management Coordination Center Set to Open in Paducah, Kentucky

Link to article in Mass Transit:

http://www.masstransitmag.com/web/online/Industry-Announcements/Groundbreaking-Travel-Management-Coordination-Center-Set-To-Open-in-Paducah/1$10736

12) New York City Transit Neglects C Train Riders During Major Subway Service Changes

Little or no information provided to passengers about disruption.

Link to article in the Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/02/16/2010-02-16_nyc_transit_neglects_c_train_riders_during_major_subway_service_changes.html

13) E-mails with Links a Recipe for WMATA Site Overload

Link to blog on Greater Greater Washington:

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=4915

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

14) Portland, Oregon Intelligent Transportation Systems Seek Funding

Link to article in the Daily Journal of Commerce:

http://djcoregon.com/news/2010/02/16/oregon-intelligent-transportation-systems-projects-seek-more-funding-trpn/

15) Colorado DOT Traffic Management Makes I-70 Holiday Return Trip Smoother than Expected

Link to article on INDenverTimes:

http://www.indenvertimes.com/cdot-traffic-management-makes-i-70-holiday-return-trip-smoother-than-expected/

News Releases

1) Sprint Launches Interactive Now Network Experience at JFK International Airport

2) ACS to Provide Real-Time Passenger Information System to Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority

3) Theme Announced for 2010 National Work Zone Awareness Week

4) Tackling Traffic Congestion and Air Pollution with Artificial Intelligence

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Integrating the National Unified Goal into Traffic Incident Management Programs – February 24

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/news/news_detail.asp?ID=608

Today in Transportation History

1965 **45^th anniversary** – Ranger 8 was launched en route to the Moon.

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/html/mission_page/EM_Ranger_8_page1.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

Tuesday, February 16, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Discuss Federal Legislative Initiatives at IBTTA Legislative Conference – March 22-23, 2010 in Washington, DC

Join the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association on March 22-23, 2010 in Washington, DC and participate in discussions on federal legislative initiatives with leaders in the transportation policy debate. Topics will include transportation authorization, electronic tolling interoperability, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) charging, the proposed Office of Public Benefit, and other important issues affecting tolling and road pricing. Participants will spend Tuesday afternoon visiting their congressional representatives to advance tolling initiatives on Capitol Hill. This meeting is ideal for toll industry professionals interested in US Federal and transportation legislation and regulations affecting the toll industry. Visit www.IBTTA.org for registration, hotel and travel information and to view the preliminary agenda. [More…]

ROADWAYS

1) A New Traffic Sign: ‘Take Turns’

Link to article in Good:

http://www.good.is/post/a-new-traffic-sign-take-turns/

SAFETY / SECURITY

2) Chicago-Area Slaying has Truckers, Cops, Lawmakers Talking Road Rage

CB radio is often used for taunting and threats.

Link to article in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/northnorthwest/ct-met-truckers-road-rage0216-20100215,0,145811.story

3) Allstate Report Says Girl Teen Drivers ‘More Distracted’ Than Boys

Link to article in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-allstate-teen-report-feb16,0,3323131.story

4) Tiny Cameras Seen as Future in Police Work

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-02-15-head-cameras-police_N.htm

TRANSIT

5) New York City Transit Testing Subway Arrival Notification Program

Link to article in the Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/02/16/2010-02-16_waiting_game_less_grating_message_boards_relay_arrival_times_at_subway_stops.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

6) Michigan DOT Director Says Owner of Ambassador Bridge Not Interested in Providing Real-Time Information

Link to column in the Detroit Free Press:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100211/COL04/2110557/1008/NEWS06/Trouble-with-Morouns-monopoly

VEHICLES

7) Toyota’s ‘Black Box’ Could Hold Accident Clues

Data can only be read by Toyota and company is sometimes reluctant to share information.

Link to article on DailyFinance:

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/toyotas-black-box-could-hold-accident-clues/19359588/

8) Can Drivers Handle High-Tech Cars?

Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703562404575067212753758680.html

News Releases

1) Frost & Sullivan: Demand for Integration and Efficiency Propels Global Commercial Aviation Software Market

2) Use Google Maps to Plan Your GO Trip

Upcoming Events

Joint Council on Transit Wireless Communications – February 22 – Fort Lauderdale, Florida

http://www.npstc.org/transitCommunity.jsp

Today in Transportation History

1945 **65^th anniversary** – US forces land on Corregidor during World War II.

http://www.corregidor.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

Monday, February 15, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s 20^th Annual Meeting & Exposition (May 3-5, 2010, Houston, Texas)

• Be sure to register by March 1 and save money!  Public sector and first-time attendees qualify for special discounts.  Save time and register through our website.   And remember to make your hotel reservations here.
• Exhibit space is still available.  Be a sponsor!
• Take a walk on the virtual side.  Check out more than 100 exhibitors. Click on their names; see what’s in store for you in May!
• Listen, look, stop.  For the first time ever, ITS America Forums feature exhibit hall theater briefings on safety, sustainability, personal mobility, commercial operations and cross-cutting issues, followed by topic-specific, guided tours of the exhibit hall.

AVIATION

1) Airlines Cancel Flights Before Storms Arrive, and E-mail the Passengers

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/business/13cancel.html

RAILROADS

2) Eurostar Falls Short on Emergency Plans

Information provided to passengers one of the areas faulted.

Link to article in the Financial Times:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7f7ed766-17d0-11df-a74d-00144feab49a.html

Link to report: http://www.eurostarindependentreview.org/pdf/Eurostar%20Independent%20Review.pdf

ROADWAYS

3) Online Map Launched to Aid London Street Cleaning Teams

Link to BBC News story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8514930.stm

4) Most Adirondack Park Signage to Remain Unchanged

Link to article in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise:

http://adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/511311.html?nav=5008

TELEMATICS

5) Smart Roads: Driving Technology Accelerates

Link to article in the Deseret News:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700009394/Smart-roads-Driving-technology-accelerates.html

TRANSIT

6) SEPTA Moving to Drop Rail-Line Initials

Some say designations are too confusing.
Link to article in The Philadelphia Inquirer:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/84275512.html?cmpid=15585797

7) Metra Considers Selling Naming Rights for Routes, Stations

Link to article in the Chicago Sun-Times:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/2045805,CST-NWS-metra13.article

8) Catching a Bus in Chicago? There’s an App for That

Link to article in the Chicago Flame:

http://media.www.chicagoflame.com/media/storage/paper519/news/2010/02/15/Features/Catching.A.Bus.Theres.An.App.For.That-3871669.shtml

9) Boston Commuters, Call and Get the Inside Track on Bus Schedule

Link to column in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/02/14/commuters_call_and_get_the_inside_track_on_bus_schedule/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

10) Smart Sensors Start Going to Work

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/smarter-sensors-start-going-to-work

News Releases

1) The PBSJ Corporation 2009 Project Awards Presented

2) Navteq Announces Real-Time Traffic in the UK

3) Qualcomm and Audi to Make the Connected Car a Reality in 2010

4) Traffic Alerts on Your Phone – UK Highways Agency Tunes Into Latest Technology

Upcoming Events

Railway Engineering 2010 – March 25-26 – Paris

http://www.groupeactis.com/spip.php?rubrique48

Today in Transportation History

1935 **75^th anniversary** – Roger Chaffee, an astronaut who died in a fire on Apollo 1, was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

http://www11.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/chaffee-rb.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, February 12, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Bernie Wagenblast Voice Services

Need a professional voice for a transportation application?  I have experience with everything from a simple phone greeting to a complex train announcement system.  Unlike many other voice-over performers, I bring years of transportation experience and knowledge to each project.  Understanding the ins and outs of transportation systems translates to a recording that’s more authentic.  My resume includes clients such as the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority, the City of Laredo, TransCore and the New Jersey Department of Transportation. You can learn more and hear samples of my work at www.bwcommunications.net.  Let me know how I can help your organization sound its best.

BICYCLES

1) Finding a Guide to Cycling in Long Beach, California, Mapping the Bike Routes

Man sets out to map and mark bikeway.

Link to commentary on Everything Long Beach:

http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/guide-to-cycling-long-beach-map-the-bikeways/

OTHER

2) Wi-Fi Turns Rowdy School Bus Into Rolling Study Hall

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/education/12bus.html

3) Inaugural Issue of Intertraffic World Online

Link to magazine:

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/58440222

SAFETY / SECURITY

4) 10,000 TSA Staff to Get Secret Intel

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-02-11-TSA-security_N.htm

TRANSIT

5) MARTA ‘Yellow’ Line to be Renamed ‘Gold’ Following Complaints

Link to article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/marta-yellow-line-to-299283.html

6) Shutterbug Fights Bogus Ticket

Photo of New York City subway car lands man in cuffs.

Link to story and video on WNYW-TV:

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/investigative/100209-shutterbug-fights-nyc-subway-ticket

News Releases

1) Global Personal Navigation Device Shipments to Stagnate at 48 Million by 2015

2) Washington State DOT Breaks Out Traffic Tools to Help Get Drivers to the Olympics

Upcoming Events

MRO Middle East – February 28-March 1 – Dubai

http://www.aviationweek.com/events/current/mme/index.htm

Friday Bonus

In Hong Kong, escalators aren’t just part of the commute, in some cases they are the commute.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8441626.stm

Today in Transportation History

1960 **50^th anniversary** – Herman Beam became the first driver to be black flagged at the Daytona Motor Speedway.

http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Herman_Beam.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

Thursday, February 11, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Discuss Federal Legislative Initiatives at IBTTA Legislative Conference – March 22-23, 2010 in Washington, DC

Join the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association on March 22-23, 2010 in Washington, DC and participate in discussions on federal legislative initiatives with leaders in the transportation policy debate. Topics will include transportation authorization, electronic tolling interoperability, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) charging, the proposed Office of Public Benefit, and other important issues affecting tolling and road pricing. Participants will spend Tuesday afternoon visiting their congressional representatives to advance tolling initiatives on Capitol Hill. This meeting is ideal for toll industry professionals interested in US Federal and transportation legislation and regulations affecting the toll industry. Visit www.IBTTA.org for registration, hotel and travel information and to view the preliminary agenda. [More…]

AVIATION

1) FAA Joins Search for Solution to Lubbock, Texas Airport’s Instrument Landing System Woes

Link to article in the Avalanche-Journal:

http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/021010/upd_561202506.shtml

CAMERAS

2) South San Francisco Owes More than $1 Million in Traffic Ticket Blunder

Link to article in the San Mateo County Times:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_14369101

3) Arizona Panel OKs Changes to Cameras

Link to article in The Arizona Republic:

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2010/02/11/20100211politics-speed0111.html

ROADWAYS

4) Don’t Rely on Volusia County, Florida Call Boxes for Help in Emergencies on I-4

Link to article in the Orlando Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/volusia/os-callboxes-removed-20100205,0,2410027.story

5) Ohio Stimulus Sign Critic Backed 74 Other Namings

Link to AP article:

http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20100211/UPDATES01/100211007

6) Traffic Signal Systems 2009

Link to publication from the Transportation Research Board:

http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/Traffic_Signal_Systems_2009_162990.aspx

TRANSIT

7) In SEPTA’s Nerve Center: Problems

Link to article in the Philadelphia Daily News:

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20100211_In_SEPTA_s_nerve_center__Problems.html

8) Dayton RTA Creates New Customer Connection

Link to article in Mass Transit:

http://www.masstransitmag.com/publication/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=10689

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

9) New System Could Avoid Traffic Jams

Student’s thesis proposes using system to share information with motorists and authorities.

Link to article in The National:

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100212/NATIONAL/702119882/1010

VEHICLES

10) Toyota Dealers Pull Ads on ABC Stations for ‘Excessive Stories’ on Recalls

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/toyota-dealers-pull-ads-on-abc-for-excessive-stories-on-recalls/

11) Volvo Unveils New Infotainment System

Link to CNET News article:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10451701-48.html

12) Fast Forward 2020: The Real Car Tech of Tomorrow

Link to article in Car and Driver:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/10q1/fast_forward_2020_the_real_car_tech_of_tomorrow-feature

News Releases

1) Frost & Sullivan: Spate of Software Related Vehicle Recalls and the Future of Automotive Electronics

2) American Airlines Honors African-American Aviation Pioneers with Its New Virtual Museum

3) Winnipeg Transit Launches BUStxt

4) MBTA to Offer Real-Time Arrival Information on Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line

5) New California Public Awareness Campaign Aims to Reduce Train-Related Pedestrian Deaths and Injuries

6) Shaping Aviation Weather Services in the 21^st Century

Upcoming Events

Transport Science and Technology Congress – April 4-7 – New Delhi

http://www.ewebevolution.com/transtec/

Today in Transportation History

1960 **50^th anniversary** – NASA astronaut Richard Mastracchio was born in Waterbury, Connecticut.

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/mastracc.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

(Source: Washington Post)

Necessity is the mother of all inventions.  Many of the world’s top innovative tools and applications, right from electricity to our modern computers, were all bron out of our existential necessities.  The following story by Stephanie McCrummen brings to you another such invention that is not the best form of transportation around, but in a country that is shattered by years of a civil war and grinding poverty, it is very effective in getting the  job done – moving people and goods, while enabling income generation for some of the poorest people in this world.

Today’s Washington Post Foreign Service featured this story of Chukudu, a pre-industrial looking local transporter, prevalent in Congo.  Here is an excerpt of this story:

African cities often have forms of transport that reflect some facet of their character. In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, tiny, blue, Soviet-made Ladas buzz along the wide avenues, mementos of the country’s Cold War alliance. In the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, a corrupt syndicate runs a fleet of banged-up minibuses with names such as Dreams, Bombastic, Mayhem and I Feel Nothing, which weave a spirited, at times nihilistic, narrative through the traffic.

In the towns and villages of war-ravaged eastern Congo, the lumpy, lava-covered roads belong to the humble chukudu: hand-hewn wooden scooters that men ride and push across the hills, hauling towering loads of charcoal, cabbage, potatoes and other stuff of daily life.

Though the chukudus look pre-industrial, local residents say they date from the 1970s, when Congo’s economy and government began to collapse under the rule of then-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and people had to improvise services from schools to heavy transport.

Available in three models — small, medium and large — the chukudu is a marvel of practical engineering and endurance. It has become the donkey of eastern Congo — a beast of burden that hauls vegetables in the good times and fleeing people in the bad. Purely utilitarian, chukudus are rarely painted or personalized. The most common flourishes are mudflaps for their wooden wheels. And unlike the minibuses of Nairobi, chukudus rarely inspire nicknames.

Here is the best part – Economics:   Ndayambaje, 27, said he could expect a decent 5,000 Congolese francs, or about $5, for this trip, which is $5 more than he would have if it weren’t for his chukudu.

“If you have a chukudu,” he said, “you can’t starve.”

And you don’t need a license to drive one of these. It will be interesting if someone can conduct a study on the economic impact of this transporter and possibly include  some safety statistics to go along with in that evaluation. You can bet your life that it has to be one of the best cost effective forms of transportation modes around, with a cost-benefit ratio that you cannot beat, ever.  Above all, the Chukudus are super eco-friendly, can be rated zero-emission vehicle right off the bat and people stay fit riding/pushing them around.  Anyways, click here to read the rest of this interesting article.

Streetsblog-Capitol Hill’s Elena Schor posted an interesting analysis a report titled Projects and Paychecks: a One Year Report on State Transportation Successes under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (and a website), released yesterday by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the trade group representing state DOTs in Washington.. The report is billed as a one-year “progress report” on the White House’s $34.3 billion in formula-based American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) a.k.a stimulus spending on transportation projects.

The comprehensive study finds that one year after its passage, state DOTs have set an amazing record of speed and efficienc:

• 77 percent of the $34.3 billion provided for highways and transit out to bid on 12,250 transportation projects.
• The 9,240 projects under construction total $20.6 billion.
• One hundred-fifty of these projects are profiled on the companion website at: recovery.transportation.org.
• As a result of the Recovery Act, 280,000 direct, on-project jobs have been created or sustained across the country.

An excerpt from Elena’s analysis:

Interestingly, the group’s chart [PDF shown below] showing state-by-state progress on transportation stimulus omits the estimates of jobs created by each category of spending — perhaps because a December analysis of those totals showed that transit was a more cost-effective employment generator than road projects.

Overall, the report attempts to make a case for more investment in infrastructure as part of a second round of job-creation legislation, using anecdotes from state DOT officials and local construction workers who claimed a steady paycheck thanks to the stimulus law.

The press release to mark the occasion has the following nugget, which I thought is very interesting:  “With bids running as low as 30 percent below estimates, the study finds that states stretched federal dollars even further, creating more jobs and more miles of improvements. California, Georgia, and Texas awarded more than 90 percent of their highway contracts below original cost estimates.

The report, which includes data from the states, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the Federal Highway Administration, also found an impressive list of completed projects. As of January 7, 2010, 1,125 bridges had been improved or replaced, 21,400 miles of pavement had been resurfaced or widened, and 1,700 safety traffic management projects had been put into place.”

Making the case for more Transportation investment: “Projects and Paychecks proves just how big a role stimulus is playing to keep Americans working,” said John Horsley, AASHTO executive director. “In January, state DOTs identified more than 9,800 additional ‘ready-to-go’ projects worth $79 billion. Congress needs to move quickly to pass another Jobs Bill. This study proves transportation projects can deliver hundreds of thousands of jobs for America,” Horsley said.

Click here to access the website or here to download the report.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Congress Gets Project Lists for Jobs Bill: $15B for Transit, $48B for Roads (streetsblog.org)
• Transportation Scores Big In Obama’s Budget (lifetoup.com)
• Jobs Bill: Will The ‘Jobs For Main Street’ Act Boost Employment? (huffingtonpost.com)

Tuesday, February 23rd

1:00 to 2:30 PM EST

Please join us for a free Webinar hosted by the National Transportation Operations Coalition on Tuesday, February 23rd from 1:00 to 2:30 PM EST. Click on the URL below to register.

Integrating operations into a metropolitan transportation plan can lead to important improvements that customers care about: increased efficiency, reliability, safety, security, travel options, and more. The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration have developed a desk reference that can help metropolitan planning organizations and their planning partners meet the challenge of integrating operations into the plan and realize the benefits. The desk reference assists planners and operators in using specific operations objectives and performance measures to plan for operations. It contains an extensive menu of operations objectives and performance measures that planners and operators can draw from for their own plans. Excerpts from a sample plan illustrate the integration of operations into a plan.

This seminar will offer a preview of this new tool. Audiences will have an opportunity to hear how two MPOs are using an objectives-driven, performance-based approach to plan for operations and the desk reference. This is the second in a series of two Talking Operations Webinars on the objectives-driven, performance-based approach. Tune in to hear about the experiences of two more metropolitan planning organizations.

The speakers will be:

• Richard Backlund, FHWA Office of Operations, Egan Smith, FHWA Office of Planning, and John Sprowls, FTA Office of Planning
• Deena Platman, Principal Transportation Planner, Metro, Portland, Oregon
• Lance Wilber, Central Region Director, Alaska Department of Transportation and former Municipality of Anchorage Traffic Director.

To Register, Click this URL: https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.aspx?webconfid=19485